Make These Healthy Pumpkin Soft and Chewy Cookie Bites with Just 4 Ingredients!
How to Make these Soft, Chewy, Sweet, and Perfectly Fall Pumpkin Cookie Treats
Americans really do fall so well. The smells, the tastes, the decor – everything about it feels warm and nostalgic. From early September all the way through Thanksgiving, it’s like the whole season comes alive with cinnamon, pumpkin, and cozy comfort everywhere you turn!
As a Brit, baking with pumpkin was a completely new thing for me when we first moved to the States. It isn’t common back home, so I’ve been learning bit by bit.
I wanted something simple to start with, and it really doesn’t get much easier than these sweet little 4-ingredient cookie bites. They’re soft, chewy, and pair perfectly with a cup of coffee or as a sweet after-dinner dessert treat.
The butterscotch baking chips really make them shine.
I’m not kidding when I say I could have melted those chips and just drunk them straight – they smelled so good! That buttery caramel flavor mixed with pumpkin and spice is exactly what fall tastes like to me now.
As always, these are my real-life photos and videos – there’s no staged kitchens, no magazine lighting. Just me in our little military base kitchen trying to make something sweet and simple for my family. Proof you don’t need an insta-perfect home to bake something that feels special!
So grab your bowl, your spatula, and your cookie scoop. It’s time to bake something cozy and delicious with just four ingredients you probably already have in the pantry!
I also filmed a little video of me testing this recipe for the first time for my new YouTube Channel – I’ll embed the video in the step by step guide below.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Silicone spatula or spoon
- Teaspoon measure
- Cookie scoop
- Parchment paper
- Cookie sheet or baking tray
- Spray oil (like PAM or similar)
- can opener
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Ingredients (Makes about 20–24 cookies)
- 1 box butter pecan cake mix (I’ll link the one I used below)
- 1 can pumpkin purée (15 oz)
- 2 cups butterscotch baking chips
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
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Freezer Prep?
If you want to make these ahead of time, prepare the dough as directed below, then scoop the cookie portions onto a parchment-lined baking tray. Freeze flat until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag.
They’ll keep for up to 2 months and can be baked straight from frozen, just add 2–3 extra minutes of baking time. Perfect for when you want warm cookies without the mess!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. Mix the pumpkin
Scoop your pumpkin purée into a large mixing bowl and stir it gently with your spatula to loosen it up.
Add in your pumpkin pie spice and mix well.
Step 2. Combine with cake mix
Add the boxed cake mix into the bowl and stir until everything is evenly combined. The dough will be thick, so take your time folding it together until no dry mix remains.
Step 3. Add the mix-ins
Pour in the butterscotch baking chips and stir well to evenly distribute them throughout the dough. You can save a few chips to press on top of each cookie before baking if you want that bakery-style look.
Step 4. Scoop the dough
Lightly spray your cookie scoop with a bit of oil to stop sticking. Scoop the dough onto your parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about an inch apart. These cookies don’t spread too much, so you don’t need huge gaps.
Step 5. Flatten the tops
Spray your fingers lightly with cooking spray to keep them from sticking, then gently press down each cookie ball into a slightly flatter, round shape.
Step 6. Bake
Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 18–20 minutes, or until the cookies are firm enough to lift easily with a spatula. They should be set but still soft inside.
Step 7. Cool and serve
Let the cookies rest on the baking tray for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. This helps them hold their shape and keeps that perfect soft, chewy texture.
Enjoy them warm with coffee, tea, or as a little sweet bite after dinner!
Notes & Troubleshooting
Notes
- You can easily switch up the flavor by using a spice cake mix instead of butter pecan, then skip the pumpkin pie spice.
- Try different mix-ins! White chocolate chips or chopped nuts taste amazing in this dough too.
Troubleshooting
- If your cookies are too soft, bake them a few minutes longer.
- If the dough feels sticky, refrigerate it for 15–20 minutes before scooping.
Storage
- Dough: Store unbaked cookie dough in a sealed container or freezer bag for up to 2 months.
- Baked cookies: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.
Serving Ideas
These soft pumpkin nibbles are perfect with a warm fall coffee or latte. I also love serving them after dinner as a lighter dessert. They taste like the perfect mix of pumpkin pie and a chewy cookie, and they’re just right for cozy nights in!
Fall Butterscotch Pumpkin Cookies Recipe!
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Scoop your pumpkin purée into a large mixing bowl and stir it gently with your spatula to loosen it up.Add in your pumpkin pie spice and mix well.
- Add the boxed cake mix into the bowl and stir until everything is evenly combined. The dough will be thick, so take your time folding it together until no dry mix remains.
- Pour in the butterscotch baking chips and stir well to evenly distribute them throughout the dough. You can save a few chips to press on top of each cookie before baking if you want that bakery-style look.
- Lightly spray your cookie scoop with a bit of oil to stop sticking. Scoop the dough onto your parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about an inch apart. These cookies don’t spread too much, so you don’t need huge gaps.
- Spray your fingers lightly with cooking spray to keep them from sticking, then gently press down each cookie ball into a slightly flatter, round more cookie-like shape.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 18–20 minutes, or until the cookies are firm enough to lift easily with a spatula.They should be set but still soft inside.Wait 5 minutes at least before moving to a cooling rack or serving, they hold their shape better this way!
Video
Notes
Storage
- Dough: Store unbaked cookie dough in a sealed container or freezer bag for up to 2 months.
- Baked cookies: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The Takeaway
These Fall Butterscotch Pumpkin Nibbles are everything I love about autumn.
They’re simple, sweet, cozy, and made with pantry ingredients. You don’t need fancy tools or endless steps to make something that fills your home with that warm fall scent.
Just a few ingredients, a quick stir, and twenty minutes in the oven, and you’ve got the perfect fall treat ready to share!
Share & Rate This Recipe!
If you tried this recipe, please share your feedback with a quick star rating or comment below. And if you loved it, don’t forget to share it with friends and family too!
Last update on 2026-06-11 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
