These no-bake pumpkin cookies are a sweet and tasty fall-time treat that requires absolutely no time in the oven! Simply heat your mixture on the stove for a couple of minutes, and then press them into cookies! They are so easy to make that you'll be making them over and over again all season long!
Easy No-Bake Pumpkin Oat Cookies Recipe
I love fall flavors, especially pumpkin! It is cozy, warm, sweet, and uses all of my favorite fall spices!
I've been making no-bake cookies for over 40 years and can proudly say that I have perfected this technique! It is completely fool-proof!
Jump to:
- Easy No-Bake Pumpkin Oat Cookies Recipe
- 🥘 No-Bake Pumpkin Cookies Ingredients, Notes, & Substitutions
- 📖 Variations
- 🔪 How To Make No-Bake Pumpkin Cookies
- 💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- 🙂😀 Testimonials
- 🥄 Make Ahead Options
- 🥡 Storing
- ❓ Recipe FAQs
- 🍪 Tasty No-Bake Cookies
- 📖 Recipe Card
- No-Bake Pumpkin Cookies
- 💬 Reviews
If you love how easy no-bake cookies are, check out this roundup of my favorite no-bake cookie recipes, as well as my guide to making no-bake cookies!
🥘 No-Bake Pumpkin Cookies Ingredients, Notes, & Substitutions
You probably have most of these ingredients at home already. Remember to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling!
- Butter - ¼ cup of butter or a butter substitute.
- Milk - 2 tablespoons of milk or a milk substitute.
- Sugar - ½ cup of granulated sugar.
- Pumpkin Puree - ¼ cup of canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. I recommend using Libby's brand pumpkin puree for the best results; it has less water and more flavor!
- Vanilla - 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or a substitute.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice - ¼ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. Try out my homemade blend, or use your favorite brand.
- Salt - A pinch of salt.
- Quick Oats - 2 cups of quick oats.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
📖 Variations
You can enjoy these cookies as-is or add some tasty stir-ins! Try them with pepitas, chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, or almonds), or chocolate chips.
Just fold them into the mixture when you add your oats, and that's it!
🔪 How To Make No-Bake Pumpkin Cookies
No-bake cookies are a cinch to make! The secret is making sure that the mixture is at a full rolling boil for one minute. Just grab a saucepan and a baking sheet to get started!
This recipe will make about 15 small cookies. Squeeze them into your desired shape and let them set!
Step 1: Prepare. To get ready, go ahead and line a baking sheet with wax paper or a silicone baking mat.
Step 2: Heat mixture. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the ¼ cup (57 grams) of butter, 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) of milk, and ½ cup (100 grams) of sugar. Next, add in your ¼ cup (61 grams) of pumpkin puree and stir to combine.
Step 3: Boil. Bring the mixture to a boil. Once it reaches a full rolling boil, cook for 1 minute (set a timer!). After 1 minute at a full rolling boil, remove the saucepan from the heat.
Step 4: Mix in ingredients. Add 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) of vanilla, a pinch of salt, and ¼ teaspoon (0.5 grams) of pumpkin pie spice into the pumpkin mixture and mix well.
Step 5: Add oats. Finally, add in 2 cups (160 grams) of quick oats and stir until everything is well combined.
Step 6: Form cookies. Scoop out spoonfuls of the cookie dough mixture and use your hands to press them into somewhat flattened balls, then place them onto the prepared baking sheet (*see note).
Step 7: Cool. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet until set and firm enough to handle, about 2 hours.
These no-bake cookies are perfect for any occasion! You can add them to some gift baskets, take them to get-togethers, or have them at home!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- I always recommend using Libby's brand of canned pumpkin because it has a low moisture content, which prevents your cookies from being too runny.
- Make sure to pick up pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling!
- If you are used to making classic no-bake cookies (with a fudgy texture), this mixture is drier than typical no-bake cookie recipes, and this is completely normal!
- As with all no-bake cookies, you need a full rolling boil for 1 minute to set the cookies. Less than a minute and your cookies won't set well; over a minute, your cookies will be dry.
🙂😀 Testimonials
I made these cookies a few days ago and this recipe is an absolute winner! I will be making these over and over again!
Annette, Arkansas
🥄 Make Ahead Options
These cookies have a great shelf life, so you can easily prepare them a couple of days in advance if you like!
Freezing No-Bake Cookies
To freeze your cookies, flash freeze in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. *You can freeze on the same sheet of parchment paper that the cookies cooled and set on.
Once frozen (about 2 hours), transfer into an airtight freezer storage container or Ziploc freezer storage bag. Your cookies will store frozen for up to 2-3 months. Defrost at room temperature before serving.
🥡 Storing
Keep your cookies in an airtight container or Ziploc plastic storage bag at room temperature for up to a week or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
>>>>See all of my recipes here<<<<
❓ Recipe FAQs
Yep! These cookies freeze great! Freeze them for a few hours in a single layer on a baking sheet before transferring them to a freezer-safe storage bag. Simply allow them to defrost at room temperature before enjoying them!
I would not recommend it. The quick oats are great since the mixture is only boiled for one minute, whereas old-fashioned oats take longer to cook.
Sure! Simply add them in when you are forming your cookies (but make sure the mixture isn't still hot, as it will melt the chocolate chips).
🍪 Tasty No-Bake Cookies
- No Bake Butterscotch Cookies - If you love the flavor of butterscotch, these easy cookies are for you!
- Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies - Chocolate and peanut butter are a match made in heaven!
- Chocolate Peppermint No Bake Cookies - A perfect winter cookie, these chocolate and peppermint cookies are a real treat!
- Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies - These cookies are chewy, sweet, and loaded with peanut butter!
- No-Bake Haystack Cookies - These cookies feature peanut butter and butterscotch flavors and crispy chow mein noodles!
- Chocolate Oatmeal No Bake Cookies - These cookies are fudgy and delicious and don't use any peanut butter!
Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
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📖 Recipe Card
No-Bake Pumpkin Cookies
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 tablespoon milk
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup pumpkin puree (*see note)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 cups quick oats
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- To get ready, go ahead and line a baking sheet with wax paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat combine the butter, milk, and sugar. Next, add in your pumpkin puree and stir to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a boil. Once it reaches a full rolling boil, cook for 1 minute (set a timer!). After 1 minute at a full rolling boil remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Add the vanilla, salt, and pumpkin pie spice into the pumpkin mixture and mix well.
- Finally, add in the quick oats and stir until everything is well combined.
- Scoop out spoonfuls of the cookie dough mixture and use your hands to press them into somewhat flattened balls, then place them onto the prepared baking sheet (*see note).
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet until set and firm enough to handle, about 2 hours.
Notes
- I always recommend using Libby's brand of canned pumpkin because it has a low moisture content, which prevents your cookies from being too runny.
- Make sure to pick up pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling!
- If you are used to making the classic no-bake cookies (with a fudgy texture), this mixture is drier than typical no-bake cookie recipes and it is completely normal!
- As with all no-bake cookies, you need a full rolling boil for 1 minute to set the cookies. Less than a minute and your cookies won't set well, over a minute and your cookies are dry.
- To Store: Keep your cookies in an airtight container or Ziploc plastic storage bag at room temperature for up to a week, or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- To Freeze: Flash freeze in a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Once frozen (about 2 hours), transfer into an airtight freezer storage container or Ziploc freezer storage bag. Store for up to 2-3 months, thaw at room temperature.
Kathy Annyoakly Johnson says
Yes, I made them and I ate a few! They stay together nicely; I did flour my hands a bit. Reading that the problem can be that the dough is to wet, I used solid vanilla. Though delicious, it is overtaking the pumpkin. Maybe some Pumpkin pie spices would help with the authenticity for Thanksgiving.
Thanks for this sweet idea! I will fix my next batch.
P. S. I used low calorie brown sugar instead of a cup of granulated sugar.