21 Best Fall Cookies

Fall cookies are all about warm spices and cozy flavors that make your kitchen smell amazing. These cookies use seasonal ingredients like pumpkin, apples, and maple that taste perfect when the weather gets cooler. Most of these freeze really well so you can make big batches and save some for later. They’re great for bake sales, cookie swaps, or just having around when you want something sweet with your coffee.

Pumpkin Spice Cookies

These soft cookies taste like fall in cookie form. The canned pumpkin keeps them super moist for days and the spice blend makes your whole house smell good while they bake. They’re not too sweet which makes them perfect for breakfast with coffee. You can frost them with cream cheese frosting if you want but they’re good plain too. Perfect for using up leftover canned pumpkin from other recipes. Get the recipe here.

Apple Cider Cookies

These taste like drinking apple cider but in cookie form. Some recipes have you boil down real apple cider to concentrate the flavor which is totally worth the extra step. The cookies come out soft and cake-like with a subtle apple taste. A simple glaze on top makes them feel more special. Great for harvest parties or when you want something different from the usual chocolate chip. Get the recipe here.

Maple Snickerdoodles

These are regular snickerdoodles but with maple syrup in the dough and maple sugar mixed with the cinnamon for rolling. The maple flavor isn’t overwhelming but gives them a nice fall twist. They still have that classic chewy texture and cinnamon coating everyone loves. If you can’t find maple sugar, just use regular sugar but add a tiny bit more maple extract to the dough. Get the recipe here.

Caramel Apple Cookies

These soft cookies have dried apples mixed in and a gooey caramel center. The trick is using soft caramels that you stick in the middle of the dough before baking. They’re like eating caramel apples but way less messy. The apple pieces get chewy and add nice texture. These are definitely more work than regular cookies but so worth it for special occasions. Get the recipe here.

Cinnamon Sugar Cookies

Sometimes simple is best and these cookies prove it. They’re just basic sugar cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar before baking. The outside gets slightly crispy while the inside stays soft. The cinnamon flavor is warm and comforting without being too strong. These are great for kids to help make since there’s no complicated steps. Perfect with a glass of milk or cup of tea. Get the recipe here.

Pecan Pie Cookies

These taste exactly like pecan pie but in cookie form which is genius. The cookie base is buttery and the topping has corn syrup, brown sugar, and lots of pecans. They’re rich and sweet just like the real pie. These are perfect for Thanksgiving when you want pecan pie flavor but don’t want to make a whole pie. They transport well too which makes them good for potlucks. Get the recipe here.

Chai Spiced Cookies

If your tired of regular pumpkin spice, these chai cookies are a nice change. They use cardamom, ginger, and black tea which gives them a more complex flavor. Some recipes actually have you steep tea in the butter which adds real tea flavor. The spices are warming but different from the usual cinnamon-heavy fall cookies. Great with actual chai tea on cold afternoons. Get the recipe here.

Brown Butter Cookies

Browning the butter before adding it to cookie dough adds this amazing nutty flavor that makes these cookies taste fancy. It takes a few extra minutes but completely changes the flavor. The cookies come out with slightly crispy edges and soft centers. The brown butter flavor is subtle but really special. These are my go-to when I want to impress people without too much work. Get the recipe here.

Cranberry Orange Cookies

The tart cranberries balance out the sweet cookie dough and the orange zest adds brightness. You can use fresh or dried cranberries depending what you prefer. Fresh ones are more tart while dried ones are sweeter. The orange flavor isn’t overwhelming but adds a nice citrus note. These look really pretty with the red cranberries scattered throughout and are perfect for holiday cookie plates. Get the recipe here.

Sweet Potato Cookies

These use roasted sweet potato in the dough which makes them incredibly moist and gives them a beautiful orange color. The sweet potato flavor is subtle and pairs well with warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. They taste like sweet potato pie but easier to eat. You gotta roast the sweet potato first which takes time but most of that is hands-off. Great way to use up leftover sweet potatoes. Get the recipe here.

Gingerbread Cookies

These aren’t just for Christmas – the warm spices make them perfect for all of fall too. The dough needs to chill before rolling which gives you time to do other stuff. You can make them soft and cake-like or crispy depending on how long you bake them. Molasses gives them that deep gingerbread flavor and dark color. Perfect for decorating if your into that or just eating plain. Get the recipe here.

Apple Butter Cookies

Apple butter in the dough makes these super moist and gives them intense apple flavor. They’re soft and cake-like with warm spices that complement the apple. If you can’t find apple butter at the store it’s easy to make your own in the slow cooker. These cookies actually get better after a day when the flavors have time to develop. Great for using up apple butter from fall apple picking trips. Get the recipe here.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adding chocolate chips to pumpkin cookies might sound weird but it works really well. The pumpkin makes the cookies soft and moist while the chocolate adds richness. The spices in the pumpkin pair surprisingly good with chocolate. These stay soft for days because of the pumpkin. Kids who might not want plain pumpkin cookies will definitely eat these. Get the recipe here.

Maple Pecan Cookies

Real maple syrup in the dough gives these cookies authentic maple flavor, not like fake maple extract. The pecans add crunch and their flavor goes perfect with maple. Some recipes have you toast the pecans first which makes them extra nutty. These cookies aren’t too sweet so the maple flavor really comes through. Perfect for when you want something that tastes like fall but isn’t pumpkin spice. Get the recipe here.

Spiced Molasses Cookies

These are similar to gingerbread but softer and more cake-like. Molasses gives them a deep rich flavor and dark color. The spice blend usually includes ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. They crack on top while baking which gives them a rustic look. These improve with age – they’re even better the second day when the spices have mellowed together. Great for dunking in coffee or milk. Get the recipe here.

Caramel Stuffed Cookies

These have a soft caramel candy hidden in the center that gets all gooey when you bite into them. The cookie dough is usually brown sugar based which complements the caramel. You gotta wrap the dough around the caramel which takes a bit of time but the surprise center is worth it. Make sure the caramels are soft or they won’t melt right. These are definitely a special occasion cookie. Get the recipe here.

Apple Oatmeal Cookies

Adding diced apples to oatmeal cookies gives them extra moisture and a nice fruity flavor. The oats make them chewy and substantial. Some recipes have you cook the apples first to remove moisture but I just dice them small and add them raw. Cinnamon and maybe some nutmeg complement the apple flavor. These are hearty enough to count as breakfast if you ask me. Get the recipe here.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

These are technically two soft cookies with filling in between but they’re usually grouped with cookies. The pumpkin cookies are cake-like and spiced, and the cream cheese filling is tangy and sweet. They’re bigger than regular cookies which makes them feel special. The filling can get messy so these are better for eating at home than packing in lunches. Great for when you want something between a cookie and cupcake. Get the recipe here.

Cinnamon Roll Cookies

These taste like cinnamon rolls but in cookie form. Some recipes have you roll the dough with cinnamon sugar like actual cinnamon rolls, others just mix everything together. Either way they come out with that sweet cinnamon flavor everyone loves. A simple glaze on top makes them taste even more like cinnamon rolls. Perfect for when you want cinnamon roll flavor but don’t want to deal with yeast and rising time. Get the recipe here.

Maple Glazed Pumpkin Cookies

These soft pumpkin cookies get topped with a maple glaze that hardens slightly and adds sweetness. The combination of pumpkin and maple is perfect for fall. The glaze soaks in a little bit which makes them extra moist. You can make the cookies one day and add the glaze the next if you want to spread out the work. These look fancy enough for bake sales but are actually pretty simple to make. Get the recipe here.