No-Bake Pumpkin Cookies are packed with oats and pumpkin flavor, and they come together in just minutes without ever turning on the oven. This easy fall cookie recipe is quick, delicious, and the perfect way to enjoy pumpkin season!
Recipe Highlights
- No oven required: Perfect for busy days or when you don’t want to heat up the kitchen.
- Quick & easy: Just 5–10 minutes of prep and a short set time.
- Fall flavor: Pumpkin spice pudding and warm spices make these cookies taste like autumn in every bite.
- Family-friendly: Kids can help scoop the dough and watch the cookies set.
- Versatile: Customize with pudding mix flavors or extra add-ins like mini chocolate chips or chopped nuts.
Recipe Highlights
- Versatile: Try swapping in different pudding flavors (like vanilla, cheesecake, or chocolate) for fun variations, or fold in add-ins such as mini chocolate chips, dried cranberries, or even a sprinkle of toasted coconut.
- No oven required: Perfect for busy days, college dorms, or hot summer afternoons when baking feels like too much effort. These cookies require only a stovetop and a mixing bowl.
- Quick & easy: With just a handful of ingredients, this recipe can be prepped in under 10 minutes, making it ideal for last-minute gatherings or a weeknight treat.
- Fall flavor: The combination of pumpkin spice pudding and pumpkin pie spice brings all the warm, cozy flavors of autumn without being overpowering. Each bite tastes like fall wrapped up in cookie form.
- Family-friendly: Kids can help scoop the cookies and watch them set—no hot oven means less stress if little hands are in the kitchen.
Ingredients in No-Bake Pumpkin Cookies
- Sugars – You will need sugar and brown sugar for these no-bake cookies. For best results, make sure the brown sugar is soft and fresh.
- Butter – Another key ingredient in most cookie recipes. The recipe calls for 3/4 cup of butter (1 1/2 sticks). For best results, use real butter.
- Milk – Any type of milk will work fine. I usually use 2% because that’s what I have on hand, but you can even use a non-dairy alternative if you’d like.
- Pumpkin spice pudding mix – You need a small box (3.4 oz) of instant Pumpkin Spice pudding mix. If you can’t find pumpkin pudding mix, you can use vanilla pudding mix and then double the amount of pumpkin pie spice in the recipe.
- Pumpkin pie spice – The recipe calls for one teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can easily make your own with nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves.
- Vanilla – The higher the quality of the vanilla, the better.
- Oats – Quick oats work best in no-bake cookies. You will need 3 1/2 cups.
Helpful Tips
Full instructions for making the recipe can be found on the recipe card below, but here are a few helpful tips.
- Serving ideas: These cookies pair perfectly with apple cider, chai tea, or hot cocoa. For a festive party tray, alternate these with traditional chocolate no-bakes for a colorful fall spread.
- Boil time matters: A rolling boil for two full minutes is crucial. Undercooking will result in cookies that don’t firm up, while overcooking can make them dry or crumbly.
- If cookies won’t set: Chill them in the fridge or freezer for 15–20 minutes. This not only helps them firm up but can also give them a refreshing bite.
- Flavor swaps: If pumpkin spice pudding isn’t available, vanilla pudding plus extra pumpkin spice works beautifully. Chocolate pudding can turn these into a fun pumpkin-chocolate mashup.
- Add texture: Mix in chopped pecans, walnuts, or pepitas for crunch. A handful of mini chocolate chips or white chocolate chunks can also take these up a notch.
Storage Instructions
- Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for 3–4 days. Great for keeping on the counter for quick snacking.
- Refrigerator: Keeps for up to a week and helps the cookies hold their shape better. Chilled no-bake cookies also have a firmer, fudgier bite.
- Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months. Place cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet first, then transfer to a freezer bag. Let thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
FAQs
What if I can’t find pumpkin spice pudding mix?
You can order it online, but if that’s not an option, use vanilla pudding and double the pumpkin spice. The flavor will be slightly different, but still delicious.
Do no-bake cookies need to be refrigerated?
Not necessarily. They’ll stay fresh at room temperature, but refrigerating them helps maintain a firmer texture and extends shelf life.
Which oats work best?
Quick oats are recommended. Old-fashioned oats may cause the cookies to feel too chewy and not set properly, while instant oats can make them mushy.
How long do they take to set?
At room temperature, about 15–20 minutes. If you’re in a hurry, refrigerate them for 10 minutes and they’ll be ready to enjoy even faster.
Can I freeze no-bake pumpkin cookies?
Yes! Freezing not only helps them set quickly but also makes them a perfect cool treat to pull out later.
More pumpkin cookie recipes to try:
- Rolled in cinnamon and sugar, Pumpkin Snickerdoodles are soft, chewy cookies packed with pumpkin flavor—one of the best fall desserts!
- Full of pumpkin flavor and oats, No-Bake Pumpkin Cookies come together in minutes without ever turning on the oven.
- Soft, chewy, and topped with a sweet cinnamon sugar icing, Glazed Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies are the perfect fall treat.
- Bursting with pumpkin and warm ginger spice, Soft Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies are simple to make and loved for their chewy texture.
- Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are moist, flavorful cookies loaded with pumpkin, oats, and melty chocolate chips.
No Bake Pumpkin Cookies are full of oats and pumpkin flavor and come together in minutes without ever turning the oven on. This easy no-bake cookie recipe is quick, delicious, and perfect for fall!
Gina says
Love how simple, yet delicious these cookies are!
Kaylie says
Thank you, Gina!
Shadi Hasanzadenemati says
I love your recipe, I’ll be making it again!
Kaylie says
Thank you, Shadi!
Nicole whiting says
I can not find the pumpkin pudding mix. Any ideas what else I can use?
Amanda Finks says
So easy and delicious! The perfect fall treat!
Kaylie says
Thank you, Amanda!
Jenn says
How fun are these! I love that they’re no bake – perfect for that late Summer pumpkin craving that always hits when I get excited thinking about Fall. Thank you!
Kaylie says
I totally agree! Thank you, Jenn!
Jodi says
Can you substitute the pudding with pumpkin pie filling? I cannot find the pudding anywhere
Nellie says
I don’t think you can swap it with pumpkin pie filling – they probably wouldn’t set up properly at all. You can swap in vanilla pudding though and just add some extra pumpkin pie spice.
Jaime W says
I have found the pumpkin spice pudding in the “seasonal” baking section at Walmart. (It’s usually a center aisle display.) Hope this helps! It also was not Jell-O Brand either. Orange box.
Jaime W says
These cookies are AMAZING. I got this recipe from a friend when I tried them. Now, whenever i make them, it never fails I get asked for this recipe.
So easy to make. I do find that even with the help of a fridge, they aren’t fully set for at least 8-12 hours. They only take about 10 minutes to throw together so I’ll take it. 🙂
******I have found the pumpkin spice pudding in the “seasonal” baking section at Walmart. (It’s usually a center aisle display.) Hope this helps! It also was not Jell-O Brand either. Orange box.
Tammy jo says
Look so good
Barbara says
Love your cookies receipes
Barb says
I thought this would have more of a pumpkin spice taste – maybe next time I’ll put more than a teaspoon in. I did use the pudding – got it from Amazon. I will put them in the refrig to get them to firm up more.
Terry says
So great to see an option that doesn’t have peanut butter in it, as I always share with my neighbors, and 1 is deathly allergic, so…Thanks!
Thanks too, for the substitution for the pumpkin pie flavored pudding mix. We NEVER seem to get flavors other than the standard ones . And Amazon wants us to buy in volume, and the shipping costs to Canada 🇨🇦 are horrendous 😪.
This old woman doesn’t need 12 boxes of pudding mix to try out a recipe. Or 48 assorted packages 😱 of Kool Aid to make a couple of batches of your Kool Aid Sherbet, as we haven’t been able to get packages of Kool Aid here for many years. It just ain’t fair!
Loved your “throwback” Halloween pic, too. Thanks for sharing!
Jessica says
Thank Terry!
carol e hawley says
Where do you buy your Jello Brand Instant Pumpkin Spice Pudding Mix . I have never seen it here in Ontario Canada. Could you please me a e-mail back with your answer. I have made many of your “No Bake Cookies ” & love them My e-mail is chawley1@bell.net thank you so much
Nellie says
You can probably find it on Amazon! Some years it’s easy to find at the grocery store and sometimes it’s not, so I usually stock up when I see it!
Angel says
I feel like this recipe had potential but it’s just not quite right. First off they are way too sweet the sugar could have been cut down. I also feel like there’s not enough oats or something. I don’t know. They didn’t want to set…and I used quick oats like the recipe said. I popped in the freezer to get them firm. My daughter thought they tasted good but it was a sticky mess. I will not be making them again. I feel like something needs to be tweaked to make the recipe better.
Nellie says
I’m sorry they didn’t turn out for you! Usually if they don’t set, it’s because the mixture didn’t boil quite long enough. If you think they are too sweet, you can definitely cut down on the sugar.
Barbara DeWitt says
I bought steel cut oats by accident. Can I use them in cookies or just the regular Buick oats. Hate to waste the other ingredients if steel cut will not work. Advice please!
Nellie says
I’ve never tried steel cut oats, but I’m not sure they would work in no-bake cookies. I would stick with the regular ones if at all possible, but if you experiment, let us know!