Bake up some amazing fall cookie recipes, with these homemade sweet treats full of fresh, seasonal ingredients.
The following recipes are a great way to share the harvest season with your family and loved ones, near and far, in unique and delicious fashion.
Everyone loves delicious cookies, after all, and this collection of fall cookies has something for everyone.
Fall Flavor
Around here, we focus on seasonal ingredients first and foremost.
In fall, that includes things pumpkin, apples, cranberries, sweet potatoes, and nuts.
It also means we honor the natural rhythm of the earth and seek out needed warmth in the form of sweet and warming spices.
Those seasonal ingredients often combine deliciously with those spices especially in cookie form.
If you’re new to seasonal eating, starting with cookies made from fall produce is an easy and tasty way to dip your toes into the water while skipping all the overwhelm and finding success.
Baking in Fall
Use the cooler days of fall as a perfect excuse of a baking session – either alone or with loved ones.
Let the oven warm the house on cool mornings and snack on cookies throughout the day.
A cookie baking session is a great excuse to get together with friends. Make it a party, let everyone choose a favorite a recipe and bake them together. At the end of the day, split all the cookies up evenly so everyone has a sampler.
Undoubtedly, you have your own favorite delicious fall cookie recipes, but use the slower pace of the fall season to try new things and experiment.
Use the experimenting as an excuse to fill the freezer with cookies to use for own needs or to mail later – save yourself time later on.
Serving Cookies
Cookies especially those using seasonal ingredients are a great way to enjoy the fall season.
Definitely use platters of colorful cookies as dessert for a special occasion. Trays of cookies at parties during the holiday season are always welcome.
Fall days are the perfect time to serve cookies with tasty warm drinks to warm the body and soul.
Mailing Cookies
Sending mail to folks is often seen as old-fashioned but can honestly be one of the most satisfying expressions of love and thought for both the sender and receiver especially in our modern, electronic times. Don’t overlook this simple but impactful expression of care.
The great thing about sending cookie care packages full of seasonal ingredients is that it’s a great way to share your garden harvest or foraging adventures with folks who can’t normally eat it fresh with you. Think of it as a long distance harvest festival and celebration.
To mail cookies, choose a sturdy box and wrap cookies well in airtight bags. Tuck the bags into shredded newspaper or other packing material to prevent breakage. No one is going to be upset over broken homemade cookies but it always nice to have more arrive whole than not.
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Choose the faster shipping methods, not overnight necessarily, but priority methods so that cookies don’t arrive stale.
Obviously, postage can be a chunk of change and when the budget is tight, mailing a care package might be a bit of an extravagance. It isn’t something that needs to be done often or to everyone on your list. Choose special occasions like birthdays to mail some to chosen folks.
If the budget does allow, still keep the packages smaller and mail to more folks to spread the love around.
Freezing Cookies
Whenever it possible or doable make a double batch of cookies and freeze extras for eating later.
You can generally freeze cookies in a couple of different ways:
Make the dough ahead of time and freeze it for baking later. For drop cookies, simply drop the cookies onto cookies sheets. Freeze until solid, then store the dough balls in an airtight container. Pull some cookie dough out when you want to bake and bake frozen. You will need to add a few minutes of cooking time.
Alternatively, bake and cool the cookies completely. Place baked cookies in a bag and freeze. Thaw at room temperature prior to serving.
Use up frozen cookies within 6 months for optimum freshness.
The Best Fall Cookie Recipes
Bake homemade cookies from fresh fall seasonal ingredients that are sure to delight everyone!
Pumpkin Cookies
As Autumn rolls around, pumpkin is the thing everyone wants, it seems. While we can, of course, just buy a can of pumpkin puree at the grocery store, use this opportunity to try some local winter squash instead and use that puree for some incredible local and seasonal treats. Remember that in most cases you can substitute any cooked an pureed winter squash for 'pumpkin puree' in a recipe.
Pumpkin Whoopie Pie
A Whoopie pie is a just another name for a sandwich cookie, though the cookies tend to be quite soft. These cookies combine pumpkin, chocolate chips, and cream cheese to appease every sweet tooth you need to feed.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Full of pumpkin and lightly spiced these hearty oatmeal cookies are great for tucking into lunch boxes and care packages.
Pumpkin Coconut Macaroons
Pumpkin and coconut combine for delightful, naturally sweetened macaroons that are also gluten-free. Dip in chocolate for an over-the-top treat.
Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
Even the classic oatmeal raisin cookie can be turned into a fall specific delight with the addition of some pumpkin. These have everything you want - whole grain flour, oats, raisins, spice, and pumpkin perfect for dunking in some milk.
Pumpkin Spice Biscotti
Crunchy biscotti is always perfect for dunking into lattes, and this lightly pumpkin spiced version is ideal for autumn. It comes complete with a white and dark chocolate drizzle for a gorgeous and delicious treat.
The Best Soft Pumpkin Cookie Recipe
These soft pumpkin cookies are full of moist pumpkin and just enough pumpkin pie spice to keep it flavorful while still allowing the pumpkin to shine. They're great plain or frosted for the school bake sale and more.
Chewy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies
Take the classic chocolate chip cookie into fall by adding some pumpkin and a bit of spice for a tasty cookie ideal for the Autumn months.
Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Don't leave vegan friends and family out of the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies of fall with these golden brown delights. Chewy and crisp edges, a soft center and everything you want from the classic cookie!
Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Give your snickerdoodles a delicious twist by incorporating pumpkin pie spice as one of the key ingredients for a special fall treat.
Pumpkin Crinkle Cookies
These soft and moist cookies are coated in powdered sugar which cracks during baking to reveal the beautiful orange pumpkin inside. These are perfect alongside your favorite hot drink!
Pumpkin Spice Latte Cookies
These soft cakey cookies pack all the goodness of a pumpkin spice latte into a two-bite treat topped with a swirl of creamy coffee frosting.
Chocolate Pumpkin Viennese Whirls
Deliciously buttery, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate cookies filled with a perfectly spiced pumpkin buttercream!
Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
Get all of the flavor of pumpkin cheesecake without having to actually make cheesecake with this creamy and soft handheld version.
Spice Cookies
While we can obviously eat spice cookies any time of the year, it does seem that something about the cooler weather of Autumn spurs us to use it more often. And these cookies feature spice galore for comforting and warming flavor.
Chai Spice & Cream Drop Cookies
Chai spice abounds in these creamy cookies with just enough sour cream to give them a bit of tangy flavor to balance the strong spice. Be sure to serve them with a cup of tea.
Maple Cinnamon Sugar Cookies
Combine maple syrup and cinnamon for a full bodied cookie perfect for fall. Grab your favorite fall themed cookie cutter for these beauties!
Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies Recipe
Chewy ginger molasses cookies are made with baking spices and molasses to create a bitter, sweet, and flavorful cookie perfect for the Autumn season.
Snickerdoodles
Homemade snickerdoodles are a classic spice cookie that never goes out of style. These soft and irresistible cookies will delight your whole family.
Brown Butter Pumpkin Cookies
Browned butter and spice combine for a rich and flavorful cookie to fill the cookie jar.
Easy Ginger Cookies
Use fresh ginger for a strong spice flavor in these rolled and crisp cookies.
Nut Cookies
Most of us are spoiled by modern grocery stores in which we can buy nuts all year round. However, most often they are harvested in the fall, find local fresh varieties whenever possible. Also know, that in most cases one nut can easily substitute for another especially in cookies so feel free to use your favorites.
Hazelnut Cutout Cookies
Full of ground hazelnuts and butter, these rich cookies can be cut into shapes and decorated for parties.
Hermit Cookies
Old-Fashioned hermit cookies are full of coffee, spice, nuts, and dried fruit. They are the perfect cookies for fall in their heartiness and flavor.
Pumpkin Pecan Shortbread Cookies
Get three of the most special fall flavors in one delicious cookie here. Pumpkin, spice, and nuts combine in a buttery cookie perfect for tea.
Amaretti Cookies - Italian Almond Cookies
Naturally gluten-free, these popular Italian almond cookies are made with just 3 ingredients. They are deliciously crisp outside and soft and chewy inside.
Mexican Wedding Cookies
These rich butter cookies with finely ground walnuts are rolled in powdered sugar for the perfect balance of rich, crunch, and sweet.
Apple Cookies
Find local apples whenever possible, go to the Farmer's market or you-pick farm and experiment with different types. They'll be fresh and no doubt you'll be able to find tart or sweet varieties for eating and baking.
Apple Peanut Butter Cookies
Apples dipped in peanut butter is a favorite snack that also combines well into some homemade cookies. These gluten-free cookies are full of flavor without using refined sugar and are a treat you can feel good about eating and serving.
Soft Spiced Coffee Cookies
Soft spiced coffee cookies are loaded with chunks of apple bits, dried fruit, and hemp hearts for a hearty and chewy dessert.
Maple & Dried Apple Cookies
Sweetened with maple syrup these hearty whole grain cookies feature dried apples making them great for most anytime of year but their thick chewiness is especially nice on cold fall days.
Oatmeal Apple Cookies
Chewy oatmeal cookies studded with fresh apples are coated in a maple glaze for a great treat with a cup of coffee.
Caramel Apple Cookies
Made with warm spice, shredded fresh apple, and sweet apple juice these gluten and dairy free cookies are the ultimate fall indulgence.
Apple Cider Cookies
These soft and chewy easy cookies are studded with apples, include plenty of spice and are frosted with a delicious apple cider icing for an easy fall dessert.
Iced Apple Pie Cookies
Get your pie in cookie form with these apple pie cookies. A simple sugar cookie is topped with apple pie filling and frosting for a wonderful cross between pie and cookie for your fall feasts.
Easy Apple Butter Snickerdoodles
Whether you make your own apple butter or buy it from a local creator, this spin on snickerdoodles is a great way to highlight it and share with friends near and far.
Paleo Morning Glory Cookies
These naturally sweetened cookies are full apples, carrots, nuts, and raisins for a hearty cookie you could eat for breakfast without feeling unhealthy!
Apple Pie French Macarons
Delicate macaron shells sandwich a frosting apple pie filling center for a beautiful and decadent fall dessert.
Cranberry Cookies
Tart cranberries tend to only be available in the late fall and they too have a multitude of cookie options. Freeze some cranberries to have on hand for baking up these cookies later in the year when cranberries aren't so easy to find.
Chocolate Cranberry Sauce Cookies
These chocolate cookies give new life to your leftover cranberry sauce. These are perfect for freezing for later and preventing any food waste.
Fresh Cranberry Shortbread Cookies
Buttery and rich shortbread with chunks of tart cranberries, these are sure to be a hit at afternoon tea parties!
Sweet Potato Cookies
These jewel toned tubers are fresh in fall and provide a switch from the standard winter squash in baked goods.
Vegan Sweet Potato Cookies
Naturally sweetened and full of protein from nut butter, these cookies are a hearty and filling snack you can feel good about eating.
Frosted Sweet Potato Cookies
These tender cookies are fluffy and sweet while making great use of any leftovers for no waste baking and dessert!