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A plate piled with pumpkin pie cake cookies topped with golden graham cracker crumbles.

Pumpkin Pie Cake Cookies

Pumpkin spice cookies made with sourdough discard (optional- see notes!), finished with a buttery graham cracker topping.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes
Chill Time 30 minutes
Servings: 20 Cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cookie Dough
  • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅓ cup pumpkin puree
  • ⅓ cup sourdough discard
Graham Cracker Topping
  • ¼ cup crushed graham crackers
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter additional to the butter in the dough

Method
 

  1. Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda.
  2. In a separate bowl or your stand mixer whisk the melted, cooled butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and all 2½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice. Mix in the two whole eggs and vanilla, followed by the pumpkin puree and sourdough discard.
  3. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  4. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  5. Mix the graham cracker crumbs with the additional tablespoon of melted butter.
  6. Scoop the chilled dough into approximately 20 equal portions and place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving room for spreading.
  7. Divide the graham cracker topping among the cookies, pressing lightly to help it stick.
  8. Bake for 13 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are set.
  9. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Notes

All ½ cup granulated sugar and all 2½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice go into the dough in step 2.
Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
No sourdough discard? Replace the ⅓ cup discard with 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon water. Add the flour with the dry ingredients and the water with the wet ingredients. This approximates discard made with equal weights flour and water; this substitution has not been tested in this recipe.
The topping uses an additional tablespoon of butter, separate from the cup in the dough.
Graham cracker crumbs may soften in storage as they absorb moisture from the cookies. Cool completely before covering.