Introducing the only Pumpkin Cookie recipe you’ll ever need in your life. These cookies are DELICIOUS and so soft, pillowy, light and fluffy. The Cream Cheese Frosting complements them absolutely perfectly. This is the perfect easy dessert to bring to any fall gathering!
I’m delivering two delicious and sugary recipes at once to you this lovely Monday morning. Over the weekend I decided it was a tragedy that I didn’t have a solid pumpkin cookie recipe in my life OR a Cream Cheese Frosting! I carefully concocted two recipes (‘cuz I’ve gotten really good at coming up with delicious cookie and frosting recipes) and crossed my fingers while the cookies baked.
When I took my first bite, OHMYGOODNESS they were a hundred times better than I dreamed. They have just the perfect amount of pumpkin flavor (I personally don’t love suuuuper pumpkiny things), they are super soft, pillowy and fluffy and the Cream Cheese Frosting is TO DIE FOR. This was one of those recipes that surprised me in a really deliciously good way.
HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN COOKIES WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
MAKE THE COOKIES
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Pull out your butter so it comes to room temperature.
Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer), combine 1/2 cup butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar, egg and vanilla and beat on medium speed until creamy and free of lumps. Mix in the pumpkin puree.
In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Mix well. Gradually add to the butter mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined. Using a medium cookie scoop, drop the dough by 1 1/2 tablespoons 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the bottom edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven, transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let cool.
MAKE THE FROSTING
Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer), combine the powdered sugar, cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes.
ASSEMBLE THE COOKIES
Spread the frosting on the cookies. Sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice.
WHAT IS PUMPKIN PIE SPICE
Pumpkin pie spice is a combination of spices that creates a delicious pumpkin flavor in baked goods. If you cannot find pumpkin pie spice, replace 2 1/2 teaspoons of it with: 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground ginger and 1/4 tsp ground cloves.
SUBSTITUTE FOR PUMPKIN PUREE
Equal parts of cooked, mashed sweet potatoes or butternut squash is a great substitution and you might not even be able to tell the difference!
IS CANNED PUMPKIN AND PUMPKIN PUREE THE SAME THING?
Canned pumpkin is straight-up pumpkin that has been put into a can. Some pumpkin puree contains other ingredients that flavors it, making it pumpkin-pie ready. Read your labels to see what you’re getting in your next can of pumpkin!
PERFECT FALL TREATS
Best Pumpkin Bars -These bars make the perfect fall dessert. They are moist, irresistible and full of yummy pumpkin flavor. Great for your next fall gathering.
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds – Don’t let those delicious little pumpkin seeds go to waste when carving pumpkins! Learn how to prepare those raw pumpkins seeds. Season and roast them, they’re easy to make! They turn into a delicious little fall snack that will get gobbled up by all.
Halloween Snack Mix – This sweet and salty Halloween Snack Mix is a great Fall snack to have on hand. It is perfect for a handful on the run or a great snack for kiddos after school! It’s also great for Fall- or Halloween-themed parties! Mix and match the snacks you have on hand to build your snack mix.
Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake -The only thing better than salted caramel apples is Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake! This is the perfect fall treat and a great way to use up any type of apples.
Best Apple Crisp – This delicious Apple Crisp recipe is the best. It is tried, tested and NEVER fails! It is the perfect way to use up apples in the fall. You’ll love the oatmeal brown sugar topping and the flavors of the apples dusted with cinnamon shines through. It also tastes great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
HOW TO CLEAN COOKIE SHEETS
If you have extra grimy cookie sheets, sprinkle a thin layer of baking soda over the surface and cover with hydrogen peroxide. Let it sit for 1 hour and scrub the surface using a dish scrubber. Wash with dish soap!
WHY ARE MY COOKIES FLAT
If your cookies are coming out of the oven looking flat, you either haven’t used the appropriate leavening agents (baking powder or baking soda) or you have used too little flour. If the cookies are flat and greasy, you may have used too much butter. Follow baking recipes very closely to avoid making flat cookies!
HOW TO KEEP COOKIES SOFT
For optimal cookie softness, allow them to cool completely after coming out of the oven and store as stated in the directions. Some cookies store best in the fridge while others store well while covered at room temperature.
CAN YOU FREEZE COOKIE DOUGH
Cookie dough is PERFECT for freezing! It’s one of the things I love most about it. Place prepared cookie dough into a resealable freezer bag and press as much air out as possible. Freeze for up to six months. When you are ready to make the cookies, allow the dough to thaw completely in the fridge overnight then bake as directed.
Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
COOKIES
- 1/2 cup salted butter softened (1 stick)
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 2 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (substitution: mix together 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground ginger and 1/4 tsp ground cloves)
- 1 tsp. salt
FROSTING
- 3 cups confectioner's sugar
- 8 oz. package cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup salted butter softened (4 Tbsp)
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
TOPPING
- pumpkin pie spice for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer), combine the butter, brown and granulated sugar, egg and vanilla and beat on medium speed until creamy and free of lumps. Mix in the pumpkin puree.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Mix well. Gradually add to the butter mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined. Using a medium cookie scoop, drop the dough by 1 1/2 tablespoons 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the bottom edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven, transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let cool.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer), combine the confectioners’ sugar, cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes.
- Spread the frosting on the cookies. Sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice.
I’ve read recipe for pumpkin cookies over and over and don’t see anywhere that the pumpkin is added!
Oh my! You are right – thanks for pointing that out. I’ll correct that right away. You add that to the mix in step 1. Thank you!
So. When do you add the pumpkin? I’ve read this four times and don’t see it. Oh well, guess I will just add and hope it’s right.