These frosted pumpkin cookies are super soft, lightly spiced, and topped with a delectable cream cheese frosting. The texture is like a fluffy cake cookie making them the ultimate Fall treat!
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Why I Love These Soft Pumpkin Cookies
- Soft, cake-like texture: the texture of these is incredible; a cross between pumpkin cake and a fluffy cookie. While I love a good chewy pumpkin cookie, these really feel like a warm & cozy cookie cloud.
- Lightly spiced: I'm not a huge fan of heavily spiced pumpkin desserts, so I developed these to pack just the right amount of spice.
- Cream cheese frosting: Just like my pumpkin cupcakes, these are topped with a delicious cream cheese frosting to give them a balance of sweetness to the spice.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Canned pumpkin: I use Libby's brand, as I find it has the best texture for baked goods. Brands like Trader Joe's has a more liquidy texture which can affect the texture of the cookies.
- Cornstarch: adding cornstarch essentially turns the flour into a DIY cake flour, making the cookies extra soft and tender.
- Sour cream: this makes the cookies super soft & cake-like, don't skip it!
- Pumpkin pie spice: you can find this at most grocery stores in the spice aisle. If you can't find it, there are recipes online for making a homemade version.
- Cream cheese: I suggest using full fat cream cheese for the smoothest frosting but if you use a reduced fat version, you may need to add more powdered sugar .
How to Make Frosted Pumpkin Cookies
Step 1: Make Cookie Dough
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together softened unsalted butter (½ cup, i.e. 1 stick), light brown sugar (¾ cup) and granulated sugar (¾ cup) for 1 minute.
- Mix in canned pumpkin puree (1 cup), sour cream (¼ cup), egg (1 large), and vanilla extract (1 teaspoon).
- Add baking soda (1 teaspoon), baking powder (1 teaspoon), pumpkin pie spice (2 ½ teaspoons), cinnamon (2 teaspoons), salt (½ teaspoon), and cornstarch (2 tablespoons). Mix until combined.
- Slowly add all-purpose flour (2 ½ cups) and mix until just incorporated. Do not overmix.
Step 2: Scoop & Bake
- Immediately after mixing, scoop dough into 4-tablespoon sized balls. Spray your hands with nonstick cooking spray and gently flatten each dough ball.
- Bake at 350℉ for 16-18 minutes. Because of how moist they are, these bake longer than the traditional cookie. While you do want to keep an eye on them to make sure they don't over-brown, they do need to bake for the full time or else the tops will be gummy. Of course, because ovens bake differently use your best judgement to keep them in longer if they look severely underbaked.
Tip: After removing from oven, allow the cookies to cool on the hot baking sheet for 15 minutes before removing them from cookie sheet. Allow cookies to fully cool before frosting.
Step 3: Make Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat the unsalted butter (¼ cup, i.e. ½ stick) and cream cheese (4-ounces) on medium speed using a hand or stand mixer (with paddle attachment) for about 1 minute (until light and creamy).
- Keeping the mixer on medium speed, slowly add in vanilla extract (1 teaspoon) and powdered sugar (1 ½ cups). Once incorporated, turn mixer to high speed and beat for 2 minutes until creamy. If your frosting is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk to thin it out. If it it too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar.
Note: if you like a THICK layer of frosting, double the frosting recipe! If you're planning just to spread with a knife, use the recipe as-is.
Step 4: Add Frosting
- Spread or pipe frosting on cooled cookies and top with a dusting of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, if desired! For the perfect cookie swirl, I use a large round tip.
- Store the frosted cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. These cookies stay soft & moist for 3-4 days.
Tips & Variations
- Don't take out too early: Because of how moist they are, these bake longer than the traditional cookie. While you do want to keep an eye on them to make sure they don't over-brown, they do need to bake for the full time or else the tops will be gummy.
- Sprinkle on some spice: for added decoration, sprinkle a little pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon on top of the frosted cookies.
- Make cookie sandwiches: instead of frosting the cookies, pipe the frosting in between to make pumpkin sandwich cookies.
Storage & Freezing
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Freeze in a single layer for up to 1 month. If you simply spread the frosting on (vs. intricate piping), you can freeze them in a single layer and then stack them between parchment paper after they're frozen.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I use real pumpkin puree?
While you can certainly try it, I can't guarantee the results. Fresh pumpkin puree has a lot more moisture, so you would need to add more flour (and therefore it could start tasting flourly).
Can I make these without cream cheese?
While it will be sweeter, you could top these with a standard buttercream frosting or use a sugar cookie glaze to drizzle.
Extra Soft Pumpkin Cookies
These frosted pumpkin cookies are super soft, lightly spiced, and topped with a delectable cream cheese frosting. The texture is like a fluffy cake cookie making them the ultimate Fall treat!
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Servings: -16 large cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter (i.e. 1 stick) softened
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (i.e. ½ stick) softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons milk if needed to thin frosting
Before you begin! If you make this, will you do me a huge favor and leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe? This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together softened unsalted butter (½ cup, i.e. 1 stick), light brown sugar (¾ cup) and granulated sugar (¾ cup) for 1 minute.
- Mix in canned pumpkin puree (1 cup), sour cream (¼ cup), egg (1 large), and vanilla extract (1 teaspoon).
- Add baking soda (1 teaspoon), baking powder (1 teaspoon), pumpkin pie spice (2 ½ teaspoons), cinnamon (2 teaspoons), salt (½ teaspoon), and cornstarch (2 tablespoons). Mix until combined.
- Slowly add all-purpose flour (2 ½ cups) and mix until just incorporated. Do not overmix.
- Immediately after mixing, scoop dough into 4-tablespoon sized balls. Spray your hands with nonstick cooking spray and gently flatten each dough ball.
- Bake at 350℉ for 16-18 minutes. Because of how moist they are, these bake longer than the traditional cookie. While you do want to keep an eye on them to make sure they don't over-brown, they do need to bake for the full time or else the tops will be gummy.(Of course, because ovens bake differently use your best judgement to keep them in longer if they look severely underbaked.)
- After removing from oven, allow the cookies to cool on the hot baking sheet for 15 minutes before removing them from cookie sheet. Allow cookies to fully cool before frosting.
To Make Frosting:
- Note: if you like a THICK layer of frosting, double the frosting recipe! If you're planning just to spread with a knife, use the recipe as-is.
- In a large bowl, beat the unsalted butter (¼ cup, i.e. ½ stick) and cream cheese (4-ounces) on medium speed using a hand or stand mixer (with paddle attachment) for about 1 minute (until light and creamy).
- Keeping the mixer on medium speed, slowly add in vanilla extract (1 teaspoon) and powdered sugar (1 ½ cups). Once incorporated, turn mixer to high speed and beat for 2 minutes until creamy.If your frosting is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk to thin it out. If it it too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar.
- Spread or pipe frosting on cooled cookies and top with a dusting of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, if desired. For the perfect cookie swirl, I use a large round tip.
- Store the frosted cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. These cookies stay soft & moist for 3-4 days.
Last Step! Please leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe! This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Made these for the October #bake and take challenge. Delicious! So soft and seasonal.
# bake and take.. absolutely delicious and sweet.. the perfect fall treat
Very good and easy to make!
These were super easy to make and a crowd pleaser! The perfect Fall treat. #BakeAndTake
Hello love this recipe but had a problem with the dough it was so sticky that i could not roll it into balls to flatten. I checked the recipe three times and did what was there, could you let me know what i did wrong.
Hi Terri! You don't actually have to roll them into balls, you just scoop them on the tray and then use your (greased) hands to lightly flatten the top. I can see how my instructions might be confusing so I will update those!
These cookies are fall perfection! They are almost like a cake. The spices are just right, there's a hint of all those warm spices but are not overwhelming. The cream cheese frosting is a great added touch! I'm not sure we'll have enough left to take to anyone as my teens are devouring them. LOL! #BakeAndTake!
These look heavenly! Can they be made in a bar form instead? I'm wanting to make the baking (and frosting) more time efficient!
Hi, Lisa! I haven't baked these as a bar. My only concern would be that the middle will be under baked. If you give it a try, report back and let me know how they turned out!
Amazing I love
I'm glad you love the Pumpkin Cookies, Elise! Thanks for leaving a review! I appreciate it!
Delicious!! I accidentally forgot the sour cream 😬 but they still turned out great! Probably just a little drier, whoops. Lol. I will definitely make these again and do it properly next time 😅
I'm so glad they worked out despite the hiccup, Jessica! If you make them again, let me know how they turn out! Thanks so much for taking time to leave a review!
This is a very good cookie. Easy to make and delicious to eat.
Soooo fluffy and light!! Just make them you won’t be disappointed. Melissa has perfected this recipe. Thanks
Thank you so much for leaving a review, Steve! So glad you love this recipe!