Treat yourself to these scrumptious Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting! This easy recipe makes the BEST soft, delicious cookies with a warm, spicy flavor. I guarantee you won't be able to stop at one!
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Pumpkin season is almost over, which makes me a little sad ... it's too short!
I couldn't let fall pass without sharing these delightful Pumpkin Spice Cookies though. I've been working on this recipe for a while now, and it took me quite a few tries to perfect. It was sooo worth it though!
These homemade Pumpkin Cookies have the perfect texture. Unlike many recipes, they're not cakey. Plus, they're loaded with scrumptious pumpkin flavor, and they're not overly sweet. And then there's that Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting. Yum!
Best of all, they're easy to make, so whip up a batch (or three) before autumn is over. You'll find all the mouthwatering details below.
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Ingredients
These tasty fall cookies use ingredients you can find in any grocery store! Here's what you'll need:
- Pumpkin - For this recipe, make sure to use plain pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling). You could also make your own homemade puréed pumpkin ... it's easy!
- Flour - Grab some all-purpose flour.
- Butter - You'll also need some unsalted butter.
- Sugar - This recipe is sweetened with brown sugar. I used light brown sugar, but dark brown sugar will also work.
- Spices - For that warm pumpkin spice flavor, you'll use a mixture of ground cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. (Feel free to substitute Pumpkin Pie Spice if you prefer.)
- Vanilla - Vanilla extract adds another layer of flavor.
- Leavener - A little baking soda helps the cookies rise as they cook.
- Frosting - The cookies are topped with a delicious homemade Cream Cheese Frosting. It's made with cream cheese, powdered sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract.
You'll Also Need
To make this recipe, get out your stand mixer (or hand mixer) to mix the cookies and frosting. You’ll also need a couple baking sheets to bake the cookies.
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Cookies
These soft Pumpkin Cookies are super easy to make! You'll find a detailed recipe card below, but here's an overview of the steps:
- Make dough. Start by whisking together the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, spices, and salt). Set that aside, and cream the butter and sugar together until they're light and fluffy. Then, mix in the vanilla extract and pumpkin. Next, add half of the flour mixture to the butter-pumpkin mixture. When it's mostly incorporated, add the remaining flour, then continue mixing just until everything is well combined. Tip: Make sure to stop and scrape down the bowl a few times (these silicone spatulas work perfectly for this!) to ensure everything gets evenly mixed.
- Shape Cookies. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto your baking pans, about two inches apart. Next, wet your hands very lightly with water, then press down the tops of the cookies until they're about ½-inch thick. Tip: If you prefer perfectly round cookies, roll the dough into balls (with wet hands) before flattening them.
- Bake. Transfer the baking sheet to your oven, and bake the flattened cookies until they're lightly browned on the bottom. Let the cookies cool for about five minutes on the pan, then transfer them to a baking rack to cool completely before frosting. Tip: You will need two baking sheets to cook all the cookies (unless you have a really big one), and I'd recommend baking each batch separately. If you do bake both at the same time, rotate the pans halfway through. They many need a little extra cooking time, too.
- Frost the cookies. To make the frosting, mix the cream cheese until smooth (there shouldn't be any visible lumps). Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and just a pinch of salt, then mix until well combined. Once the cookies have cooled completely, add a generous dollop of icing, then swirl it around to frost the cookies (a small offset spatula is great for this). Add a sprinkle of cinnamon for a cute finishing touch.
And that's all there is to it! These Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting are so delicious that they definitely won't last long. Make them for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or anytime a pumpkin craving strikes.
Storing the Cookies
Once frosted, refrigerate the cookies in a single layer in a large airtight container (I have one of these Tupperware pie keepers, and it's perfect for cookies). I actually like these Frosted Pumpkin Cookies even better when they're slightly chilled. Let me know if you agree!
To freeze the cookies, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then top with the cookies in a single layer and freeze. Once frozen, transfer the cookies to an airtight container, separating any layers with parchment paper. They should keep for about a month this way. Defrost in your refrigerator, or for about half an hour at room temp.
Related Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, make sure to check out my Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies! And you'll love these Pumpkin Spice Pumpkin Seeds and Spicy Pumpkin Steamer, too. Craving more pumpkin desserts? Try these recipes next:
- This Pumpkin Cream Cheese Spread is perfect for topping bagels and other fall treats!
- If you like mini desserts, you'll love these tasty Pumpkin Tarts and these Chocolate Toffee Pumpkin Pies.
- Craving a cool treat? Make this scrumptious Pumpkin Frozen Yogurt.
- These yummy Pumpkin Cake Pops are a great grab and go dessert and so fun for parties.
- Looking for more pumpkin + cream cheese recipes? You'll love this No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake and these Mini Pumpkin Pies (which have an irresistible cinnamon cheesecake topping)!
- Impress your guests with this gorgeous Layered Pumpkin Mousse!
P.S. You can find all my favorite pumpkin recipes here ... both sweet (like these Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats) and savory (like this Pumpkin and Lentil Curry)!
Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For Cookies:
- nonstick cooking spray
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Frosting:
- 1 (8-ounce / 226 gram) block cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch kosher salt
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray 2 baking sheets lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
Prepare Cookies:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer (or hand mixer), cream together butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in pumpkin puree and vanilla extract. Scrape down bowl with a spatula occasionally as you go.
- Add half the flour mixture and mix until mostly incorporated. Scrape down bowl, then add remaining flour. Mix until everything is combined (check the bottom of the bowl).
- Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto baking sheets, spaced about 2 inches apart.
- Lightly wet hands with water, then flatten cookies to about ½-inch thick and smooth any rough edges.
- Bake cookies until lightly browned on bottom, about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a baking rack to cool.
Prepare Frosting:
- While cookies bake, mix cream cheese in stand mixer (or with a hand mixer) until completely smooth.
- Add powdered sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and pinch salt. Mix until well combined.
Frost Cookies:
- Once cookies have cooled completely, frost generously with cream cheese icing.
- Eat cookies immediately, or refrigerate in a covered container until ready to eat. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
