Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
Hello, friends! These pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting are just the kind of treat I want with a cup of coffee on a cool fall afternoon. They’re soft and gently spiced, with a generous swoop of tangy frosting on top. And since we scoop the dough right onto the baking sheet, there’s no rolling or cutting to fuss with.
I love the combination of pumpkin and cream cheese. If you’ve made my pumpkin whoopie pies, you’ll recognize those cozy flavors. Here, we spread the frosting right on top of each cookie, so you get a little of everything in every bite.
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Whether you’re putting together a fall dessert tray or simply want something sweet to share, let’s mix it up!
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Cookies
- Soft texture: These cookies have a tender, lightly cake-like center.
- Warm spices: Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves complement the pumpkin.
- Easy shaping: A cookie scoop does the work for you.
- Cream cheese frosting: A creamy, tangy topping balances the sweet cookie.
- Make-ahead option: Bake the cookies ahead, then frost them before serving.
Tools I Use
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Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Pumpkin Cookies
All-purpose flour: Measure it by spooning it into your measuring cup and leveling the top. Scooping directly from the bag can pack in too much flour.
Baking powder and baking soda: Both help give these cookies their soft, puffy texture.
Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves: We use an individual spice blend here. However, you can replace all four spices with 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice.
Salt: A little salt helps balance the sweetness.
Unsalted butter: Let it soften until you can make an indentation with your finger. It should still hold its shape.
Granulated and light brown sugar: White sugar provides sweetness, while brown sugar adds a deeper flavor and helps the cookies stay soft.
Pumpkin purée: Use plain canned pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. Pie filling already contains sugar and spices, which would change this recipe.
Egg and vanilla: The egg helps bring the dough together, and vanilla rounds out the flavor.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
You’ll need cream cheese, unsalted butter, vanilla, and sifted confectioners’ sugar. Use full-fat brick-style cream cheese for a consistent frosting texture. Let the cream cheese and butter soften enough to beat smoothly, but don’t let them become warm or melty.
How to Make Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
1. Prepare Your Oven and Baking Sheets
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line your baking sheets with parchment paper. Meanwhile, gather your ingredients so everything is ready when you start mixing.
2. Whisk the Dry Ingredients
Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Whisk well to distribute the spices and leavening throughout the flour.
3. Mix the Wet Ingredients
Beat the softened butter with both sugars until creamy. Next, beat in the egg, then mix in the pumpkin and vanilla. The mixture may look a little uneven after you add the pumpkin. That’s okay; it will come together when you add the flour.
4. Finish the Dough
Add the dry ingredients in two additions, mixing on low just until combined. Alternatively, fold them in with a spatula. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl so you don’t leave any dry flour behind.
The finished dough should be soft, thick, and sticky. This is a scoop-and-drop dough, so you won’t roll it into balls.
5. Scoop and Bake
Scoop approximately 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving room for spreading. Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the tops look set and spring back lightly when gently pressed.
Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack and let them cool completely.
6. Make the Frosting
Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the vanilla, then gradually mix in the sifted confectioners’ sugar. Beat just until creamy and combined.
If the frosting feels too soft to spread in a swirl, refrigerate it for 15–20 minutes before using it.
7. Frost and Enjoy
Spread a generous spoonful of frosting over each cooled cookie. I like a little swoop on top, which you can make with the back of a spoon. If you’d like, finish with a tiny sprinkle of cinnamon.
Nettie’s Tips for Soft Pumpkin Cookies
- Measure the pumpkin: This recipe uses 1¼ cups, not a whole 15-ounce can.
- Use softened butter: Melted butter can change how the dough spreads.
- Mix gently after adding flour: Stop as soon as the dough comes together.
- Keep the scoops similar: Even portions help the cookies finish baking at the same time.
- Watch the tops: Don’t wait for these cookies to turn deeply golden before checking them.
- Use a cool baking sheet: Let a used sheet cool before adding the next batch.
- Cool before frosting: Even slightly warm cookies can soften the frosting too much.
Easy Variations
Use pumpkin pie spice: Substitute 1 tablespoon for the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves combined. Don’t add it on top of the individual spices.
Add a cinnamon finish: Sprinkle a little cinnamon over the frosting for a simple fall touch.
Keep a few plain: If someone prefers less sweetness, leave a few cookies unfrosted.
FAQ
Can I Use Pumpkin Pie Filling Instead of Pumpkin Purée?
Use plain pumpkin purée for this recipe. Pumpkin pie filling contains added sugar and spices, so it isn’t an equal substitution.
Do I Need to Chill the Cookie Dough?
You can scoop this dough after mixing. However, if your kitchen is warm and the dough seems unusually loose, refrigerate it for 20–30 minutes. Chilling can help firm warm butter, but it won’t correct an ingredient measurement error.
Why Is My Cream Cheese Frosting Too Soft?
Warm cream cheese or butter can make the frosting loose. First, refrigerate it for 15–20 minutes. Also, use brick-style cream cheese and wait until the cookies are completely cool before frosting them.
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How to Store Pumpkin Cookies
Because of the cream cheese frosting, keep these cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. A single layer protects those frosting swirls. Alternatively, chill the frosting until firm before stacking gently with parchment between layers.
For serving, take out the cookies you need about 15–20 minutes ahead. Keep the rest refrigerated, and limit total time out of refrigeration to 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F.
Can You Freeze Them?
Yes! For the neatest results, freeze the cookies without frosting. Arrange cooled cookies on a tray and freeze until firm. Then transfer them to a freezer-safe container, with parchment between the layers. Use within 2 months for best quality.
When you’re ready to serve, thaw the cookies and add freshly made cream cheese frosting.
What to Serve with Frosted Pumpkin Cookies
A cup of coffee, hot tea, or cold milk is all you need alongside these cookies. They’re also lovely on a fall dessert tray with my pumpkin whoopie pies or a few slices of pumpkin roll.
If you make these pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting, leave a comment and let me know how they turn out! And if you enjoy the recipe, a star rating helps other home bakers find it, too.
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Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cookies
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup butter unsalted, room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1¼ cups pumpkin purée not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese softened but still cool
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened but still cool
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar sifted
- Ground cinnamon optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until creamy. Beat in the egg, then mix in the pumpkin purée and vanilla. Scrape the bowl as needed.
- Add the dry ingredients in two additions. Mix on low or fold with a spatula just until combined. The dough will be soft and sticky.
- Scoop approximately 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie onto the prepared sheets, leaving about 2 inches between the portions.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 12–15 minutes, until the tops are set and spring back lightly when gently pressed. Repeat with the remaining dough, letting used baking sheets cool between batches.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely before frosting.
- Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in the vanilla.
- Gradually add the sifted confectioners’ sugar, mixing on low at first. Beat just until creamy. If needed, refrigerate for 15–20 minutes to firm slightly.
- Spread frosting over each cooled cookie. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon if desired. Refrigerate the frosted cookies until serving.
Notes
Recipe Notes
- You may substitute 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice for all four individual spices.
- Use pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. Measure 1¼ cups; don’t use the whole can.
- Yield and baking time depend on scoop size and oven performance. Update the yield and timing to match your filmed batch before publishing.
- The cook-time field estimates two batches. Add 12–15 minutes for each additional tray.
- Store frosted cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Keep at room temperature for no longer than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F.
- For longer storage, freeze unfrosted cookies for up to 2 months for best quality. Thaw before frosting.