25 Homemade Fall Cookie Recipes to Bake This Fall

Fall cookie recipes are exactly what I start craving when the days get a little cooler. I love having something homemade baking in the oven, and I can never really resist cookies.

They’re simple to make, the kitchen smells amazing, and somehow they always make an ordinary afternoon feel a little more special.

I put together 25 of my favorite fall cookie recipes for this collection. Plenty of cozy fall flavors are here, from pumpkin and apple to cinnamon and warm spices, plus a few that are a little different but still feel just right for this time of year.

I hope you find a few you’ll want to bake too.

Most cookie doughs freeze well, so it’s worth doubling a batch when you’re already in the kitchen; that way, you’ll have fresh-baked cookies ready whenever the mood strikes.

Pre-portioned dough balls can usually go straight from the freezer to the oven with just an extra minute or two of bake time.

If a recipe calls for pumpkin puree, blot it dry with a paper towel before mixing to keep cookies from turning out cakey or wet — a small step that makes a noticeable difference. And don’t be afraid to swap mix-ins, pecans for walnuts, white chocolate for dark, since most of these doughs are forgiving enough to make your own.

#1 Gluten-Free Gingersnap Cookies

If you love a cookie with a little more spice, add these gingersnaps to your fall baking list.

Freshly grated ginger joins the ground spices for a brighter, more pronounced flavor, and the cookies have that crisp, snappy texture I always look for in a gingersnap.

You can also freeze the dough ahead, which is handy once holiday baking starts picking up.

Get the recipe: Gluten-Free Gingersnap Cookies

#2 Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

Pumpkin cookies can sometimes turn out more cakey than chewy, but this recipe has a simple trick for avoiding that: blot the pumpkin puree before adding it to the dough.

Chocolate chips and pumpkin spice bring those familiar fall flavors, and you can chill the dough overnight if you want to get a head start.

Keep this one in mind when you’re ready for a batch of pumpkin cookies that feels a little more substantial.

Get the recipe: Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

#3 Best-Ever White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

I love the sweet-and-salty combination in these cookies.

Tart dried cranberries balance the white chocolate’s sweetness, while roasted salted macadamia nuts add crunch and saltiness.

They bake up thick, soft, and chewy, and I can easily see them becoming a favorite for holiday cookie exchanges.

Get the recipe: Best-Ever White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

#4 Vegan Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

These are a nice way to bring pumpkin into a classic sugar cookie without using eggs or dairy.

Arrowroot powder gives the cookies a chewier texture and helps hold the dough together, a clever little trick from the recipe. I also love that you can make them gluten-free and decorate the pumpkin shapes for a simple fall baking project.

Get the recipe: Vegan Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

#5 Easy Carrot Cake Cookies

If carrot cake is more your thing, these cookies turn those familiar flavors into a much simpler bake.

A boxed carrot cake mix is dressed up with white chocolate chips, coconut, and walnuts, then finished with cream cheese frosting.

Get the recipe: Easy Carrot Cake Cookies

#6 Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Pumpkin and cinnamon sugar are such a natural pairing, and they work especially well in these soft snickerdoodles.

The recipe has you blot the pumpkin puree first to remove some of its moisture, which helps keep the cookies chewy instead of cakey. I’d reach for these when I want something that tastes unmistakably like fall but still has the familiar comfort of a classic snickerdoodle.

Get the recipe: Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

#7 Soft Apple Spice Cookies

These have the kind of fall flavors I never get tired of: tender cookies, juicy apple filling, warm spices, and a drizzle of caramel over the top.

I especially like that you can prep the dough a day ahead, so you have less to do when you’re ready to bake.

Get the recipe: Soft Apple Spice Cookies

#8 Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

A soft pumpkin cookie with cream cheese frosting is one of those combinations that just feels right once fall rolls around.

Real pumpkin and warm spices give the cookies their flavor, while the tangy frosting adds a nice contrast. Since they don’t require chilling, they’re easy to turn to when you want something homemade without planning too far ahead.

Get the recipe: Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

#9 Cinnamon Sugar Cookies

Sometimes you don’t need a complicated cookie to make fall baking feel special.

These are soft and buttery, with cinnamon mixed into the dough and another layer of cinnamon sugar coating the outside.

No cream of tartar and no long chill time, so keep this recipe handy for those afternoons when you want something warm and homemade without much fuss.

Get the recipe: Cinnamon Sugar Cookies

#10 Maple Pecan Cookies

Maple and pecans are a natural fall pairing, and these cookies really let both flavors shine.

I’d make these when I want something a little more delicate than a soft, chunky cookie.

Get the recipe: Maple Pecan Cookies

#11 Gluten Free Apple Pie Cheesecake Cookies

If you can’t decide between apple pie, cheesecake, and cookies, this recipe makes the decision for you.

A soft cinnamon cookie hides a creamy cheesecake center, topped with homemade apple pie filling, so you get a little of each in one bite.

Get the recipe: Gluten Free Apple Pie Cheesecake Cookies

#12 Pumpkin Brownie Cookies

Not everyone wants pumpkin spice everything, and these cookies are the answer.

Pumpkin puree helps give them a rich, fudgy texture alongside melted chocolate and cocoa, while the chocolate keeps the flavor firmly in brownie territory. I’d keep these in the lineup for the chocolate lovers who want a fall cookie without all the usual warm spices.

Get the recipe: Pumpkin Brownie Cookies

#13 Pumpkin Coffee Cake Cookies

I love the idea of turning coffee cake into a cookie, and this pumpkin version makes especially good use of the combination.

They’re the kind of cookie I’d happily set beside a cup of coffee on a cool fall morning.

Get the recipe: Pumpkin Coffee Cake Cookies

#14 Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies with Streusel

These take a familiar oatmeal cookie and give it the buttery crumb topping you’d normally expect on coffee cake.

Roll the streusel onto the dough and press it over the tops, so you get crisp, crumbly bits throughout the cookie instead of just on the surface.

Get the recipe: Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies with Streusel

#15 Apple Butter Thumbprint Cookies

Apple butter feels right at home in fall baking, and I love using it as the filling in a simple thumbprint cookie.

They’re small, tender, and easy enough for an afternoon bake, but I could just as easily see them finding a place on a holiday cookie tray.

Get the recipe: Apple Butter Thumbprint Cookies

#16 Sourdough Discard Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

If you have sourdough discard sitting in the fridge, this is a nice way to put it to work beyond bread.

The familiar combination of oats, raisins, cinnamon, and brown sugar gets a subtle tang from the starter, while the cookies stay soft and chewy.

Get the recipe: Sourdough Discard Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

#17 Gluten-Free Cinnamon Roll Cookies

These have the comforting flavor of a cinnamon roll without asking you to make an actual batch of cinnamon rolls.

The cookie dough is rolled with a cinnamon-sugar filling, sliced into spirals, and finished with a light vanilla glaze.

Get the recipe: Gluten-Free Cinnamon Roll Cookies

#18 Almond Cookies

There’s something wonderfully simple about a good almond cookie, and these have a soft, buttery texture with almond flavor running through the cookie and glaze.

Sliced almonds on top give them a little crunch, too. They feel just a touch more elegant than an everyday cookie, but they’re still easy enough to make without saving them for a special occasion.

Get the recipe: Almond Cookies

#19 Cinnamon Chai Macarons

If you love chai, these macarons are a fun way to bring those familiar fall spices into a more delicate dessert.

The chai is infused into the cream for the milk chocolate ganache, which is sandwiched between classic French macaron shells and finished with a little cinnamon

Get the recipe: Cinnamon Chai Macarons

#20 Buckwheat Biscotti with Fruits and Nuts

I love a cookie that’s made for dunking, and these crisp biscotti are especially good with a cup of coffee. Buckwheat flour gives them a nutty, rustic character, while dried figs, raisins, hazelnuts, and pecans add little bits of texture throughout.

They’re also gluten-free and grain-free, so they’re a great option for anyone looking for a slightly different kind of fall bake.

Get the recipe: Buckwheat Biscotti with Fruits and Nuts

#21 Pignoli Cookies

Pignoli cookies are a classic Italian treat made with almond paste and pine nuts, and they have a texture that’s quite different from your everyday drop cookie.

The centers stay soft and chewy while the pine nuts toast around the outside as they bake.

Get the recipe: Pignoli Cookies

#22 Toffee Apple Pie Cookies

These cookies take the flavors I love about apple pie and tuck them into a much easier-to-share treat. Chopped apples and pecans are mixed with bits of toffee, then a lemon glaze adds a bright note at the end.

Get the recipe: Toffee Apple Pie Cookies