Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Soft pumpkin cookies bring warm spice, tender cakey centers, and tangy cream cheese frosting to your kitchen with simple pantry ingredients.
This recipe makes 12 soft cookies, which serves 4 people with 3 cookies each. The dough comes together fast, the texture stays plush, and the frosting turns each cookie into a small fall bakery treat.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft, cakey texture with real pumpkin puree in every bite.
- Warm cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice give the cookies a cozy bakery smell.
- Cream cheese frosting adds a tangy, smooth finish without fancy tools.
- Budget friendly ingredients make this an easy treat for weekends, holidays, or sharing.
Fabian’s Budget Tip: Buy one larger can of pumpkin puree and freeze the extra in 1/2 cup portions. It saves money and makes your next batch of soft pumpkin cookies faster. You can also use store brand cream cheese and powdered sugar here because the spices and vanilla carry the flavor.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
For the Pumpkin Cookies
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (190 g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (4 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (2 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt (3 g)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (3 g)
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (2 g)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (113 g)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 g)
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar (105 g)
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree (180 g)
- 1 large egg (50 g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5 ml)
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened (113 g)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (28 g)
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar (150 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (2.5 ml)
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Heat the Oven
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. The parchment helps the soft cookies lift cleanly without sticking.
2. Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. The mixture should look even in color, with no dark streaks of spice hiding in the flour.
3. Cream the Butter and Sugars
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until creamy and lighter in color. This takes about 2 minutes. Stop when the mixture looks fluffy and smells sweet like caramel from the brown sugar.
4. Add the Pumpkin, Egg, and Vanilla
Beat in the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract. The batter may look a little loose and glossy. That is normal. Scrape the bowl so the butter mixture blends fully with the pumpkin.
5. Combine the Dough
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix just until you no longer see dry flour. The dough should be thick, soft, and slightly sticky. Stop mixing as soon as it comes together so the cookies stay tender.
6. Scoop and Bake
Scoop the dough into 12 mounds, using about 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie. Space them apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until the tops look puffed, the edges look set, and the centers no longer have a wet shine. Your kitchen should smell warm, buttery, and full of cinnamon.
7. Cool Completely
Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack. Cool them completely before frosting. If the cookies feel even slightly warm, the frosting will soften and slide.
8. Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat until the frosting looks thick, pale, and spreadable. Spread a generous spoonful over each cooled cookie.
Expert Troubleshooting & FAQs
Why are my pumpkin cookies too dense?
The dough was likely mixed too long after adding the flour. Mix only until the flour disappears. Pumpkin cookies are naturally cakey, but over mixing can make them heavy instead of soft.
Why did my frosting turn runny?
The cream cheese or butter may have been too warm, or the cookies were not fully cool. Chill the frosting for 15 minutes, then beat it again until it thickens.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes. Cover the dough and chill it for up to 24 hours. Let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before scooping so it is easier to portion.
Can I use homemade pumpkin puree?
Yes, as long as it is thick. If it looks watery, blot it with paper towels or simmer it briefly until it becomes thicker. Extra water can make the cookies spread and taste bland.
How should I store frosted pumpkin cookies?
Store frosted cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Let them sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before serving so the frosting softens slightly.
Estimated Nutritional Facts
Per serving, based on 3 frosted cookies.
- Calories: about 620
- Protein: about 7 g
- Carbs: about 86 g
- Fats: about 29 g
Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (190 g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (4 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (2 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt (3 g)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (3 g)
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (2 g)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (113 g)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 g)
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar (105 g)
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree (180 g)
- 1 large egg (50 g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5 ml)
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened (113 g)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (28 g)
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar (150 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (2.5 ml)
Instructions
- 1. Heat the Oven. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. The parchment helps the soft cookies lift cleanly without sticking.
- 2. Mix the Dry Ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. The mixture should look even in color, with no dark streaks of spice hiding in the flour.
- 3. Cream the Butter and Sugars. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until creamy and lighter in color. This takes about 2 minutes. Stop when the mixture looks fluffy and smells sweet like caramel from the brown sugar.
- 4. Add the Pumpkin, Egg, and Vanilla. Beat in the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract. The batter may look a little loose and glossy. That is normal. Scrape the bowl so the butter mixture blends fully with the pumpkin.
- 5. Combine the Dough. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix just until you no longer see dry flour. The dough should be thick, soft, and slightly sticky. Stop mixing as soon as it comes together so the cookies stay tender.
- 6. Scoop and Bake. Scoop the dough into 12 mounds, using about 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie. Space them apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until the tops look puffed, the edges look set, and the centers no longer have a wet shine. Your kitchen should smell warm, buttery, and full of cinnamon.
- 7. Cool Completely. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack. Cool them completely before frosting. If the cookies feel even slightly warm, the frosting will soften and slide.
- 8. Make the Cream Cheese Frosting. Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat until the frosting looks thick, pale, and spreadable. Spread a generous spoonful over each cooled cookie.
