Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese
These soft pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting are the cozy fall treat you’ll bake again and again — plush centers, warm cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice, and a silky cream cheese topping that melts into every bite.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 35 mins
- Yield: 24–30 cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
– 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
– 1/2 cup brown sugar
– 1/4 cup granulated sugar
– 1 large egg
– 2/3 cup pumpkin puree (blotted if watery)
– 1 tsp vanilla extract
– 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
– 1 tsp baking powder
– 1/2 tsp baking soda
– 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
– 1/2 tsp cinnamon
– 1/4 tsp salt
Cream Cheese Frosting
– 4 oz (115 g) cream cheese, softened
– 1/4 cup (60 g) unsalted butter, softened
– 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
– 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
– Pinch of cinnamon (optional)
– 1–2 tsp cream or milk (to adjust consistency)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment.
2. Cream butter and both sugars until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
3. Beat in egg, pumpkin puree, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Whisk dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, salt) in a separate bowl.
5. Combine dry and wet ingredients; mix until just combined.
6. Scoop dough (1.5–2 tbsp per cookie) onto baking sheets.
7. Bake 12–15 minutes, until edges are set and tops look matte.
8. Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
9. Prepare frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth; mix in powdered sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Add cream as needed for spreadable consistency.
10. Frost cookies once cooled. Dust with extra spice or add sprinkles if desired.
Notes
– Blot pumpkin puree to avoid cakey cookies.
– Chill dough 20–30 minutes for thicker cookies.
– Store frosted cookies in fridge up to 5 days; bring to room temperature before serving.
– Freeze unfrosted cookies up to 3 months.
– Add mini chocolate chips, oats, or pecans for variations.