1. Dry Your Pumpkin First (5 minutes) Wrap that pumpkin purée in paper towels and squeeze gently. This removes the excess water that ruins cookies. Let it sit there while you do everything else—don’t rush this step.

2. Whisk the Dry Stuff (2 minutes) Flour, baking soda, and all those spices go in a bowl. Whisk them together so everything gets evenly distributed. Set it aside.

3. Cream Butter and Both Sugars (3 minutes) Beat the room temperature butter with both sugars until it looks fluffy and lighter in color. This takes about 3 minutes with an electric mixer. Don’t skip this step—it’s what gives you the right texture.

4. Add the Pumpkin (1 minute) Mix in your dried pumpkin purée until combined. The batter should look orange and smell amazing at this point.

5. Mix In the Flour Mixture (2 minutes) Add the flour mixture gradually, mixing just until everything comes together. Don’t overmix or you’ll get tough cookies. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky.

6. Shape and Chill (30 minutes) Scoop the dough into 3-tablespoon portions and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill for 30 minutes minimum. This step prevents spreading and gives you thick cookies.

7. Bake (15-19 minutes) Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake chilled cookies for 15-19 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Centers might look slightly soft—that’s perfect.

8. Cool Properly (15 minutes) Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before moving them. This prevents breaking and lets them finish cooking from residual heat.