Description
Delightfully soft and spiced pumpkin cookies topped with creamy cream cheese frosting, perfect for autumn and holiday gatherings. These cookies combine the warm flavors of pumpkin pie spice with a luscious frosting for a comforting treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (170 grams, room temperature, 1½ sticks)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- ½ cup brown sugar (107 grams)
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (227 grams, about ½ can, not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 large egg (50 grams, room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (4 grams)
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour (300 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (4 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (6 grams)
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (9 grams)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese (227 grams, room temperature, 1 brick)
- ¼ cup butter (57 grams, room temperature, ½ stick)
- 2½ cups powdered sugar (283 grams)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (4 grams)
- â…› teaspoon kosher salt
- Ground cinnamon (optional, for sprinkling)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and set it aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: Using a hand mixer, cream together the unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract until fully combined, creating a smooth batter.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and kosher salt to evenly distribute the leavening and spices.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring just until incorporated to avoid overmixing.
- Form Cookies: Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them at least 1 inch apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 11-13 minutes, or until cookies are set and edges begin to turn golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Prepare the Frosting: While the cookies cool, beat together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt using a hand mixer until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
- Frost the Cookies: Once cooled, spread or pipe the cream cheese frosting evenly over each cookie.
- Add Final Touch: Optionally, sift a light sprinkling of ground cinnamon over the frosted cookies for extra flavor and decoration.
Notes
- Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, to ensure the right flavor and consistency.
- Be careful not to overmix the dough once the dry ingredients are added to keep cookies tender.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting.
- For easier frosting application, chill the frosting briefly if it’s too soft.
- Store frosted cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator to maintain freshness.
