I can’t wait to bring out my cozy sweatshirts, boots and fall-inspired makeup. And, yes — I’m that annoying friend that loves pumpkin spice everything. I’ve even been on the hunt for some pumpkin spice pajamas.

So, in the spirit of Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice, I decided to make a batch of these Chewy Pumpkin Spice Cookies. And get this: This recipe requires only four ingredients. While I love making cookies from scratch, I also love a good shortcut when I’m in a pinch.

This recipe is seriously the easiest pumpkin cookie recipe ever. These cookies start with a box of cake mix — yep, cake mix.

(Andrea Mathis / Beautiful Eats & Things)

About the ingredients

• Spice cake mix: You can use any brand, but I recommend using Betty Crocker’s Super Moist Spice Cake Mix (15.25 ounces) for these cookies (not sponsored, just a fan).
• Large eggs: Make sure your eggs are large, because this is essential for the perfect cookie dough.
• Oil: I recommend using vegetable oil for this recipe. I haven’t experimented with any other kind of oils, but I’m sure you could use canola oil or even sunflower oil.
• Pumpkin spice: Yes, I know we’re using spice-flavored cake mix, but the addition of pumpkin spice gives these cookies so much flavor. Whatever you do, do not omit this ingredient.

Tips for making Pumpkin Spice Cookies

• Let the batter sit for about five minutes before scooping it onto the baking sheet. This helps the batter to thicken slightly, resulting in a nice, chewy cookie.
• Use a nonstick baking mat or parchment paper. It makes it easier for you to remove the cookies from the pan.
• Once the cookies are done, let them sit on the pan for about five minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. This helps them to firm up.

These Chewy Pumpkin Spice Cookies are absolutely amazing on their own, but if you want to take them to the next level, try topping them with a delicious cream cheese frosting.

You can make your own frosting from scratch by combining ½ cup of softened butter, 8 ounces of cream cheese, 4 cups of powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. Or you can purchase pre-made cream cheese frosting from the store. Top with a little pumpkin spice and enjoy.

(Andrea Mathis / Beautiful Eats & Things)

4-Ingredient Chewy Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Click here for a printable version.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 box (15.25 ounces) spice cake mix
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice mix
• Optional: Cream cheese frosting for topping

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
3. Mix cake mix, oil, eggs and pumpkin spice with a hand or a stand mixer until a sticky dough forms.
4. Scoop 1½-tablespoon-sized balls of dough and place them on the cookie sheet.
5. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the bottoms of the cookies are slightly golden brown.
6. Cool for at least 5 minutes before removing from cookie sheets and placing them on a cooling rack.
7. Optional: Top each cookie with cream cheese frosting, if desired.

Andrea Mathis is a registered dietitian and owner of Beautiful Eats & Things. For more great recipes, visit beautifuleatsandthings.com.