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Pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting are soft and chewy. With a smooth cream cheese frosting, these perfectly spiced pumpkin cookies are perfect for fall.
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Soft pumpkin cookies, topped with heavenly cream cheese frosting, make these the perfect fall cookies. Perfectly moist and chewy, pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting that practically melt in your mouth are a cookie that everyone will love.
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Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Soft, frosted pumpkin cookies with warm fall spices are just one more reason to love fall. These pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting will be your favorite treat this fall season.
Savor all the pumpkin goodness by enjoying these decadent pumpkin cookies with a cup of homemade pumpkin spice latte. These incredible cookies make a cozy afternoon treat, or a sweet dessert served on a cookie tray.
The best pumpkin cookies are spiced with the perfect pumpkin flavor and have a delightfully chewy texture. Then they are frosted with a velvety smooth cream cheese frosting. These pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting are the ideal choice for your next batch of cookies.
Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
- Flour - all-purpose flour
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Cinnamon - ground cinnamon
- Butter - salted sweet cream butter
- Oil - vegetable oil
- Sugar - granulated sugar
- Sugar - light brown sugar
- Pumpkin puree
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Cream cheese
- Sugar - powdered sugar
- Milk
- Vanilla - clear vanilla flavoring
You can add things to these pumpkin cookies to make them even tastier. Chocolate pairs deliciously with pumpkin, and a handful of chocolate chips adds little bursts of chocolate to these flavorful pumpkin cookies. White chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or dried cranberries would also be yummy additions.
Turn these pumpkin cookies into more of a bakery-style cookie by making them larger, 2 to 3 tablespoons in size. You can also turn them into sandwich cookies with 2 cookies and the frosting in the middle.
Pumpkin and maple is another fantastic fall flavor combination. Maple flavoring can be substituted for the clear vanilla flavoring in the frosting for a maple-flavored addition to these pumpkin cookies.
SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS
VANILLA: To add a hint of maple to these delicious cookies, consider replacing the clear vanilla flavoring in the frosting with maple flavoring.
CHOCOLATE CHIPS: Include small chunks of chocolate in these tasty cookies. You'll undoubtedly enjoy the delightful pumpkin and chocolate combination.
FROSTING: If you prefer not to prepare the frosting yourself, feel free to use a pre-made cream cheese frosting in this recipe.
How to Make Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Cookie Dough
FIRST STEP: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
SECOND STEP: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Set it aside.
THIRD STEP: Using a stand mixer, or a medium-sized mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, cream together the softened butter and vegetable oil for 1 minute.
FOURTH STEP: Lower the mixer speed to low, add the granulated sugar and brown sugar, and increase the mixer speed to medium-high. Mix for another 1 minute. Using a silicone spatula, scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl.
FIFTH STEP: Lower the mixer speed to low, add in the pumpkin puree, increase the speed to medium and mix just until the pumpkin is completely incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
SIXTH STEP: Lower the mixer speed to low, add in the vanilla extract and the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each egg.
SEVENTH STEP: Keeping the mixer speed on low, slowly add in the flour mixture. Mix just until all ingredients are well incorporated.
EIGHTH STEP: Using a 1 to 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop out the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Space the dough 2 inches apart.
NINTH STEP: Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Allow the cookies to completely cool before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
TENTH STEP: Using a stand mixer, or a medium-size mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, cream together the softened cream cheese, clear vanilla flavoring, and butter for 1 to 1 ½ minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula.
ELEVENTH STEP: Lower the mixer speed to low, and slowly add in the powdered sugar. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and continue mixing for another 1 to 1 ½ minutes.
TWELFTH STEP: Lower the mixer speed to medium and slowly add the milk. Mix just until the frosting is smooth.
THIRTEENTH STEP: Once the cookies have completely cooled, spoon 1 tablespoon (or more if you wish) of frosting onto each cookie, smoothing out to the edges. If you wish, you can gently dust the tops of the cookie with the pumpkin pie spice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to make the frosting from scratch?
If you don’t want to make the frosting from scratch, you can use store-bought cream cheese frosting instead in this recipe.
Can I store these pumpkin cookies on the counter?
Because they have cream cheese in them, we would recommend keeping them in the fridge rather than on the counter. You can also freeze unfrosted cookies for up to three months in an airtight container and frost them once you remove them from the freezer.
Can I use homemade pumpkin puree?
You can use homemade pumpkin puree if you prefer in this recipe.
How to Store Soft Pumpkin Cookies
IN THE FRIDGE: Store leftover pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
IN THE FREEZER: Unfrosted cookies can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Allow the cookies to come to room temperature before frosting. Frost cookies once you remove them from the freezer.
More Dessert Recipe with Pumpkin
Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting are soft and chewy. With a smooth cream cheese frosting, these perfectly spiced pumpkin cookies are perfect for fall.
Did you try this recipe?Let our readers know how it turned out by Leaving a Review!
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup salted sweet cream butter (softened)
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar (packed)
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese ( softened)
- ½ cup salted sweet cream ( softened)
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoon clear vanilla (flavoring)
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (optional garnish)
DIRECTIONS
Cookie Dough
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Set it aside.
- Using a stand mixer, or a medium-sized mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, cream together the softened butter and vegetable oil for 1 minute.
- Lower the mixer speed to low, add the granulated sugar and brown sugar, and increase the mixer speed to medium-high. Mix for another 1 minute. Using a silicone spatula, scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl.
- Lower the mixer speed to low, add in the pumpkin puree, increase the speed to medium and mix just until the pumpkin is completely incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Lower the mixer speed to low, add in the vanilla extract and the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each egg.
- Keeping the mixer speed on low, slowly add in the flour mixture. Mix just until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Using a 1 to 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop out the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Space the dough 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Allow the cookies to completely cool before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Using a stand mixer, or a medium-size mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, cream together the softened cream cheese, clear vanilla flavoring, and butter for 1 to 1 ½ minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula.
- Lower the mixer speed to low, and slowly add in the powdered sugar. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and continue mixing for another 1 to 1 ½ minutes.
- Lower the mixer speed to medium and slowly add the milk. Mix just until the frosting is smooth.
- Once the cookies have completely cooled, spoon 1 tablespoon (or more if you wish) of frosting onto each cookie, smoothing out to the edges. If you wish, you can gently dust the tops of the cookie with the pumpkin pie spice.
Notes
PRO TIPS:
- These cookies can also be made larger (2 to 3 tablespoons) size.
- You can make these as sandwich cookies with the frosting on the inside as well.
Nutrition
Calories: 164kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 87mg | Potassium: 57mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 1886IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg
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