Soft, pillowy pumpkin cookies topped with rich cream cheese frosting-easy to make, perfectly spiced, and full of cozy fall flavor! The best of Fall Baking!
Pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting is like having a pumpkin pie in the shape of a cookie! These frosted cookies are perfectly soft and fluffy while the cream cheese frosting is rich and creamy. Each cookie is topped with a smooth, tangy cream cheese frosting that perfectly complements the sweet and fluffy base. Easy to make, crowd-pleasing, and ideal for holiday gatherings!
If you like Pumpkin Recipes, you might also like Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Cookies and Pumpkin Cheesecake with Biscoff Crust and Caramel Sauce.
Why you'll love these pumpkin cookies
- A fun alternative to a pumpkin pie: As delicious as pumpkin pie is, it's not always practical to make it, and it gets old. This is where these frosted pumpkin cookies come in - they are perfectly spiced with cinnamon, vanilla and pumpkin spice just like the pumpkin pie, but with a convenience of a cookie.
- Cream cheese makes frosting a cookie a piece of cake! It is thick enough to spread, not too sweet, and hardens just enough. The cream cheese also makes the frosting considerably stronger, more prominent in texture and better tasting than regular frosting. I personally find that the cream cheese flavor in the frosting actually cuts on the amount of sugar needed to make it. It is the perfect frosting for pumpkin cookies.
- Easy and fast: Not only do pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting taste amazing, but they are also easy to make and ready in 30 minutes, just like Pumpkin Snickerdoodles and Starbucks Pumpkin Bread.
Key Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: Forms the base of the cookies.
- Pumpkin pie spice: A warm blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves that gives the cookies that fall flavor.
- Baking powder & baking soda: Work together to help the cookies rise and stay fluffy.
- Salt: Enhances the overall flavor.
- Egg : Bind the ingredients together.
- Light brown sugar: Adds sweetness and moisture with a hint of molasses flavor.
- Granulated sugar: Boosts sweetness.
- Butter: I use unsalted butter for frostings and baking in general, because you want to control the amount of salt you are adding. In frostings, the butter is there for stability. It will firm up when cold and will keep the cookies moist and rich at the same time.
- Vanilla extract: A beautiful flavor itself and is reminiscent of ice cream and it also complements the pumpkin and spices.
- Canned pumpkin puree: Adds rich flavor, natural sweetness, and moisture to the cookies.
- Cream Cheese: I use regular full fat cream cheese. You can use reduced fat, but don't use whipped cream cheese because it will make the frosting too soft and unstable.
- Powdered sugar: It's a fine powder, so it creates a smooth, silky frosting without the application of heat.
How to make pumpkin cookies
1. Mix dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Set it aside.
2. Combine wet ingredients
Cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy using a hand mixer or stand mixer. Next add egg, and vanilla extract followed by pumpkin puree. Mix until well combined.
3. Mix it all together
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
4. Form the cookies
- Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. (I used an ice cream scoop for this part).
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until edges are set and centers are soft but not gooey. (Mine was done in exactly 15 minutes)
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Make cream cheese frosting
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.
- Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt, and mix until fluffy and spreadable.
- Once cookies are completely cool, spread the cream cheese frosting on top, using circular motion.
6. Dust and serve
Dust with ground cinnamon on top.
Frosted Pumpkin Cookies
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cookies
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Make pumpkin cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Set it aside,
- In another large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy using a hand mixer or stand mixer.
- Add egg, and vanilla extract followed by pumpkin puree. Mix until well combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. (I used an ice cream scoop for this part)
Bake
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until edges are set and centers are soft but not gooey. (Mine was done in exactly 15 minutes)
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make frosting
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.
- Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt, and mix until fluffy and spreadable.
- Once cookies are completely cool, spread the cream cheese frosting on top. Dust with ground cinnamon on top if desired.
Notes
- Don't overmix: For the softest cookies, don't overmix the dough after adding the dry ingredients.
- Let cookies cool completely before frosting to prevent the cream cheese frosting from melting or sliding off.
FAQ
- How do you get thicker frosting? You can make your cream cheese frosting thicker with the addition of powdered sugar. Using more butter in proportion to cream cheese will also create a thicker frosting, especially when refrigerated.
- Why is my frosting too loose? Several reasons. One is the butter and cream cheese were too soft or over-beaten prior to mixing, another reason is there isn't enough powdered sugar to thicken the frosting.
- Can I use lite cream cheese? Your frosting might become too lose if you don't use full fat cream cheese.
- Can I make the dough ahead of time? Absolutely! You can chill the dough for up to 24 hours before baking. This also helps enhance the flavor.
- Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned? Yes, just make sure your fresh pumpkin puree is thick and not watery. Strain or blot it if needed before measuring.
- How do I make thicker cream cheese frosting?
- Add more powdered sugar or refrigerate the frosting for 20 minutes to help it firm up.
- Why did my cookies lose their shape?
- Dough that's too warm tends to spread. Chill the dough before baking for well-defined cookies.
Why Did My Pumpkin Cookies Turn Out Flat?
Flat pumpkin cookies usually happen if the butter was too warm or if the dough was overmixed.
Easy Fix: Chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking to firm up the butter and prevent spreading. Make sure to measure flour accurately using the spoon-and-level method to avoid imbalance of wet to dry ingredients.
Why Are My Pumpkin Cookies Dry or Too Cake-Like?
Pumpkin adds moisture, but too much flour or overmixing can make cookies dry and muffin-like.
Easy Fix: Stop mixing as soon as the flour disappears into the dough. Check oven temperature calibration; even slight overheating can dry them out.
Substitution Tip: Add 1 tablespoon of milk or a drizzle of maple syrup for extra moisture next time - it enhances both texture and flavor.
Why Is My Cream Cheese Frosting Lumpy?
Cold ingredients or unsifted sugar are the culprits.
Easy Fix: Make sure butter and cream cheese are room temperature. Sift powdered sugar before mixing.
Pro Tip: If it's already lumpy, warm the bowl slightly using a warm towel and beat on medium until smooth
Why Did My Cream Cheese Frosting Turn Runny?
Runny frosting happens when cream cheese or butter is overly soft or over-beaten.
Easy Fix: Chill your frosting for 15-20 minutes before spreading. Always use full-fat block cream cheese, not whipped or tub-style. If still loose, beat in 2-3 tablespoons of powdered sugar to thicken it.
Substitution Tip: For a slightly lighter texture, substitute half the cream cheese with Greek yogurt cream cheese or mascarpone.
How to Prevent Frosting from Sliding Off Cookies
Cookies that are too warm cause slipping.
Fix: Always cool cookies completely before frosting-room temperature or slightly chilled is best.
Bonus Tip: Once frosted, refrigerate cookies for 10-15 minutes to help the frosting set.
Why Is My Frosting Too Thick or Hard to Spread?
When there's too much powdered sugar or the butter is too cold, the frosting can feel stiff.
Easy Fix: Beat in 1 teaspoon of milk or cream at a time until it loosens to a spreadable consistency.
Pro Tip: For a pipeable frosting finish, aim for a texture that holds peaks but spreads smoothly when stirred.
Dairy-Free and Gluten-Free Substitutions
- Dairy-Free: Use vegan butter (like Miyoko's or Earth Balance) and dairy-free cream cheese (like Kite Hill).
- Gluten-Free: Substitute all-purpose flour with 1:1 gluten-free baking blend (such as King Arthur or Bob's Red Mill).
- Lower Sugar: Reduce powdered sugar by ¼ cup or add a touch of cornstarch to maintain structure in the frosting.
Essential Tools
- Mixing bowls: Thick Glass Mixing Bowls with Airtight Lids.
- Hand Mixer: 9-Speed Digital Hand Mixer Electric with Dough Hooks and a Whisk!!
- Ice cream scoop: Non stick Anti Freeze Aluminum Scoop.
- Restaurant Quality Cookie Sheet: Non-stick, commercial grade baking sheets with silicone handles.
Can I make My Own Pumpkin Spice?
Absolutely! Mix the following to replace 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice:
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
How to store, refrigerate and freeze pumpkin cookies
- Store at room temperature: Because of the cream cheese frosting, do not leave them at room temperature.
- Refrigerate: Store frosted pumpkin cookies in the refrigerator in a single layer or with parchment between layers for up to 4 days. When ready to serve, let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.
- Freeze: You can freeze unfrosted cookies for up to 2 months. For best texture, frost them after thawing.
Jane Donohue says
What do I do with the milk??
Olya says
I briefly tested the recipe with milk, but ended up not adding it - so please do not add it. Just removed it from ingredients.