1-Step 1: Prepare Your Ingredients and Preheat the Oven Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lining a cookie sheet with parchment paper to avoid any sticking. In a bowl, mix together the wet ingredients: ½ cup (113 g) melted unsalted butter that’s cooled for at least 10 minutes, ½ cup (100 g) sugar, ⅓ cup (70 g) tightly packed light brown sugar, ¼ cup (73 g) pure pumpkin puree, 1 large egg yolk, and ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract until well combined.

2-Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients In another bowl, whisk the dry ingredients: 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1 ½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar, and ½ teaspoon salt. Gradually add this to your wet mixture, stirring just until blended to avoid overmixing, which can make the cookies tough.

3-Step 3: Chill and Shape the Dough After combining, refrigerate the dough for at least 45 minutes. Once chilled, scoop it into 1 ½ tablespoon-sized balls, roll them smooth, and coat each in a mixture of ¼ cup (50 g) sugar and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon. Place the balls on your prepared baking sheet, spacing them at least 2 inches apart.

4-Step 4: Bake and Cool Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are set but the centers are still soft. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet before serving to help them firm up. The total preparation time is about 1 hour and 17 minutes, including prep, chilling, and baking, so plan accordingly for fresh treats.