Cinnamon-Sugar Pumpkin Cookie Sticks
Fall baking just got an upgrade. These crispy cinnamon-sugar pumpkin dippers are the perfect companion to a cozy latte — and the best way to use up the rest of that can of pumpkin purée!
Designed for dunking, these little sticks bake up crisp and stay crunchy for days, making them perfect for snacking, sharing, or turning your afternoon coffee into a full café moment.
Pair them with my Pumpkin Spice Syrup for the ultimate at-home PSL experience.
Cinnamon-Sugar Pumpkin Cookie Sticks
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 1/2 cup flour
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbps corn starch
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbps pumpkin pie spice (or mix cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove)
- 6 tbsp softened butter
- 1/2 tsp sal only if using unsalted butter
For the Coating
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Blot the Pumpkin: Spread the pumpkin purée on a plate lined with paper towels. Gently press with another towel to remove excess moisture until the pumpkin feels firmer and holds together.💡 This step is crucial for crisp cookies — skipping it will leave them soft and cake-like.
- Make the Dough: Cream softened butter and blotted pumpkin together until smooth. Stir in brown sugar.In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until a soft dough forms.If the dough feels too sticky, mix in 1–2 tbsp extra flour.
- Roll: Place dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll into a ¼-inch thick rectangle.
- Chill: Put the dough in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to make cutting easier and help the cookies hold their shape.
- Cut Into Sticks: Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to trim edges for a clean rectangle, then cut into sticks about ½ inch wide.
- Bake: Arrange sticks on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving space between each.Bake at 325°F for 20–25 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
- Optional Extra-Crisp Step:After a 5-minute cool, reduce oven to 300°F and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes to dry them out like biscotti and create an irresistible crunch.
- Coat in Cinnamon Sugar:While warm, brush both sides of each stick with melted butter + maple syrup mixture.Sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar on all sides, including edges.Transfer to a cooling rack or clean surface so the bottoms don’t steam and soften. Cool completely.
Notes
- Blot Your Pumpkin: Don’t skip this step! Removing excess moisture is what makes the dippers bake up crisp instead of soft or soggy.
- Chill the Dough: Chilling helps the dough firm up, so the sticks keep their shape while baking.
- Extra Crunch: For bakery-style crunch, do the optional second bake at a lower temperature (like biscotti).
- Cinnamon-Sugar Coating: Coat the sticks while they’re warm so the butter absorbs and the sugar sticks evenly.
- Storage: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days. If they lose crispness, pop them back in a 300°F oven for a few minutes to refresh.
- Serving Tip: Serve with pumpkin spice lattes, coffee, tea, or hot cocoa. They’re designed to be dunked!
- Make Ahead: Dough can be made 1-2 days in advance and stored in the fridge, then rolled and baked when ready.
These pumpkin dippers have quickly become my go-to fall bake, especially when I have an extra half-can of pumpkin from making PSLs with my homemade pumpkin spice syrup. If you make them, let me know in the comments or tag me on Pinterest.
