Name: Cranberry Pumpkin Cookies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 cup white sugar; 0.5 cup butter, softened; 1 cup solid pack pumpkin puree; 1 large egg; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2.25 cups all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 0.5 teaspoon salt; 1 cup halved fresh cranberries; 0.5 cup chopped walnuts; 1 tablespoon orange zest

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

This recipe was developed at its original yield. Ingredient amounts are automatically adjusted, but cooking times and steps remain unchanged. Note that not all recipes scale perfectly.

Original recipe (1X) yields 36 servings:

1 cup white sugar
cup butter, softened
1 cup solid pack pumpkin pure
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
teaspoon salt
1 cup halved fresh cranberries
cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon orange zest

Directions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375F (190C). Grease two cookie sheets with butter or non-stick spray.

Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and softened butter using an electric mixer. Beat until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.

Step 3: Add the pumpkin pure, egg, and vanilla extract to the creamed mixture. Mix until well combined.

Step 4: In a separate medium-sized bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt.

Step 5: Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients into the wet pumpkin mixture. Stir until fully combined and smooth.

Step 6: Gently fold in the halved fresh cranberries, chopped walnuts, and orange zest. Ensure the ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Step 7: Using a teaspoon, drop rounded spoonfuls of dough onto the prepared cookie sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

Step 8: Place the cookie sheets in the preheated oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies turn golden brown.

Step 9: Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes on the sheets. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition per serving (1 cookie):

Calories: 90
Total Fat: 4g (5% Daily Value)
Saturated Fat: 2g (9% Daily Value)
Cholesterol: 12mg (4% Daily Value)
Sodium: 131mg (6% Daily Value)
Total Carbohydrate: 13g (5% Daily Value)
Dietary Fiber: 1g (3% Daily Value)
Total Sugars: 6g
Protein: 1g (3% Daily Value)
Vitamin C: 1mg (1% Daily Value)
Calcium: 22mg (2% Daily Value)
Iron: 1mg (3% Daily Value)
Potassium: 36mg (1% Daily Value)

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Comments

George Roberts

10/04/2025 06:44:14 AM

I am the owner of a small bakery in Charleston, SC, and was on the hunt for a pumpkin cookie recipe when I stumbled upon this gem. After giving it a test run, I was completely blown away. These cookies are simply incredible, and they fly off the shelves faster than I can bake them. To add a special touch, I dip the entire top of each cookie in a glaze made of milk and powdered sugar, letting it dry overnight to lock in the moisture. Thank you for sharing this fantastic recipe!

Dorothy Collins

10/04/2025 07:21:45 PM

I tried this recipe using dried cranberries, which I plumped up in hot water before adding them to the mix. Since I didn't have an orange, I used 1/4 teaspoon of orange extract, and I replaced the nuts with white chocolate chips. These cookies turned out soft and flavorful, with a mild taste overall. Next time, I may experiment by adding 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice along with the cinnamon. Despite that, I have no complaints about this recipe. One thing to note is that my cookies burned slightly on the bottom when baked at 375 degrees (possibly due to my cookie sheets), so I found that baking them at 350 degrees for 12 minutes resulted in perfect cookies.

Dorothy Scott

10/02/2025 10:17:08 PM

I have now made this recipe twice and it is absolutely amazing. The first time, I used dry cranberries, and this time I used frozen cranberries. I had to adjust the amount of flour and bake them for 13 minutes, but they turned out great - light and cakey. Even my husband, who usually complains about everything, loved them. Last year's batch was denser but still excellent. I served them during a Studio Tour and received rave reviews. I enjoy both versions and will definitely make them again. I have a freezer full of fresh pureed pumpkin to use up. For the first batch, I followed the recipe exactly, but this time I increased the cinnamon to two teaspoons and added about half a teaspoon of allspice and a quarter teaspoon of cloves.

Gary Thompson

10/01/2025 11:31:38 PM

The cookies came out amazing! Following the suggestions from reviews, I included 1/4 cup of brown sugar along with a dash of nutmeg, clove, ginger, and cinnamon. Instead of nuts, I decided to add a cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips. I had to bake them for a bit longer than the suggested 10-12 minutes, more like 15-16 minutes. The result was fantastic - moist, cake-like cookies with a delicious flavor!

Patrick Davis

10/05/2025 02:00:49 AM

I have made these cookies several times and have experimented with different variations. After reading a review where someone chopped the cranberries, I decided to try putting them through a slicer, but I didn't like the result. The next time, I followed the recipe exactly and kept the cranberries whole and fresh, and they turned out so delicious. I even increased the amount of cranberries to 2 ½ cups. I used a 1 ½ inch scoop to shape the cookies and had some leftover cranberries, so I simply stuck them on top of the cookies along with sliced almonds before pressing the dough slightly wider and baking at 375°F for 18 minutes. These cookies don't spread much during baking, so you can place them close together on the cookie sheet. One reviewer mentioned using a milk and powdered sugar frosting after the cookies cooled. While I initially made a normal consistency frosting, I later tried a thinner frosting by adding more milk and lightly brushing it over the cookies with a pastry brush. The combination of cake-like cookies with crunchy almonds was a delightful improvement. Recently, I've found that folding the almonds into the dough after adding the cranberries is easier and still provides that satisfying crunch. These cookies have become a big hit every year around this time, and the addition of almonds has been a simple yet effective enhancement. Overall, these cookies are fantastic!

Carol Mitchell

10/02/2025 12:58:03 AM

I absolutely adore cinnamon and nutmeg, so I decided to double the amount of cinnamon and include nearly a teaspoon of ground nutmeg. To reduce the sugar content, I halved it and incorporated half a cup of dark brown sugar instead. As fresh cranberries weren't available, I opted for dried cranberries/craisins and added a bit more than recommended in the recipe. The resulting cookies are delightfully soft, chewy, and perfectly sweet, especially with the enhanced cranberry flavor. They are simply divine!

Paul Smith

10/05/2025 03:49:15 AM

A big hit at my house.....we absolutely adored them. I omitted the walnuts, but otherwise stuck to the recipe exactly. Planning to whip up another batch this weekend.

Nicholas Gomez

10/05/2025 02:38:19 PM

I omitted the walnuts and didn't feel their absence. I substituted the spices with pumpkin pie spice that I had available. The result was absolutely delicious!