Extra Easy Pumpkin Cookies

By mzander

These cookies are made from a cake mix, and very moist and full of flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 (14 ounce) can 100% pure pumpkin
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup applesauce
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package spice cake mix
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

Details

Level of difficulty Average
Cost Average budget

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease two baking sheets.

Beat the pumpkin, eggs, applesauce, and vanilla together in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the cake mix, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves until well blended and creamy. Drop by spoonfuls on prepared baking sheets.

Bake in preheated oven until tops are firm when lightly touched, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on racks.

I MADE IT
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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
107
Calories
3g
Fat
18g
Carbs
2g
Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label




Reviews (51)
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What do you think of this recipe? Share your experience to help others.

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4.3 out of 5
54 Ratings
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2
2
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4
4
9
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35
Most helpful positive review
Sweet Apron
09/28/2009
Yes, it is a "cakey" cookie. However, if you want a firmer, denser (less-cakelike) cookie, substitute a stick of softened butter for the applesauce. While I do sub applesauce often b/c it lowers the fat content...it also changes the texture of baked goods, creating a spongey texture. You can also do 1/4 c. applesauce, 1/4 cup butter or oil. I increased the spices and added 1/2 tsp. of ginger, too. A browned butter icing is yummy drizzled over tops. Just brown a bit of butter until it's nutty brown and beat in a bit of powdered sugar until it's your desired consistancy. Next time I make these, I will sandwich them with marshmallow fluff beat with cream cheese. Excellent "fall" whoopie pies.

Read More

Helpful (135)
Most helpful critical review
Linda
11/23/2007
While very easy to make and a nice flavor, I would call these individual cakes, not cookies. The "cookies" don't spread out when they bake so the first pan took much longer to bake and came out in the exact "spoonful" shape they went in. Flattening them before baking helped with the second pan, but still they came out airy, light, and very moist... just like cake.

Read More

Helpful (45)
Sort By:
Newest
AdicaArethusa
10/20/2022
This was the perfect easy and forgiving fall cookie recipe to make with my toddler. She had a great time helping me stir and spoon the mixture onto the baking sheet. I used a stick of melted butter instead of the applesauce. They baked up nicely even though the cookies varied greatly in size (again, toddler). It took an extra 5 min or so for the larger ones to bake through, but the small ones still turned out fine.


Helpful (0)
Mary
11/13/2020
I used a carrot cake mix that I had on hand instead of a spice cake mix. Instead of using 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, I used 1/4 tsp. nutmeg and 1/4 tsp allspice. Instead of making cupcakes, I put the batter in a spring form pan and baked it for 46 minutes. It is moist and delicious.


Helpful (0)
Maine-iac
10/21/2019
I made this exactly as the recipe was written, but I had to bake these for 30 minutes before they were truly done. They are VERY cakey, not like a cookie at all, and not as sweet as most cookies. They are okay, but I would not take the trouble to make them again.


Helpful (0)
cookingmomma
03/21/2017
Since several people mentioned that these were more like cake instead of cookies, I decided to make mini-muffins out of them! I had a carrot cake mix that I needed to use up before the end of the month, so I used that and added all the other ingredients in the recipe as well as a few chopped almonds. I put papers in my mini muffin pans, sprayed them with cooking spray and dropped a heaping tablespoon of batter in them. It took about 15 minutes for these to bake and made approximately 60 mini-muffins. When they cooled slightly, I mixed up powdered sugar, a little vanilla extract, Ghee (clarified butter), milk and a sprinkle of cinnamon and drizzled that over the muffins. I ate three before I could stop myself! These were excellent as little muffins. I will definitely make this again.

Read More

Helpful (1)
MELRN
11/06/2016
I made these with 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup oil in place of the applesauce. Sprinkled with sugar and used kisses on top. The pumpkin spice kisses made the cookies taste very bitter. The chocolate kisses were a bit better, but not worth wasting a can of pumpkin on when I have so many awesome recipes!


Helpful (0)
Rick Follum
10/13/2016
It tastes like spice cake


Helpful (0)
marthacook
10/08/2016
Try it with a chocolate cake mix! Wow. With the pumpkin purée and spices these mini cakes are heavenly. I'm adding a dab of banana icing and some toasted pumpkin seeds to make them look healthy. Will try different textures next time tweaking the eggs and applesauce.


Helpful (0)
Euphorixlost
11/22/2014
These tasted EXACTLY like pumpkin pie! I subbed margarine for the applesauce, added 1/2 tsp ground ginger, ground cloves and nutmeg. Also, I used one less egg. The result were very smooth (albeit soft and slightly sticky) cookies that tasted amazing. Will definitely make again!


Helpful (0)
ssaloof
01/04/2013
Based on the cake like consistency, I went with muffins instead of cookies and baked for about 20 minutes. I also added cinnamon chips and raisins. A true winner! My mom does these as mini-muffins too, and they are a great bite size treat.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease two baking sheets.

Beat the pumpkin, eggs, applesauce, and vanilla together in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the cake mix, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves until well blended and creamy. Drop by spoonfuls on prepared baking sheets.

Bake in preheated oven until tops are firm when lightly touched, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on racks.

I MADE IT
PRINT
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
107
Calories
3g
Fat
18g
Carbs
2g
Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label




Reviews (51)
Check out our Community Guidelines about reviews.

What do you think of this recipe? Share your experience to help others.

ADD RATING & REVIEW
4.3 out of 5
54 Ratings
1
2
2
4
3
4
4
9
5
35
Most helpful positive review
Sweet Apron
09/28/2009
Yes, it is a "cakey" cookie. However, if you want a firmer, denser (less-cakelike) cookie, substitute a stick of softened butter for the applesauce. While I do sub applesauce often b/c it lowers the fat content...it also changes the texture of baked goods, creating a spongey texture. You can also do 1/4 c. applesauce, 1/4 cup butter or oil. I increased the spices and added 1/2 tsp. of ginger, too. A browned butter icing is yummy drizzled over tops. Just brown a bit of butter until it's nutty brown and beat in a bit of powdered sugar until it's your desired consistancy. Next time I make these, I will sandwich them with marshmallow fluff beat with cream cheese. Excellent "fall" whoopie pies.

Read More

Helpful (135)
Most helpful critical review
Linda
11/23/2007
While very easy to make and a nice flavor, I would call these individual cakes, not cookies. The "cookies" don't spread out when they bake so the first pan took much longer to bake and came out in the exact "spoonful" shape they went in. Flattening them before baking helped with the second pan, but still they came out airy, light, and very moist... just like cake.

Read More

Helpful (45)
Sort By:
Newest
AdicaArethusa
10/20/2022
This was the perfect easy and forgiving fall cookie recipe to make with my toddler. She had a great time helping me stir and spoon the mixture onto the baking sheet. I used a stick of melted butter instead of the applesauce. They baked up nicely even though the cookies varied greatly in size (again, toddler). It took an extra 5 min or so for the larger ones to bake through, but the small ones still turned out fine.


Helpful (0)
Mary
11/13/2020
I used a carrot cake mix that I had on hand instead of a spice cake mix. Instead of using 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, I used 1/4 tsp. nutmeg and 1/4 tsp allspice. Instead of making cupcakes, I put the batter in a spring form pan and baked it for 46 minutes. It is moist and delicious.


Helpful (0)
Maine-iac
10/21/2019
I made this exactly as the recipe was written, but I had to bake these for 30 minutes before they were truly done. They are VERY cakey, not like a cookie at all, and not as sweet as most cookies. They are okay, but I would not take the trouble to make them again.


Helpful (0)
cookingmomma
03/21/2017
Since several people mentioned that these were more like cake instead of cookies, I decided to make mini-muffins out of them! I had a carrot cake mix that I needed to use up before the end of the month, so I used that and added all the other ingredients in the recipe as well as a few chopped almonds. I put papers in my mini muffin pans, sprayed them with cooking spray and dropped a heaping tablespoon of batter in them. It took about 15 minutes for these to bake and made approximately 60 mini-muffins. When they cooled slightly, I mixed up powdered sugar, a little vanilla extract, Ghee (clarified butter), milk and a sprinkle of cinnamon and drizzled that over the muffins. I ate three before I could stop myself! These were excellent as little muffins. I will definitely make this again.

Read More

Helpful (1)
MELRN
11/06/2016
I made these with 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup oil in place of the applesauce. Sprinkled with sugar and used kisses on top. The pumpkin spice kisses made the cookies taste very bitter. The chocolate kisses were a bit better, but not worth wasting a can of pumpkin on when I have so many awesome recipes!


Helpful (0)
Rick Follum
10/13/2016
It tastes like spice cake


Helpful (0)
marthacook
10/08/2016
Try it with a chocolate cake mix! Wow. With the pumpkin purée and spices these mini cakes are heavenly. I'm adding a dab of banana icing and some toasted pumpkin seeds to make them look healthy. Will try different textures next time tweaking the eggs and applesauce.


Helpful (0)
Euphorixlost
11/22/2014
These tasted EXACTLY like pumpkin pie! I subbed margarine for the applesauce, added 1/2 tsp ground ginger, ground cloves and nutmeg. Also, I used one less egg. The result were very smooth (albeit soft and slightly sticky) cookies that tasted amazing. Will definitely make again!


Helpful (0)
ssaloof
01/04/2013
Based on the cake like consistency, I went with muffins instead of cookies and baked for about 20 minutes. I also added cinnamon chips and raisins. A true winner! My mom does these as mini-muffins too, and they are a great bite size treat.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease two baking sheets.

Step 2

Beat the pumpkin, eggs, applesauce, and vanilla together in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the cake mix, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves until well blended and creamy. Drop by spoonfuls on prepared baking sheets.

Step 3

Bake in preheated oven until tops are firm when lightly touched, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on racks.