The Best Ever Pumpkin Cookie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is a substitute for pumpkin puree in cookies? ›

Butternut Squash and Sweet Potatoes

These ingredients, in these amounts, are interchangeable in most recipes to achieve the same texture and most similar flavor. For 1 cup canned pumpkin or pumpkin puree, substitute 1 cup cooked, mashed sweet potato or butternut squash.

Canned pumpkin (labeled as "100% pure pumpkin") is a purée of pumpkin that is sometimes mixed with other kinds of winter squash. It is unsweetened and does not contain any added spices. Canned pumpkin and pumpkin puree are the same thing, and you'll often see the terms used interchangeably in recipes and cookbooks.

Place pumpkin cubes on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper (add any other spices you'd like!) Roast at 375 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until pumpkin cubes are fork-tender, flipping halfway through.

Not only does pumpkin purée act as a sweetener, a creamy moisturizer, and a fat substitute in everything from muffins to soup — but it also tastes delicious in everything! But because canned pumpkin is unlike any other baking ingredient, it tends to be mistreated in recipes.

Pumpkin pie filling shouldn't be used in place of pumpkin puree since the finished dish will be too sweet. You can always set the can aside to make a quick pumpkin pie another day.

Canned pumpkin and pumpkin puree are the same thing. These terms are often used interchangeably in recipes, though you may also see the term solid-pack pumpkin. All these terms mean 100% steamed and pureed pumpkin—no extras, no add-ins—not even in the canned variety.

Pumpkin puree is just that. Cooked pumpkin that is pureed ready to use, it might have a touch of salt, but usually nothing. Pumpkin pie filling is ready to make into a pie or dessert. It is the cooked pureed pumpkin, with added spices and perhaps some sugar, and/or flavorings like vanilla.

If you wish to make a recipe calling for canned pumpkin and you can't find it, you can substitute fresh pumpkin, acorn squash, sweet potato, or even, for some recipes, applesauce. Canned pumpkin typically comes in 15 oz. cans.

Pumpkin puree is made by steaming and pureeing squash so there are no added ingredients. Is canned pumpkin cooked? Yes, it's already been cooked via steaming. It's safe to eat canned pumpkin straight from the can, but it's infinitely better baked into a pan of pumpkin bars.

When shopping for pumpkins, look for the ones usually generically labeled “sugar pumpkins” or “pie pumpkins.” Some specific names are Baby Pam, Autumn Gold, Ghost Rider, New England Pie Pumpkin, Lumina (which are white), Cinderella, and Fairy Tale.

Do you peel pumpkin before baking? ›

If you are making pumpkin for pumpkin puree, then there is no need to peel the skin first because the flesh just gets pulled away from the skin. What is this? However, if you want to make cubed roasted pumpkin, then it is best to peel before you roast it in the oven.

Yes, dogs can eat pumpkin and it is actually often added to dog foods. Check the label of some dog treats and you may find pumpkin on the ingredient list there too. However, if you are feeding fresh pumpkin, you will need to be careful about which part you're feeding as the stem and leaves are covered in prickly hairs.

When taken by mouth: Pumpkin is likely safe when eaten in foods. It is possibly safe to take pumpkin seed or pumpkin seed oil in medicinal amounts. Side effects from pumpkin products are rare, but might include stomach discomfort, diarrhea, and nausea.

The jack-o'-lantern pumpkin is also a different variety than the pie pumpkin and not truly designed for eating. These decorating pumpkins are stringy, coarse and not as “meaty” as other varieties. Pie pumpkins are thicker, meatier (making them difficult to carve) and offer more pulp for pureeing.

Pumpkin offers a unique, fall flavor that can help replace eggs in many baked goods. Substitute 1 egg with ¼ cup of pumpkin puree. This easy substitute adds great flavor and keeps your baked goods egg and dairy-free.

PUMPKIN PURÉE

Use a 3:4 ratio when subbing pumpkin purée for butter; so, like oil, you'll want to use ¾ of purée for every cup of butter the recipe calls for. Use a KitchenAid^® food processor to make a silky purée for butter substitutions.

If the pumpkin in your recipe takes the place of fat, rather than serving as flavor, try replacing it with apple sauce, apple butter or yogurt. The flavor will change, but these substitutes can provide moisture, just as pumpkin does.

Pumpkin Puree

For replacing oil add in a one-to-one ratio, so if a recipe calls for one half cup of oil, one half cup of pumpkin can be added instead.

In recipes calling for pumpkin purée, sweet potato purée may be substituted. Many folks have mistakenly picked up a can of pumpkin pie filling thinking it was the same as pumpkin purée, but the two are neither the same nor interchangeable, so be sure to know what you are buying when making your selections at the store.