20 Easy Fall Cookie Recipes Everyone Will Love

Fall walked in, kicked summer out the door, and brought a suitcase full of cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar with it. And honestly? We’re not mad about it.

If your oven has been feeling neglected since the last batch of Fourth of July cookies, it’s time to fix that. Grab your favorite hoodie, put on a flannel (mandatory, I don’t make the rules), and let’s talk about the best part of autumn: easy fall cookies that taste like a hug from your grandma, minus the awkward small talk.

This list has 20 easy fall cookie recipes covering everything from pumpkin spice classics to caramel apple dream team-ups to a few chocolate-forward options for anyone who thinks pumpkin is “just okay” (we still love you, weirdo). Every recipe here is beginner-friendly, uses ingredients you probably already have, and comes together without needing a culinary degree or a meltdown.

Who doesn’t love a cookie recipe that delivers maximum coziness for minimum effort? Let’s get into it.

Why Fall Baking Just Hits Different?

There’s something about the smell of cinnamon and nutmeg baking in the oven that instantly makes a house feel like home. Maybe it’s nostalgia, maybe it’s the sweaters, maybe it’s just really good marketing by Big Pumpkin. Either way, fall cookies check every box: they’re easy, they’re cozy, and they make your kitchen smell like a candle store, except edible.

These recipes are perfect for lunchbox treats, holiday cookie swaps, Friendsgiving dessert tables, or just a random Tuesday when you need a reason to turn on the oven. FYI, most of these freeze beautifully too, so you can prep now and thank yourself later.

Ready? Let’s bake.

1. Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles

Regular snickerdoodles are great, but add pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice, and suddenly you’ve got a cookie that tastes like fall decided to become a dessert. Soft, chewy, and rolled in cinnamon sugar; what’s not to love?

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp sugar + 1 tbsp cinnamon (for rolling)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment.
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice in a bowl.
Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Mix in the pumpkin puree, egg yolk, and vanilla.
Gradually add the dry ingredients until just combined.
Roll dough into balls, coat in the cinnamon-sugar mix, and place on the sheets.
Bake for 11–13 minutes until the edges just set.

Why You’ll Love It

The pumpkin keeps these cookies incredibly soft, almost cake-like, while the cinnamon sugar coating gives that classic snickerdoodle crackle. I once forgot the pumpkin pie spice and used regular cinnamon instead; still good, but not the same magic. Don’t skip it.

2. Brown Butter Maple Pecan Cookies

Browning butter takes an extra five minutes and makes you feel like a professional pastry chef. Combine that nutty richness with maple syrup and toasted pecans, and you’ve got a cookie that tastes way fancier than the effort required.

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup chopped toasted pecans

Step-by-Step Instructions

Brown the butter in a saucepan over medium heat until golden and nutty-smelling, then cool slightly.
Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together.
Beat the browned butter with brown sugar and maple syrup until combined.
Add the egg and vanilla, mixing well.
Fold in the dry ingredients, then the pecans.
Chill dough for 30 minutes (trust me on this one).
Scoop onto a lined sheet and bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes.

Why You’ll Love It

Brown butter changes everything; it adds a toffee-like depth that regular melted butter just can’t compete with. IMO, this is the most “grown-up” cookie on this list. Pair it with coffee and pretend you have your life together.

3. Apple Cider Cookies

These cookies use reduced apple cider for concentrated fall flavor without making the dough soggy. Soft, chewy, and glazed with a cider-spiked icing, basically apple cider donuts in cookie form.

Ingredients

1 cup apple cider, reduced to 1/4 cup
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar + 2 tbsp reduced cider

Step-by-Step Instructions

Simmer the apple cider in a small pot until reduced to about 1/4 cup; let cool.
Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
Cream butter and brown sugar, then beat in the egg and cooled cider reduction.
Mix in dry ingredients until just combined.
Scoop dough onto a lined sheet and bake at 350°F for 10–11 minutes.
Whisk the glaze ingredients and drizzle over cooled cookies.

Why You’ll Love It

Reducing the cider is the secret step most recipes skip, and it’s the reason these actually taste like apple cider instead of watered-down apple juice. A little extra effort, big payoff. Who doesn’t love an excuse to make their kitchen smell like an orchard?

4. Salted Caramel Apple Cookies

Sweet, salty, chewy, gooey; this cookie hits every texture note in one bite. Chunks of soft-baked apple meet pockets of caramel and a finishing sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 cup diced apple (peeled)
1 cup soft caramel candies, halved
Flaky sea salt, for topping

Step-by-Step Instructions

Whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
Cream butter with both sugars until light and fluffy.
Beat in the egg.
Mix in dry ingredients, then fold in the diced apple and caramel pieces.
Scoop onto a lined baking sheet, spacing well apart.
Bake at 350°F for 12–14 minutes.
Sprinkle with flaky sea salt right out of the oven.

Why You’ll Love It

The caramel gets molten and gooey while baking, then firms back up slightly as it cools; pure textural chaos in the best way. Some people skip the sea salt here, but I think that’s a crime against dessert. Don’t skip it.

5. Chai Spice Sugar Cookies

If pumpkin spice is fall’s headliner, chai spice is the underrated opening act that deserves way more attention. Cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger combine for a warm, complex sugar cookie.

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp chai spice blend (or 1 tsp each cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves)
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Step-by-Step Instructions

Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and chai spice blend together.
Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy.
Beat in the egg and vanilla.
Mix in the dry ingredients gradually.
Roll into balls, flatten slightly, and place on a lined sheet.
Bake at 350°F for 9–11 minutes.

Why You’ll Love It

This cookie is proof that “spiced” doesn’t always mean pumpkin. The cardamom adds this floral, slightly citrusy note that keeps people guessing what makes it so good. Great for anyone who’s a little tired of pumpkin everything (no judgment).

6. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

The undisputed champion of fall cookies. Soft, pillowy pumpkin dough loaded with chocolate chips; simple, classic, and impossible to mess up.

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Step-by-Step Instructions

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
Beat in pumpkin puree and vanilla (it’ll look a little curdled; that’s fine).
Mix in the dry ingredients, then fold in the chocolate chips.
Scoop onto a lined sheet and bake at 350°F for 13–15 minutes.
Let them cool on the pan for 5 minutes before moving; they’re delicate.

Why You’ll Love It

These bake up more like little pumpkin cakes than traditional crispy cookies, and that’s exactly the point. I once tried subbing in dark chocolate chunks instead of chips; never going back to regular chips again. Soft, chocolatey, and dangerously easy to eat six in one sitting.

7. Cinnamon Roll Cookies

Take everything you love about cinnamon rolls and turn it into a cookie you don’t need a mixer stand and forty-five minutes of proofing for. Swirled cinnamon-sugar filling, soft dough, cream cheese glaze on top.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
Filling: 1/4 cup melted butter + 1/2 cup brown sugar + 1 tbsp cinnamon
Glaze: 4 oz cream cheese, softened + 1/2 cup powdered sugar + 1 tbsp milk

Step-by-Step Instructions

Make the dough: cream butter and sugar, beat in egg and vanilla, then mix in flour, baking powder, and salt.
Roll dough between two sheets of parchment into a rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick.
Spread the filling mixture evenly over the dough.
Roll the dough up tightly into a log, then slice into 1-inch rounds.
Place rounds cut-side up on a lined sheet and bake at 350°F for 12–14 minutes.
Whisk the glaze ingredients and drizzle over warm cookies.

Why You’ll Love It

This one takes a bit more effort than the others, but the payoff is a cookie that genuinely tastes like a cinnamon roll. Perfect for a fall brunch spread or when you want to impress people without actually making yeasted dough at 6 a.m.

8. Molasses Ginger Cookies

Crackly on top, chewy in the middle, and packed with warm spice; this is the cookie your great-aunt has been making for decades, and for good reason.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cloves
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
Extra sugar, for rolling

Step-by-Step Instructions

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.
Cream the butter and brown sugar until fluffy.
Beat in the egg and molasses.
Mix in the dry ingredients until combined.
Roll dough into balls and coat in sugar.
Bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes, until the tops crackle.

Why You’ll Love It

The molasses gives these a deep, almost caramelized flavor that pumpkin cookies just can’t touch. Some bakers add black pepper for extra kick. I tried it once and it genuinely works, so consider that your bonus tip.

9. Maple Pecan Shortbread

Buttery, crumbly shortbread meets maple glaze and toasted pecans. Simple ingredients, elegant results; the low-effort, high-reward MVP of this list.

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup powdered sugar
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
Topping: 1/2 cup powdered sugar + 2 tbsp maple syrup + chopped toasted pecans

Step-by-Step Instructions

Cream the butter and powdered sugar until smooth.
Mix in the vanilla, then gradually add the flour and salt.
Shape dough into a log, wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.
Slice into rounds and bake at 325°F for 14–16 minutes, until edges are just golden.
Whisk the maple glaze and drizzle over cooled cookies, then top with pecans.

Why You’ll Love It

Shortbread has this reputation for being “fancy,” but it’s genuinely one of the easiest doughs to work with. This is my go-to for gifting; it looks impressive, holds up well in tins, and doesn’t require any weird ingredients.

10. Spiced Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

Chewy oats, tart dried cranberries, and warm fall spice come together for a cookie that somehow feels both cozy and refreshing. A little healthier-adjacent, if that matters to you (it does to me around cookie #10).

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup dried cranberries

Step-by-Step Instructions

Whisk oats, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together.
Cream butter with both sugars until fluffy.
Beat in the egg and vanilla.
Mix in the dry ingredients, then fold in the cranberries.
Scoop onto a lined sheet and bake at 350°F for 11–13 minutes.

Why You’ll Love It

The tartness of the cranberries cuts through the sweetness in a way that keeps you reaching for just one more. Some people swap in raisins here, but I think they overpower the spice, just saying.

11. Browned Butter Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Basically a pumpkin cupcake pretending to be a cookie. Browned butter adds depth, and the cream cheese frosting makes this borderline dessert-cake hybrid absolutely worth the extra dish to wash.

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, browned and slightly cooled
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
Frosting: 4 oz cream cheese + 2 tbsp butter + 1 cup powdered sugar + 1/2 tsp vanilla

Step-by-Step Instructions

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
Beat the browned butter with the brown sugar until combined.
Mix in the pumpkin puree, egg yolk, and vanilla.
Stir in the dry ingredients until just combined.
Scoop onto a lined sheet and bake at 350°F for 14–16 minutes; cool completely.
Beat the frosting ingredients together and spread onto cooled cookies.

Why You’ll Love It

These cookies stay soft for days, and the tangy frosting balances the sweetness perfectly. Fair warning: they need to be refrigerated because of the frosting, so plan accordingly if you’re bringing them somewhere.

12. Chocolate Chai Cookies

For the chocolate lovers who still want that cozy spice element, this cookie delivers rich cocoa flavor with a chai-spiced twist.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cardamom
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips (optional but recommended)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
Cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy.
Beat in the egg and vanilla.
Mix in dry ingredients, then fold in the chocolate chips.
Scoop onto a lined sheet and bake at 350°F for 9–11 minutes.

Why You’ll Love It

These taste like a spiced hot chocolate turned into a cookie, which is exactly the energy fall deserves. The cardamom might seem like an odd choice for a chocolate cookie, but trust the process here.

13. Caramel Apple Blondie Cookies

Part blondie, part cookie, all delicious. Brown sugar dough studded with diced apples and caramel bits, baked into thick, chewy squares of fall comfort.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup diced apple
1 cup caramel bits

Step-by-Step Instructions

Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
Whisk melted butter and brown sugar together until smooth.
Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
Fold in the dry ingredients, then the apple and caramel bits.
Press into a lined 9×9-inch pan and bake at 350°F for 28–32 minutes.
Cool completely before slicing into squares.

Why You’ll Love It

This one’s technically a bar cookie, but let’s not get bogged down in semantics. It’s thick, chewy, loaded with caramel pockets, and honestly might be the crowd favorite at your next gathering.

14. Pecan Pie Cookies

All the flavor of pecan pie without needing to make a pie crust. A buttery cookie base topped with a gooey pecan filling, Thanksgiving dessert energy in a two-bite package.

Ingredients

Base: 1 1/2 cups flour + 1/2 cup butter, softened + 1/4 cup brown sugar + pinch of salt
Topping: 1/2 cup brown sugar + 1/4 cup corn syrup + 2 tbsp butter, melted + 1 egg + 1 cup chopped pecans

Step-by-Step Instructions

Mix the base ingredients until crumbly, then press into a lined 9×9-inch pan.
Bake at 350°F for 12 minutes to par-bake.
Whisk the topping ingredients together and pour over the warm base.
Bake for another 20–22 minutes, until the topping is set.
Cool completely before slicing.

Why You’ll Love It

This is the cookie for people who love pecan pie but hate dealing with pie crust (relatable). It’s rich, gooey, and slices up neatly for a dessert table. A little goes a long way here, so cut small squares, trust me.

15. Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Cookies

The simplest pumpkin cookie on this list, and sometimes simple is exactly what you need. Soft pumpkin dough rolled in cinnamon sugar for a classic, no-fuss treat.

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp sugar + 1 tsp cinnamon (for rolling)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
Beat in the pumpkin puree and vanilla.
Mix in the dry ingredients until just combined.
Roll dough into balls and coat in the cinnamon sugar.
Bake at 350°F for 12–14 minutes.

Why You’ll Love It

This is the cookie to make when you want fall flavor without hunting down a special ingredient list. It’s basically a snickerdoodle’s pumpkin-loving cousin, and it comes together in under 30 minutes start to finish.

16. Spiced Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Rich, fudgy, and dusted in powdered sugar, these crinkle cookies get a fall makeover with a touch of cinnamon and cayenne (yes, cayenne; hear me out).

Ingredients

1 cup cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, but do it)
1 cup powdered sugar, for rolling

Step-by-Step Instructions

Whisk cocoa powder, sugar, and oil together until smooth.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
Fold in the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cayenne.
Chill the dough for at least 2 hours (this step is non-negotiable).
Roll dough into balls, coat generously in powdered sugar, and bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes.

Why You’ll Love It

The tiny hit of cayenne is barely noticeable but adds this warm, lingering heat that makes people ask, “wait, what’s in these?” It’s a fun twist for anyone who thinks they’ve had every chocolate cookie out there.

17. Honey Cinnamon Cookies

Soft, lightly sweet, and made with honey instead of a ton of refined sugar. A cozy, simple cookie that tastes as it belongs at a farmers market.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Step-by-Step Instructions

Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together.
Cream the butter, honey, and brown sugar until fluffy.
Beat in the egg and vanilla.
Mix in the dry ingredients until just combined.
Scoop onto a lined sheet and bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes.

Why You’ll Love It

Honey gives these cookies a slightly chewy texture and a flavor that’s warm without being overly sweet. It’s the cookie equivalent of a soft cardigan; unassuming, comforting, always reliable.

18. Maple Walnut Cookies

Toasted walnuts and real maple syrup team up for a cookie that tastes distinctly autumnal without relying on pumpkin or cinnamon at all.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Step-by-Step Instructions

Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt.
Cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy, then beat in maple syrup, egg, and vanilla.
Mix in dry ingredients, then fold in the walnuts.
Scoop onto a lined sheet and bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes.

Why You’ll Love It

This one’s proof that fall flavor doesn’t need cinnamon to shine; maple syrup does a lot of heavy lifting on its own. IMO, toasting the walnuts first makes a bigger difference than people expect, so don’t skip it.

19. Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Two soft pumpkin cookies sandwiched around fluffy cream cheese filling. Technically a handheld dessert, but we’re counting it because rules are made to be broken (a little).

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
Filling: 8 oz cream cheese + 1/4 cup butter, softened + 2 cups powdered sugar

Step-by-Step Instructions

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
Whisk oil and brown sugar together, then beat in pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla.
Fold in the dry ingredients.
Drop spoonfuls onto a lined sheet and bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes; cool completely.
Beat the filling ingredients together until smooth.
Sandwich filling between two cooled cookies.

Why You’ll Love It

These are basically pumpkin cake sandwiches, and nobody’s ever complained about that. They’re a little messier to eat, but that’s a small price to pay for this much deliciousness.

20. Spiced Apple Butter Thumbprint Cookies

A buttery shortbread base with a thumbprint well filled with warm, spiced apple butter. Simple to make, gorgeous to look at, and a nice change of pace from chocolate-heavy cookie plates.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup apple butter

Step-by-Step Instructions

Whisk flour and salt together.
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy, then beat in egg yolk and vanilla.
Mix in the flour until a soft dough forms.
Roll into balls, place on a lined sheet, and press a thumbprint into the center of each.
Fill each indent with about 1/2 tsp apple butter.
Bake at 350°F for 12–14 minutes.

Why You’ll Love It

These look way fancier than the effort they actually require, which makes them perfect for cookie swaps when you want to impress without losing your whole Saturday. The apple butter caramelizes slightly at the edges, adding a little extra depth you didn’t know you needed.

The Sweet Wrap-Up

There you have it. 20 easy fall cookies that cover every craving, from classic pumpkin spice to chocolate, caramel, maple, and everything cozy in between. Whether you’re baking for a holiday cookie exchange, a Friendsgiving dessert table, or just because it’s Tuesday and your oven is feeling neglected, this list has something for you.

The best part? None of these recipes require fancy equipment, rare ingredients, or a culinary school diploma. Just butter, spice, a little patience while the dough chills, and a willingness to eat cookie dough straight off the spoon (no judgment here).

So preheat that oven, put on your coziest sweater, and start working your way down this list. Fall only comes around once a year; might as well eat your way through it. 🙂