Posted Oct 18, 2024 If you’re looking for a delicious treat to satisfy your pumpkin craving, then I suggest making these pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting. They’re everything a pumpkin cookie should be – sweet & butter with crispy edges, chewy centers, plenty of pumpkin puree and just the right amount of fall spices. Then, to make them even more irresistible, they’re slathered with the best cream cheese frosting. They’re easy to make, and will quickly become a must-make fall dessert recipe.
Pumpkin Cookies: Ingredients & Substitutions
Salted Butter. Unsalted is a good substitute. Granulated sugar. use regular white sugar or organic cane sugar for the best result. Light Brown Sugar. If you like a little bolder molasses taste, use dark brown sugar. Pumpkin Puree. I use canned pumpkin puree. If using homemade pumpkin puree, I recommend straining the water out of it so it is not too moist. All-purpose flour. Use a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour to make these pumpkin cookies gluten-free. Pumpkin Pie Spice. Use store bought or make your own with this recipe: homemade pumpkin pie spice. Use 2 teaspoons of the mixture (and use the rest in some of our other pumpkin recipes like pumpkin pie, pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin bread, etc.) Cream cheese frosting. See this recipe for substitution notes.
How to Make Pumpkin Cookies
Let’s walk through this pumpkin cookie recipe together. Remember, the dough has to chill for at least 2 hours, so be sure to factor in that time! Also, don’t forget to watch the video.
Make the Pumpkin Cookie Dough
Since the dough has to chill, we begin this pumpkin cookie recipe by making the dough. First, mix the flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, sea salt, baking soda and baking powder in a medium bowl, then set it aside. Next, cream the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar together either in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand-held mixer, Then, add the vanilla, pumpkin puree and egg and beat until combined and light and fluffy. Next, add the dry ingredient mixture and beat, starting on low speed then increasing to medium-high speed, until the mixture is combined. You may need to pause, scrape down the sides, and continue beating. Once the dough is completely, transfer it to an airtight container and chill for at least 2 hours, and up to overnight.
Bake & Cool
After chilling, preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease 2 large baking sheets or line them with silicone baking mats (do not use parchment paper). Use a 1.5 to 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop to measure out portions of cookie dough. Then, roll the dough into balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets, evenly spaced. Repeat until all the dough is used. Bake the pumpkin cookies un the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until cookies look set and slightly puffed. Remove the cookie tray from the oven and tap it on the counter a few times to “deflate” the cookies. This is critical for chewy cookies. Let the pumpkin cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 3-5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. The cookies “deflate” as they cool and achieve the chewy texture you see pictured in this post.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
Once the cookies are completely cooled, make the frosting. Make sure all the ingredients are room temperature. Begin by beating the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Then, add the vanilla, 1 cup powdered sugar, sea salt and cinnamon (optional) and beat until combined. Then add the remaining 1 cup of powdered sugar and beat until the mixture is smooth. Keep the frosting room temperature for easy spreading.
Assemble the Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Now it’s time to assemble the pumpkin cookies. Spread about 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons of frosting on each cookie. Next, transfer the frosted cookies to the refrigerator to chill until the frosting has hardened.
Serve
These pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting are best when served slightly chilled or at room temperature. Serve them alongside our pumpkin chocolate chip cookies or pumpkin cake!
Store/Freeze
Store pumpkin cookies in a single layer in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or the freezer for up to 2 months. Let the cookies thaw slowly in the refrigerator or a little quicker at room temperature. Do not microwave the cookies. If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!
