Soft pumpkin cookies full of pumpkin spice flavor, frosted with a dreamy cream cheese frosting and loaded with warm spice cookie perfection.
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I love all things pumpkin, especially pumpkin sweets, as you may have learned from my pumpkin roll recipe with cream cheese frosting and the popular moist pumpkin spice cake, but sometimes the craving hits for an old-fashioned, iced pumpkin cookie.
Not just any pumpkin cookie recipe will do the trick.
The best soft pumpkin cookies recipe simply won’t only be bursting with pumpkin spice flavor. These super soft pumpkin spice cookies are going to need to have icing over the tops too.
And one of my family’s favorites is this cream cheese frosting, especially during the pumpkin spice season. It pairs really well with Fall flavors, especially pumpkin pie spice, which I use a lot during the Fall.
Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Cookies
- These soft pumpkin spice cookies are really simple to make and come together in less than 20 minutes.
- This recipe makes a large batch of 24 cookies, so they are perfect for sharing!
- The Fall flavors make these the perfect holiday treat to bring to Fall parties and holiday celebrations.
Ingredients for Soft Pumpkin Cookies
- Sugar: Use regular granulated sugar and light brown sugar.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter softened to room temperature for the perfect creamy texture.
- Brown Sugar: Packed light brown sugar adds moisture and a deep, rich sweetness.
- Eggs: Two large eggs give the cookies structure and help bind the ingredients.
- Vanilla Extract: Teaspoon vanilla extract enhances the flavor and pairs beautifully with pumpkin.
- Canned Pumpkin: Canned pumpkin puree brings moisture and that irresistible pumpkin spice flavor. You can also use fresh pumpkin puree if you prefer.
- Flour: All-purpose flour provides the structure needed to create soft and chewy cookies.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: A blend of warm spices, including ground cinnamon and ground ginger, delivers that iconic pumpkin pie flavor.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder: These leavening agents help the cookies rise and stay fluffy.
- Salt: A touch of salt balances the sweetness and enhances the flavors.
For extra indulgence, try adding chocolate chips to turn these into pumpkin chocolate chip cookies—a fun twist on this pumpkin cookie recipe. An extra teaspoon ground cinnamon and a teaspoon ground ginger can give these cookies an even bigger burst of spice in each bite.
How to Make Soft Pumpkin Cookies
Soft pumpkin cookies are the ultimate fall treat—packed with warm spices and topped with creamy frosting. In this section, I’ll walk you through the process of making these melt-in-your-mouth cookies. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned baker, this step-by-step guide will ensure you get the perfect soft pumpkin cookies every time. Let’s dive into how to make soft pumpkin cookies that are sure to be a hit!
Step 1: Mix the Pumpkin Cookie Dough
Start by adding your softened butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and canned pumpkin into a large mixing bowl. Blend these ingredients together until fully combined. Next, slowly mix in your dry ingredients: flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir until the dough forms a smooth consistency.
If your cookie dough balls feel too sticky, you can chill it for a bit, but if you work quickly, chilling isn’t necessary.
Step 2: Roll Cookie Dough in Sugar and Spice
In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup of granulated sugar with 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. Scoop the dough into small, even-sized balls (around 24 in total). Roll each dough ball in the sugar and spice mixture until fully coated. This adds a delightful sweet-spicy crust to your cookies when they bake.
Step 3: Bake to Perfection
Place the sugar-coated dough balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between each one. I usually bake 6 cookies on each baking sheet, two baking sheets at a time.
Bake your cookies in a preheated oven at 350°F for 12-14 minutes. Once they’re done, let them cool on the prepared baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This keeps your cookies soft and chewy on the inside while ensuring they hold their shape.
Step 4: Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting
While your cookies are cooling, you can start making the cream cheese frosting. In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Once the cookies have cooled completely, generously frost each cookie. The rich and tangy cream cheese frosting pairs perfectly with the soft, spiced pumpkin flavor, making each bite heavenly.
Cookie Frosting Ingredients
- Cream Cheese: Softened to room temperature, cream cheese creates a smooth and tangy frosting that pairs perfectly with the warm spices in the cookies.
- Unsalted Butter: Softened, helps the frosting achieve a creamy texture.
- Vanilla Extract: Teaspoon vanilla extract enhances the overall flavor of the frosting.
- Powdered Sugar: This ingredient adds sweetness and gives the frosting its smooth, spreadable consistency.
This cream cheese frosting adds the perfect finishing touch to these soft pumpkin cookies, making them a delightful fall treat.
How to Make Pumpkin Cookie Frosting
In a bowl, combine room-temperature cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth and creamy. The rich, tangy frosting perfectly complements the soft, spiced cookies, turning them into an irresistible dessert.
Frost and Enjoy
Once your cookies are fully cooled, generously spread or pipe the cream cheese frosting on top. These cookies are perfect for sharing, and you can even rate this recipe by trying it alongside other popular pumpkin recipes like baked pumpkin donuts or pumpkin pie.
Whether you’re making them for yourself or a crowd, these soft pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting are sure to be a hit!
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Don’t forget to check out my most popular cookie recipe using leftover oatmeal packets to make chewy oatmeal cookies from instant oatmeal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You can substitute fresh pumpkin for canned when making this recipe. This is an easy swap because you can just use an equal amount of fresh pumpkin as the recipe calls for canned.
Your pumpkin cookies may be sticky after baking due to the high moisture content in the brand of canned pumpkin puree you are using. The natural moisture from the pumpkin puree can make the cookies soft but sometimes result in a sticky texture. To prevent this, you can try adjusting the amount of flour slightly or chilling the cookie dough before baking, which helps firm up the dough and leads to a less sticky result. Ensuring you bake them long enough to allow moisture to evaporate can also help. Another tip is to let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack to avoid trapping moisture underneath or possibly adding a few minutes to the cooking time.
To enhance your homemade cookie recipe, you can make small but impactful adjustments. For example, using unsalted butter softened to room temperature instead of melted butter can improve the texture, making cookies more tender and soft. Adding a pinch of extra salt can help balance sweetness and elevate other flavors. Consider incorporating mix-ins like chocolate chips or pumpkin pie spice to add extra depth and warmth to your cookies. If you love moist cookies, adding a bit of cream cheese or canned pumpkin puree to your dough can create a soft and chewy texture. Finally, chilling the cookie dough before baking will improve the shape and consistency, while using a medium cookie scoop ensures uniform cookies.
Soft Pumpkin Cookies
Soft pumpkin cookies full of pumpkin spice flavor, frosted with a dreamy cream cheese frosting and loaded with warm spice cookie perfection.
Ingredients
- 1 stick of softened butter
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Roll the Cookie Dough Balls in this Mix
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 cup sugar
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
- 8 Ounces of Cream Cheese
- 3 Tablespoons of Butter
- 1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
- 2 Cups of Powdered Sugar
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and canned pumpkin. Mix until well combined.
- Slowly add flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir until the dough is fully mixed.
- Roll cookie dough into 24 balls.
- Mix 1/4 cup sugar with 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice in a separate bowl. Roll each dough ball in the sugar mixture and place them 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake at 350°F for 12-14 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
- To make frosting, combine cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar. Frost-cooled cookies and enjoy!
Notes
To save time: While your cookies are cooling, you can start making the cream cheese frosting.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 197Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 165mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 1gSugar: 19gProtein: 2g
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