Description
Pillowy soft pumpkin cookies filled with warm fall spices and topped with smooth, tangy cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 1/2 cups (312 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) baking soda
- 1 tablespoon (10 g) pumpkin pie spice, plus more for garnish
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) salt
- 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 1/4 cups (305 g) canned pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
- 8 ounces (226 g) block-style cream cheese, softened but still cool
- 1/4 cup (56 g) unsalted butter, softened but still cool
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups (210 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- Ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt together in a medium bowl.
- Beat 3/4 cup butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla. Mix until combined, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined. The dough will remain soft and slightly sticky.
- Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until the edges look set and the centers remain soft and puffy.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for several minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Beat the cream cheese and remaining 1/4 cup butter on medium-high speed for about 30 seconds.
- Add the vanilla and sifted confectioners’ sugar. Mix just until smooth and combined.
- Spread the cream cheese frosting over the cooled cookies.
- Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice before serving.
Notes
- For homemade pumpkin pie spice, mix 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves.
- Use plain canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Store frosted pumpkin cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Refrigerate the prepared cookie dough for up to 24 hours, then let it soften slightly at room temperature before scooping.
- Freeze portioned cookie dough for up to 3 months.
- Cool the cookies completely before adding the cream cheese frosting.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 168
- Sugar: 16
- Sodium: 133
- Fat: 7
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.3
- Trans Fat: 0.2
- Carbohydrates: 25
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 3
- Cholesterol: 23