Homemade Pumpkin Half Moon Cookies

These Homemade Pumpkin Half Moon Cookies are soft, tender, wonderfully cakey, and filled with all the warm spices we love about fall.

Every bite has that comforting combination of pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, and pumpkin pie spice.

Then comes the sweet icing spread over half of the cookie, giving these treats their classic half-moon appearance.

They’re a little bit cookie, a little bit cake, and completely delicious!

These pumpkin cookies are wonderful for fall parties, Halloween gatherings, Thanksgiving dessert tables, or perfect with a cup of warm Apple Cider on a chilly afternoon.

This recipe is a copycat based on a fond memory of my hometown bakery in Utica, New York, where I first had this cookie in the fall.

Why You Will Love These Pumpkin Spice Cookies

• Soft and cakey: These aren’t crisp cookies. They have a tender, cake-like texture that practically melts in your mouth.
• Packed with fall flavor: Pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, and pumpkin pie spice create the perfect seasonal combination.
• Easy to make: The dough comes together with simple pantry ingredients.
• Fun to decorate: The half-frosted tops make these cookies instantly recognizable and festive.
• Perfect for entertaining: They look beautiful arranged on a platter for fall celebrations.
• Easy to customize: Use vanilla icing, tint it orange for Halloween, or add chocolate icing for a delicious contrast.

Tips for making bakery-style Homemade Pumpkin Half Moon Cookies

1. Use softened butter:Allow the butter to soften before mixing so it can become light and fluffy with the sugar.
2.  Don’t overmix the batter: Once you add the flour mixture, mix only until the ingredients are incorporated. Overmixing can make the cookies less tender.
3. Use a cookie or ice cream scoop: This makes it easier to create cookies that are similar in size so they bake evenly.
4. Leave room between the cookies: Give the dough plenty of space on the baking sheet so the cookies don’t run together as they bake.
5. Don’t overbake: The cookies are ready when the edges are set and the tops spring back when lightly touched. You want them soft and tender.
6. Cool completely before icing: This is important! If the cookies are still warm, the icing can melt and slide right off.

Flavor Additions and Favorite Icing Combinations

• Pumpkin Spice Latte: Add a little espresso powder to the batter and finish the cookies with coffee or vanilla icing.
• Maple Pecan Pumpkin: Add chopped pecans to the batter and use maple icing. This is one of my favorite combinations for a classic fall flavor.
• Pumpkin Snickerdoodle: Add extra cinnamon and a little nutmeg to the batter, then sprinkle the tops with cinnamon sugar before baking.
• Salted Caramel Pumpkin: Drizzle the finished cookies with caramel and add a tiny sprinkle of flaky sea salt. A caramel icing would also be delicious.
• Maple Icing:  Replace some of the milk in the icing with pure maple syrup and add a tiny pinch of cinnamon. The maple flavor pairs beautifully with pumpkin and gives the cookies a cozy, fall-inspired sweetness.
• Orange Cream Icing: Add fresh orange zest and a little orange juice to your vanilla icing. Pumpkin and orange make a surprisingly delicious combination, and the citrus brightens up the warm spices.
• Chocolate Icing: Spread chocolate icing over half of each cookie for a pumpkin-chocolate combination. A rich chocolate glaze or simple chocolate buttercream works beautifully.
• Brown Butter Icing:Brown the butter before making the icing and let it cool slightly. The nutty flavor of brown butter adds incredible depth to pumpkin and warm spices.
• Cream Cheese Icing: For a classic pumpkin pairing, use a tangy cream cheese icing. The slight tanginess balances the sweetness of the cookie and tastes wonderful with cinnamon and pumpkin spice.
• Espresso Icing: Add a small amount of instant espresso powder to chocolate or vanilla icing. Coffee and pumpkin are a fantastic combination, especially for anyone who loves pumpkin spice lattes.
• Apple Cider Icing:Add a little reduced apple cider or apple cider concentrate to your icing along with cinnamon. Pumpkin and apple make the perfect fall flavor combination.
• .Brown Sugar Pecan Icing: Add finely chopped toasted pecans to a brown sugar or vanilla icing. The crunchy nuts give the soft cookies a wonderful texture.

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Pumpkin recipes, Pumpkin cookie recipes, Pumpkin half moons,

American

Yield: 12

Author: Claudia Lamascolo

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Homemade Pumpkin Half Moon Cookies

Soft, cake-like pumpkin half-moon cookies from scratch with a spiced pumpkin base and sweet icing.

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 12 MinTotal time: 22 Min

Ingredients

• 2 cups
• AP flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. On a large baking cookie pan, line it with a sheet of parchment paper for easy removal, and set it aside.
3. Whip the butter and sugar together until light in color, about 3 minutes.
4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract
5. In a clean medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
6. Slowly add the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients just until combined. Do not overmix.
7. Drop using an ice cream scoop of dough onto the baking sheets, leaving space for spreading (I add two in a row).
8. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the edges are set and the tops spring back when touched.
9. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
10. Make the Icing: Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and spices together until smooth and spreadable.
11. Adjust the milk if it is too thick
12. Turn the cooled cookies flat-side down.
13. Spread the icing over one half of each flat side.
14. Both sides are either white and chocolate or all plain with cinnamon butter cream.
15. Note: half white (or, for Halloween, tint the frosting orange) or frost it with a contrasting chocolate icing. See notes for alternative ideas.
16. Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting:
17. (Mix until smooth. Frost half the flat side)
18. 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
19. 2 cups powdered sugar
20. 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
21. 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
22. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
23. 2 to 3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
24. Pinch of salt
25. Chocolate Frosting:
26. (Mix until smooth. Frost half the flat side)
27. 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
28. 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
29. 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
30. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
31. 2 to 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
32. Pinch of salt

Notes

Tips for making bakery-style Homemade Pumpkin Half Moon Cookies

1. Use softened butter:Allow the butter to soften before mixing so it can become light and fluffy with the sugar.
2.  Don’t overmix the batter: Once you add the flour mixture, mix only until the ingredients are incorporated. Overmixing can make the cookies less tender.
3. Use a cookie or ice cream scoop: This makes it easier to create cookies that are similar in size so they bake evenly.
4. Leave room between the cookies: Give the dough plenty of space on the baking sheet so the cookies don’t run together as they bake.
5. Don’t overbake: The cookies are ready when the edges are set and the tops spring back when lightly touched. You want them soft and tender.
6. Cool completely before icing: This is important! If the cookies are still warm, the icing can melt and slide right off.

Flavor Additions and Favorite Icing Combinations

• Pumpkin Spice Latte: Add a little espresso powder to the batter and finish the cookies with coffee or vanilla icing.
• Maple Pecan Pumpkin: Add chopped pecans to the batter and use maple icing. This is one of my favorite combinations for a classic fall flavor.
• Pumpkin Snickerdoodle: Add extra cinnamon and a little nutmeg to the batter, then sprinkle the tops with cinnamon sugar before baking.
• Salted Caramel Pumpkin: Drizzle the finished cookies with caramel and add a tiny sprinkle of flaky sea salt. A caramel icing would also be delicious.
• Maple Icing: Replace some of the milk in the icing with pure maple syrup and add a tiny pinch of cinnamon. The maple flavor pairs beautifully with pumpkin and gives the cookies a cozy, fall-inspired sweetness.
• Orange Cream Icing: Add fresh orange zest and a little orange juice to your vanilla icing. Pumpkin and orange make a surprisingly delicious combination, and the citrus brightens up the warm spices.
• Chocolate Icing: Spread chocolate icing over half of each cookie for a pumpkin-chocolate combination. A rich chocolate glaze or simple chocolate buttercream works beautifully.
• Brown Butter Icing:Brown the butter before making the icing and let it cool slightly. The nutty flavor of brown butter adds incredible depth to pumpkin and warm spices.
• Cream Cheese Icing: For a classic pumpkin pairing, use a tangy cream cheese icing. The slight tanginess balances the sweetness of the cookie and tastes wonderful with cinnamon and pumpkin spice.
• Espresso Icing: Add a small amount of instant espresso powder to chocolate or vanilla icing. Coffee and pumpkin are a fantastic combination, especially for anyone who loves pumpkin spice lattes.
• Apple Cider Icing:Add a little reduced apple cider or apple cider concentrate to your icing along with cinnamon. Pumpkin and apple make the perfect fall flavor combination.
• .Brown Sugar Pecan Icing: Add finely chopped toasted pecans to a brown sugar or vanilla icing. The crunchy nuts give the soft cookies a wonderful texture.

Nutrition Facts

Sodium (milligrams)

225 mg

Cholesterol (grams)

20 mg

The default measuring system for this website is US Customary. Unit conversions are provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. While we strive to provide accurate unit conversions, please be aware that there may be some discrepancies.

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Don’t forget to try my other favorite recipes

Pumpkin Cake Mix Cookies
Amaretto Pumpkin Cheesecake
Slow Cooker Pumpkin Puree
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Pumpkin Pie