Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
These Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting are soft, fluffy, and packed with warm autumn spices. Perfectly moist with the richness of pumpkin puree, they are topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting that adds a sweet and tangy complement. Ideal for fall gatherings, holiday treats, or anytime you crave a cozy, flavorful cookie.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 13-15 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert, Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 ¼ cups canned pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened but still cool
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened but still cool
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice until well combined. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the room temperature unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes until the mixture is fluffy and pale.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the canned pumpkin puree, egg, and pure vanilla extract to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix on medium speed until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky; do not overmix.
- Shape Cookies: Using a medium cookie scoop or spoon, drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 13-15 minutes or until the edges are set but the centers remain soft and fluffy.
- Cool Cookies: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla extract and sifted confectioners’ sugar, mixing until the frosting is fluffy and well combined.
- Frost Cookies: Once the cookies have cooled completely, frost them generously with the cream cheese frosting using an offset spatula or knife.
Notes
- Use canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, for the best flavor and consistency.
- Room temperature butter and egg help the dough blend smoothly and create a tender cookie.
- Spacing cookies about 2 inches apart prevents them from spreading into each other.
- For a stronger spice flavor, you can add a pinch of ground cinnamon or nutmeg in addition to the pumpkin pie spice.
- Store frosted cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- These cookies freeze well without frosting; freeze unfrosted cookies in an airtight container and frost after thawing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie with frosting
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 17g
- Sodium: 115mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
Keywords: pumpkin cookies, cream cheese frosting, fall dessert, autumn cookies, pumpkin spice cookies
