Classic Pumpkin Spice Cookies

These are soft cakey pumpkin cookies rather than crisp ones, which is what the egg whites and pumpkin puree together promise from the start. No yolks means no extra fat from the egg side, and the pumpkin’s moisture keeps them tender even after a day in a tin. They lean toward the texture of a soft hermit cookie more than a chocolate chip drop cookie.

The spice blend is the standard fall lineup: heavy on cinnamon, with nutmeg, ginger, and clove rounding it out. Don’t skimp; two teaspoons of cinnamon is the headliner here, and reducing it pushes the cookie toward bland.

Mix wet into dry just until moistened. Overworking the batter activates gluten, which would push these toward bready. You want a thick scoopable dough that holds a teaspoon shape on the sheet. They don’t spread much, so shape matters at the drop.

Pro Tips

• Use canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which has its own sugar and spices already
• Beat the egg whites lightly, just to break them up; you’re not making meringue
• Pull them from the oven when the tops look set but still soft; they finish firming as they cool
• Store in a tin layered with parchment so they don’t stick to each other

Variations

• Add a half cup of chopped pecans or walnuts for crunch
• Drizzle a maple-cream cheese glaze across the cooled cookies for a richer take
• Sub butter for margarine for fuller flavor and slightly crispier edges