Pumpkin Delight Cookies (Inspired by Little Debbie!)
My hot take: pumpkin delights are the all-time BEST treat from Little Debbie, and it’s an utter travesty that they’re not available all-year round! They’re soft and fluffy and chewy and dense all at the same time, and of course they’re loaded with that pumpkin spice flavor and gooey jam that just makes them totally delicious. I could eat them by the box, and that’s exactly why I had to create my own version at home.
If you hadn’t noticed, I’m really upping my fall and Halloween sweet treat game this year, and I’ve already shared my s’mores pretzel rods, Biscoff cookie butter cheesecake, Halloween bandaid cookies, salted caramel rice krispie squares, sweet potato brownies, and Halloween ghost cornflake cookies, and these pumpkin delight cookies are the perfect addition to your dessert table.
They’re easier to make than you might imagine, and they’re guaranteed to be the talk of your party this spooky season. Let’s get straight down to it!
Ingredients
Prefer a printable recipe card? No worries, you’ll find one at the bottom of this post! In the following sections, I’m sharing more about the ingredients and process, alongside some photos to help serve as a visual guide. I’ll also share extra tips and serving ideas.
Pumpkin Filling
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Canned pure pumpkin: Go for 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling — we’re adding the spices ourselves!
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Sugar:This sweetens up the pumpkin filling and balances all those warm fall spices.
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Pumpkin pie spice: Adds that classic pumpkin pie flavor — cozy, warm, and perfectly spiced.
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Cinnamon: For extra depth and warmth. Cinnamon + pumpkin = fall in a bite.
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Cornstarch: Helps thicken the filling so it doesn’t ooze out of the cookies.
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Apple juice: Adds a subtle sweetness and helps dissolve the cornstarch into a smooth slurry.
Cookie Dough
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Butter, melted: Melted butter keeps the dough soft and easy to mix — no need to wait for it to soften!
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Sugar: Sweetens the cookie dough base and gives it that classic molasses cookie vibe.
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Molasses: Adds rich, deep flavor and gives the cookies that dark golden color — plus it plays so well with the pumpkin spice.
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Egg: Helps bind everything together and gives the dough structure.
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Baking soda: Helps the cookies puff up slightly and gives them a soft, cakey texture.
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Cinnamon: Because there’s no such thing as too much cinnamon in a fall cookie.
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Pumpkin pie spice: Keeps the spice consistent throughout — so the filling and cookie match perfectly.
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Salt: Just enough to balance the sweetness and bring out all the cozy flavors.
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Flour: Start with the specified amount, then add a little more if the dough feels too sticky. You want it soft but workable.
How To Make Pumpkin Delight Cookies
- Make the pumpkin filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the pumpkin purée, 1½ cups of sugar, pumpkin spice, and cinnamon until fully combined. In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and apple juice until the cornstarch is completely dissolved — no lumps, please!
- Cook the filling: Pour the apple juice mixture into the saucepan and whisk everything together. Cook over medium heat, bringing it to a gentle boil. Once it starts bubbling, lower the heat and let it simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring now and then so nothing sticks. Remove from heat and let the filling cool completely before assembling the cookies — it’ll thicken up as it cools.
- Make the cookie dough: In a large mixing bowl, beat the melted butter and 1 cup of sugar together with a hand mixer until it thickens up a bit — about 2–3 minutes. Add in the molasses and egg, and beat again until smooth and well mixed.
- Add the dry ingredients: Mix in the baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and flour. Keep mixing with the hand mixer until everything comes together in a soft dough. If it’s still sticky, add a little extra flour a tablespoon at a time until you can pinch it without it sticking to your fingers.
- Chill and roll: Cover the dough and pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes. Once chilled, preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly flour your surface and roll the dough out to about ¼ inch thick. Use a pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter (or just a round cutter or glass) to cut out the cookies. Flatten the top of the circle slightly to give it more of a pumpkin shape.
- Create the pumpkin faces: You’ll need two pieces for each cookie: one for the base and one for the face. Take half of the cookie cutouts and use a small sharp knife to carefully cut triangle eyes and a mouth — just like a mini jack-o’-lantern!
- Assemble the cookies: Spoon about 1 tablespoon of cooled pumpkin filling onto the center of each bottom cookie (the ones without faces). Then gently place a face cookie on top, lining it up as best you can. Lightly press the edges to seal them together — no need to be perfect, just make sure they’re closed.
- Bake: Transfer the cookies to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 10–13 minutes. Keep an eye on the center (especially around the nose/mouth area) to make sure it’s cooked through — that spot can bake a little slower. Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then move to a cooling rack. Once cool, they’re ready to serve!
Storage Tips
Store your pumpkin cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. The filling keeps them soft and flavorful, and chilling helps them hold their shape. If you like them a little warmer and gooier, just pop one in the microwave for a few seconds before serving.
Recipe Notes & Tips
If your pumpkin filling isn’t thickening up on the stove, don’t panic. Just place a lid on the saucepan, turn the heat up to medium-high, and give it a few extra minutes. Stir occasionally until it thickens, then let it cool completely before using — it’ll set up even more as it cools.
These cookies don’t have to be pumpkins — feel free to use any cookie cutter shape you like! The bigger the shape, the fewer cookies you’ll get; the smaller the shape, the more you’ll have to go around. Either way, they’ll taste amazing.
And here’s a biggie: always keep your surface floured when cutting out the cookies and carving the little faces. This dough can get sticky and soft, especially once it warms up, so flour helps everything lift cleanly and keeps those shapes looking sharp.
Serving Ideas
These Little Debbie-inspired pumpkin cookies are made for fall moments — from Halloween parties and classroom treat days to cozy weekend baking sessions and bake sales.
Serve them on a fall-themed platter with a few extra pumpkin faces scattered around for fun. If you’re making them for a bake sale, wrap each cookie individually in clear treat bags and tie with orange or black ribbon for an easy grab-and-go option. They also look adorable on a dessert table alongside other fall favorites like caramel apples, pumpkin muffins, or cider donuts.
Want to go the extra mile? Warm them up just slightly before serving and pair with a cup of hot apple cider or chai. Perfectly spiced, a little gooey in the center, and totally nostalgic — it’s fall magic in cookie form.
Pumpkin Delight Cookies
Ingredients
Pumpkin Filling
- 15 oz canned pure pumpkin
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 3/4 cup apple juice
Cookie Dough
- 12 tbsp butter melted
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 cups flour
Instructions
- Make the pumpkin filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the pumpkin purée, 1½ cups of sugar, pumpkin spice, and cinnamon until fully combined. In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and apple juice until the cornstarch is completely dissolved — no lumps, please!
- Cook the filling: Pour the apple juice mixture into the saucepan and whisk everything together. Cook over medium heat, bringing it to a gentle boil. Once it starts bubbling, lower the heat and let it simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring now and then so nothing sticks. Remove from heat and let the filling cool completely before assembling the cookies — it’ll thicken up as it cools.
- Make the cookie dough: In a large mixing bowl, beat the melted butter and 1 cup of sugar together with a hand mixer until it thickens up a bit — about 2–3 minutes. Add in the molasses and egg, and beat again until smooth and well mixed.
- Add the dry ingredients: Mix in the baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and flour. Keep mixing with the hand mixer until everything comes together in a soft dough. If it’s still sticky, add a little extra flour a tablespoon at a time until you can pinch it without it sticking to your fingers.
- Chill and roll: Cover the dough and pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes. Once chilled, preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly flour your surface and roll the dough out to about ¼ inch thick. Use a pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter (or just a round cutter or glass) to cut out the cookies. Flatten the top of the circle slightly to give it more of a pumpkin shape.
- Create the pumpkin faces: You’ll need two pieces for each cookie: one for the base and one for the face. Take half of the cookie cutouts and use a small sharp knife to carefully cut triangle eyes and a mouth — just like a mini jack-o’-lantern!
- Assemble the cookies: Spoon about 1 tablespoon of cooled pumpkin filling onto the center of each bottom cookie (the ones without faces). Then gently place a face cookie on top, lining it up as best you can. Lightly press the edges to seal them together — no need to be perfect, just make sure they’re closed.
- Bake: Transfer the cookies to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 10–13 minutes. Keep an eye on the center (especially around the nose/mouth area) to make sure it’s cooked through — that spot can bake a little slower. Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then move to a cooling rack. Once cool, they’re ready to serve!
These cookies are a simple, homemade nod to a fall favorite — soft, spiced, and filled with that sweet pumpkin center. They’re the kind of treat that feels just a little nostalgic and still completely worth the effort. Whether you’re baking them for fun or for a crowd, they’re cozy, seasonal, and a nice reminder that sometimes the best fall treats don’t come from a box. If you make them, I’d really appreciate it if you could take a minute to leave a quick review below! It helps me to understand more about what you like baking at home, so I can create more recipes you’ll love.
