Prep the air fryer: Preheat your air fryer to 320°F (160°C) for 3–5 minutes. Line the basket with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit, leaving room around the edges for airflow. Poke a few small holes if your parchment is solid.

Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugars: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. A hand mixer works best, but a sturdy whisk can do the job.

Add wet ingredients: Beat in the egg yolk, pumpkin puree, and vanilla until smooth. The mixture may look slightly separated at first; keep mixing until it’s cohesive.

Combine: Add the dry ingredients to the wet. Stir gently with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix. If using mix-ins, fold them in now.

Scoop: Use a small cookie scoop or tablespoon to portion 1.5–2 tablespoon mounds of dough. The dough will be soft and sticky—this is normal. Lightly dampen your fingers to help shape into rounds.

Arrange in basket: Place scoops on the parchment in a single layer, spaced about 1 inch apart. Gently flatten the tops to about 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle with coarse sugar if you like.

Air fry: Cook at 320°F (160°C) for 7–9 minutes until the tops look set and the edges are lightly golden. They’ll feel soft but should not look wet in the center.

Cool: Let cookies rest in the basket for 2–3 minutes to firm up, then transfer to a rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough.

Optional glaze: For extra sweetness, whisk 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 1–2 teaspoons milk and a pinch of cinnamon. Drizzle over cooled cookies.