Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 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
Make sure to use pumpkin puree NOT pumpkin pie filling (which is already flavored and sweetened).You will need to cook the cookies on two separate baking sheets (unless you're using a very large pan). I'd recommend cooking one pan of cookies at a time. If you do bake both pans at the same time, make sure to rotate the pans halfway through so they cook evenly. They will probably take a few extra minutes to bake, too.These cookies hold their shape as they cook. If you would like perfectly round cookies, wet your hands lightly with water, then roll the dough into balls before flattening.There is enough pumpkin puree in one 15-ounce can for two batches of cookies (you will have a little bit leftover). Feel free to double the recipe if you prefer.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie with frosting | Calories: 205kcal