Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Delightfully soft and fluffy pumpkin cookies topped with creamy, tangy cream cheese frosting, perfect for cozy autumn days.
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 2.5 cups 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice plus extra for sprinkling
- 0.5 teaspoon 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 0.75 cup 3/4 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 0.75 cup 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 0.5 cup 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1.25 cups 1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin puree
- 1 large 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces 8 ounces block-style cream cheese (softened but still cool)
- 0.25 cup 1/4 cup unsalted butter (softened but still cool)
- 1 teaspoon 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1.75 cups 1 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar (sifted)
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Set this mixture aside for later.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture and mix until combined, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. The dough will be a bit sticky and soft.
- Using a medium cookie scoop or spoon, scoop a heaping tablespoon of dough and place it on the prepared baking sheet, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart.
Baking
- Bake the cookies at 350°F for 13-15 minutes or until the edges are set and the cookies are soft and fluffy.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Frosting
- For the cream cheese frosting, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together on medium-high speed until smooth, about 30 seconds.
- Add the vanilla extract and confectioners’ sugar, mixing just until combined, about another 30 seconds.
- Once the cookies are completely cooled, frost them generously with the cream cheese frosting and optionally garnish with cinnamon before serving.
Notes
Chill the dough for 30 minutes for better shape. Consider adding nuts or chocolate chips for variety. For a dairy-free version, substitute with plant-based butter and cream cheese.