March 22, 2023
Review RecipePumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
The perfect pumpkin flavor and chewy texture make these pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting the ideal choice for your next batch of cookies.
Jump to Recipe
Table of Contents
It’s time for pumpkin season and these pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting are delicious! Soft pumpkin cookies are frosted with a velvety frosting flavored with all the best fall spices.
We’ve got plenty of pumpkin recipes for you to try. Check out our pumpkin magic cake and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies both great ideas for pumpkin treats.
PUMPKIN COOKIES WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING INGREDIENTS
You’ll need:
For the Cookie Dough:
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup salted sweet cream butter, softened
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup salted sweet cream, softened
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons clear vanilla flavoring
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (optional garnish)
PRO TIP:
Watch out when you are at the grocery store that you buy pure pumpkin puree and not canned pumpkin pie filling.
SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS
VANILLA: Maple flavoring can be substituted for the clear vanilla flavoring in the frosting for a maple-flavored addition to these yummy cookies.
CHOCOLATE CHIPS: Added little bursts of chocolate to these flavorful cookies. Chocolate pairs so well with pumpkin that I guarantee you will love the taste.
FROSTING: If you don’t want to make the frosting from scratch, you can use store-bought cream cheese frosting instead in this recipe.
HOW TO MAKE THIS PUMPKIN COOKIES WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING RECIPE
For the Cookie Dough:
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
STEP TWO: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Set dry ingredients aside.
STEP THREE: In the bowl of a stand mixer, or a medium-sized mixing bowl and a hand mixer on medium-high speed, cream together the softened butter and vegetable oil for 1 minute.
STEP FOUR: Lower the mixer speed to low, add in the white sugar and brown sugar, and increase the mixer speed to medium-high. Mix for another 1 minute. Using a silicone spatula, scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl.
STEP FIVE: Lower the mixer speed to low, add in the pumpkin puree, increase the speed to medium and mix just until the pumpkin is completely incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
STEP SIX: Lower the mixer speed to low, add in the vanilla extract and the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each egg.
STEP SEVEN: Keeping the mixer speed on low, slowly add in the flour mixture. Mix just until all ingredients are well incorporated.
STEP EIGHT: Using a 1 to 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop out the cookie dough onto the prepared cookie sheet. Space the dough 2 inches apart.
PRO TIP:
These cookies can also be made larger (2 to 3 tablespoons) size.
STEP NINE: Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Allow the cookies to completely cool before frosting.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
STEP ONE: Using a stand mixer, or a medium-sized mixing bowl and a handheld electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream together the softened cream cheese, clear vanilla flavoring, and butter for 1 to 1 ½ minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula.
STEP TWO: Lower the mixer speed to low, slowly add in the powdered sugar. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and continue mixing for another 1 to 1 ½ minutes.
STEP THREE: Lower the mixer speed to medium and slowly add the milk. Mix just until the frosting is smooth.
STEP FOUR: Once the baked cookies have completely cooled, spoon 1 tablespoon (or more if you wish) of frosting onto each cookie, smoothing out to the edges. If you wish, you can gently dust the tops of the cookie with a sprinkle of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice.
PRO TIP:
You can make these as sandwich cookies with the frosting on the inside as well.
HOW TO SERVE
Enjoy these delicious pumpkin cookies with their decadent cream cheese frosting with a tall glass of milk. If you are like me and adore all things pumpkin, add a homemade pumpkin spice latte on the side for a cozy snack.
MORE COOKIE RECIPES
STORAGE
IN THE FRIDGE: Store any leftovers of these pumpkin spice cookies with cream cheese frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
IN THE FREEZER: You can also freeze the unfrosted cookies for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Allow the cookies to come to room temperature before frosting.
This pumpkin cookie recipe with cream cheese frosting is a perfect choice to make during the fall season. The perfect balance of the tangy cream cheese frosting and pumpkin spice flavors add so much to this chewy cookie – it will be love at first bite!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I freeze these cookies?
You can freeze these cookies unfrosted for up to three months in an airtight container. Frost them once you remove them from the freezer.
Can I use homemade pumpkin puree?
You can use homemade pumpkin puree if you prefer in this recipe.
Can I store these on the counter?
Because they have cream cheese in them, we would recommend keeping them in the fridge rather than on the counter.
MORE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
- Twix Cookies
- Apple Pie Cookies
- Carrot Cake Cookies
- Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peanut Butter Lava Cookies
- Carrot Cake Cheesecake
- Carrot Cake Recipe
- Cream Cheese Frosting
- Pumpkin Sheet Cake
- Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
The perfect pumpkin flavor and chewy texture make these pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting the ideal choice for your next batch of cookies.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 40 cookies
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup salted sweet cream butter softened
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup salted sweet cream softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoon clear vanilla flavoring
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice optional garnish
Instructions
Cookie Dough
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Set it aside.
- Using a stand mixer, or a medium-sized mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, cream together the softened butter and vegetable oil for 1 minute.
- Lower the mixer speed to low, add the granulated sugar and brown sugar, and increase the mixer speed to medium-high. Mix for another 1 minute. Using a silicone spatula, scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl.
- Lower the mixer speed to low, add in the pumpkin puree, increase the speed to medium and mix just until the pumpkin is completely incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Lower the mixer speed to low, add in the vanilla extract and the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each egg.
- Keeping the mixer speed on low, slowly add in the flour mixture. Mix just until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Using a 1 to 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop out the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Space the dough 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Allow the cookies to completely cool before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Using a stand mixer, or a medium-size mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, cream together the softened cream cheese, clear vanilla flavoring, and butter for 1 to 1 ½ minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula.
- Lower the mixer speed to low, slowly add in the powdered sugar. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and continue mixing for another 1 to 1 ½ minutes.
- Lower the mixer speed to medium and slowly add the milk. Mix just until the frosting is smooth.
- Once the cookies have completely cooled, spoon 1 tablespoon (or more if you wish) of frosting onto each cookie, smoothing out to the edges. If you wish, you can gently dust the tops of the cookie with the pumpkin pie spice.
Notes
PRO TIP: Watch out when you are at the grocery store that you buy pure pumpkin puree and not canned pumpkin pie filling.
PRO TIP: These cookies can also be made larger (2 to 3 tablespoons) size.
PRO TIP: You can make these as sandwich cookies with the frosting on the inside as well.
Nutrition
Calories: 188kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 107mg | Potassium: 58mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 1886IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg
Have You Tried This Recipe?Follow me on Pinterest @spaceshipslb
Comments
Gloria says
These are delicious and perfect for fall!
Kerri Lyn says
When I make them I will come back and give a review. But I already know they’re gonna be good. Thank you for sharing.
Kurt Meckey says
I made these last weekend and they were delicious. They didn’t make it though the week lol. Fantastic.