Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Posted Oct 18, 2024
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These pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting have chewy edges, soft centers and lots of cozy fall spices. Pumpkin cookies are easy to make and are a delicious fall treat.
If you’re looking for a delicious treat to satisfy your pumpkin craving, then I suggest making these pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting.
They’re everything a pumpkin cookie should be – sweet & butter with crispy edges, chewy centers, plenty of pumpkin puree and just the right amount of fall spices. Then, to make them even more irresistible, they’re slathered with the best cream cheese frosting.
They’re easy to make, and will quickly become a must-make fall dessert recipe.
Pumpkin Cookies: Ingredients & Substitutions
- Salted Butter. Unsalted is a good substitute.
- Granulated sugar. use regular white sugar or organic cane sugar for the best result.
- Light Brown Sugar. If you like a little bolder molasses taste, use dark brown sugar.
- Pumpkin Puree. I use canned pumpkin puree. If using homemade pumpkin puree, I recommend straining the water out of it so it is not too moist.
- All-purpose flour. Use a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour to make these pumpkin cookies gluten-free.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice. Use store bought or make your own with this recipe: homemade pumpkin pie spice. Use 2 teaspoons of the mixture (and use the rest in some of our other pumpkin recipes like pumpkin pie, pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin bread, etc.)
- Cream cheese frosting. See this recipe for substitution notes.
How to Make Pumpkin Cookies
Let’s walk through this pumpkin cookie recipe together. Remember, the dough has to chill for at least 2 hours, so be sure to factor in that time! Also, don’t forget to watch the video.
Make the Pumpkin Cookie Dough
Since the dough has to chill, we begin this pumpkin cookie recipe by making the dough. First, mix the flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, sea salt, baking soda and baking powder in a medium bowl, then set it aside.
Next, cream the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar together either in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand-held mixer,
Then, add the vanilla, pumpkin puree and egg and beat until combined and light and fluffy.
Next, add the dry ingredient mixture and beat, starting on low speed then increasing to medium-high speed, until the mixture is combined. You may need to pause, scrape down the sides, and continue beating.
Once the dough is completely, transfer it to an airtight container and chill for at least 2 hours, and up to overnight.
Bake & Cool
After chilling, preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease 2 large baking sheets or line them with silicone baking mats (do not use parchment paper).
Use a 1.5 to 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop to measure out portions of cookie dough.
Then, roll the dough into balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets, evenly spaced. Repeat until all the dough is used.
Bake the pumpkin cookies un the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until cookies look set and slightly puffed.
Remove the cookie tray from the oven and tap it on the counter a few times to “deflate” the cookies. This is critical for chewy cookies.
Let the pumpkin cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 3-5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. The cookies “deflate” as they cool and achieve the chewy texture you see pictured in this post.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
Once the cookies are completely cooled, make the frosting. Make sure all the ingredients are room temperature. Begin by beating the butter and cream cheese together until smooth.
Then, add the vanilla, 1 cup powdered sugar, sea salt and cinnamon (optional) and beat until combined.
Then add the remaining 1 cup of powdered sugar and beat until the mixture is smooth. Keep the frosting room temperature for easy spreading.
Assemble the Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Now it’s time to assemble the pumpkin cookies. Spread about 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons of frosting on each cookie.
Next, transfer the frosted cookies to the refrigerator to chill until the frosting has hardened.
Serve
These pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting are best when served slightly chilled or at room temperature. Serve them alongside our pumpkin chocolate chip cookies or pumpkin cake!
Store/Freeze
Store pumpkin cookies in a single layer in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or the freezer for up to 2 months.
Let the cookies thaw slowly in the refrigerator or a little quicker at room temperature. Do not microwave the cookies.
Pumpkin Cookies Recipe FAQS
This recipe bakes up nice and soft, but still crispy on the edges so they do not get soggy.
Yes, you can easily double or triple this recipe.
Of course, there are so many delicious frosting choices. Here are some suggestions:
Homemade Vanilla Frosting
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Make some of our delicious pumpkin recipes like this pumpkin smoothie, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, and pumpkin cupcakes.
If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!
Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 egg
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- Pinch sea salt
- ¼ tsp cinnamon optional
Instructions
Make the pumpkin cookie dough.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, sea salt, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand-held mixer, cream together the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar.
- Add vanilla, pumpkin puree and egg and beat until combined and light and fluffy.
- Then add the dry ingredient mixture and beat until combined.
- Transfer the pumpkin cookie dough to an airtight container and chill for at least 2 hours, and up to overnight.
Bake & Cool
- After chilling, preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease 2 large baking sheets or line them with silicone baking mats (do not use parchment paper).
- Use a 1.5 to 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop to measure out portions of cookie dough, roll them into balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets, evenly spaced. Repeat until all the dough is used.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until cookies look set and slightly puffed.
- Remove the cookie tray from the oven and tap it forcefully on the counter to release air from the cookies. This is crucial for chewy cookies.
- Let the pumpkin cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 3-5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. The cookies “deflate” as they cool and achieve the chewy texture you see pictured in this post.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Once the cookies are cooled, beat together butter and cream cheese until smooth,
- Add vanilla, 1 cup powdered sugar, sea salt and cinnamon (optional) and beat until combined. Then add the remaining 1 cup of powdered sugar and beat until the mixture is smooth.
Assemble & Serve
- Spread about 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons of frosting on each cookie.
- Then, transfer the frosted cookies to the refrigerator to chill until the frosting has hardened.
- Serve slightly chilled or at room temperature.
Video
Notes
- Salted Butter. Unsalted is a good substitute.
- Granulated sugar. use regular white sugar or organic cane sugar for the best result.
- Light Brown Sugar. If you like a little bolder molasses taste, use dark brown sugar.
- Pumpkin Puree. I use canned pumpkin puree. If using homemade pumpkin puree, I recommend straining the water out of it so it is not too moist.
- All-purpose flour. Use a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour to make these pumpkin cookies gluten-free.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice. Use store bought or make your own with this recipe: homemade pumpkin pie spice. Use 2 teaspoons of the mixture (and use the rest in some of our other pumpkin recipes like pumpkin pie, pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin bread, etc.)
- Cream cheese frosting. See this recipe for substitution notes.
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp cloves
- ½ tsp allspice
- Freeze the dough. After the dough is chilled, roll it into balls and place them on a large baking sheet to flash-freeze. Once frozen, transfer the dough balls to an airtight container to store. When you’re ready to bake them, remove the dough balls from the freezer, place them on a lightly greased baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap while they thaw to room temperature, then bake according to the recipe instructions.
- Freeze baked cookies. Let cookies cool completely, then freeze them in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
- Let the cookies thaw slowly in the refrigerator or a little quicker at room temperature. Do not microwave the cookies.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
