Go Back
+ servings

Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Melt in your mouth soft cake-like Pumpkin Cookies bursting with tons of Fall flavor and smothered with heavenly silky Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting!  Bring these cookies to your Halloween parties and they will be the hit of the night!
Course Dessert
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 27 minutes
Servings 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients

SPICE MIX

DRY INGREDIENTS

WET INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 cup butter room temperature*
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2/3 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree NOT pumpkin pie filling
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

SPICED CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened,
  • 1 1/2 cups Powdered sugar
  • 4 oz. softened cream cheese cut into 8 pieces**
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon reserved Spices (in directions)

Instructions

COOKIES

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick liner.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the Spice Mix ingredients. Remove one teaspoon to use in the frosting. To the remaining Spice Mix, whisk in all of the Dry ingredients.
  • In a separate large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add sugars and beat until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Beat in remaining Wet Ingredients until combined. Stir in Dry ingredients just until combined – don’t overmix!
  • Drop dough by the tablespoon at least 3 inches apart on prepared ungreased baking sheets (you will need to use a cookie scoop as dough is very wet/sticky). Bake 12-15 minutes or until tops are set. Let cool for 3 minutes then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

FROSTING

  • Beat butter and sugar with handled mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add cream cheese, 1 piece at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.
  • Add vanilla ad reserved 1 teaspoon Spice Mix and beat to combine. Add milk, if needed, a teaspoon at a time to reach desired consistency. Evenly spread frosting on cooled cookies.

SERVING

  • I LOVE to microwave these cookies for 5-10 seconds after frosted for melt in your mouth deliciousness!

Notes

*Do NOT microwave butter or your cookies will be too soft and spread when baked.  Let butter soften at room temperature.
**Do NOT microwave butter or cream cheese to soften for frosting or it will be too runny.  Let soften at room temperature.
***This cookie recipe also is fabulous for Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies.  Add  2 - 2 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips after you add your Dry Ingredients to your Wet Ingredients and stir just until combined.

CAN PUMPKIN COOKIES BE FROZEN?

HOW TO FREEZE COOKIE DOUGH:

  • Roll balls per instructions and fit as many as you can on a parchment/nonstick lined baking sheet without touching.
  • Place the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze the balls until  outsides are hard (about 1-2 hours).
  • Transfer to a freezer size plastic bag and freeze.
  • Cookie dough should freeze well for up to 3 months.
  • To BAKE:  Place frozen cookie dough balls on a lined baking sheet and bake according to instructions, adding a couple extra minutes to cook time.

HOW TO FREEZE BAKED COOKIES WITHOUT FROSTING

  • Fit as many COOLED baked Pumpkin Cookies on a parchment/nonstick mat lined baking sheet without touching.
  • Place the baking sheet(s) in the freezer and freeze until  solid (about 1 hour).
  • Transfer to a freezer size plastic bag and freeze.
  • To EAT:  When you want to enjoy a Pumpkin Cookie, take it out and let it sit at room temperature, warm in the microwave at 10 second intervals or warm it in the oven for a few minutes.

HOW TO FREEZE BAKED COOKIES WITH FROSTING

  • Fit as many baked Pumpkin Cookies on a parchment/nonstick mat lined baking sheet without touching.
  • Place the baking sheet(s) in the freezer and freeze until  solid (about 1 hour).
  • You can now freeze individual cookies by placing them each in sandwich bags, OR to freeze a batch of cookies:
  • Top frozen cookies on baking sheet with a layer of parchment paper and layer with another layer of frozen cookies (that you have frozen on a separate sheet).  Continue to layer and stack as needed.
  • Wrap entire baking sheet securely in layers of plastic wrap.
  • To THAW TRAY:  Take cookie tray out of refrigerator and unwrap so that the condensation doesn't form and make them soggy.  Let sit at room temperature for several hours.
  • TO THAW INDIVIDUAL COOKIE:  Take cookie out of the sandwich bag and let sit at room temperature, warm in the microwave at 10 second intervals or warm it in the oven for a few minutes.