Frosted pumpkin cookies are the perfect fall treat, combining warm spices with a creamy, tangy topping everyone loves. These soft, cake-like cookies are iced with a smooth layer of cream cheese frosting, making them irresistible. And there’s a special ingredient in the mix that sets these cookies apart — you won’t want to miss it!
I’m not sure how Christmas became the season for cookies, but I know that around here, we love all the cookies all the time! We eat red velvet cake cookies in the middle of summer, and lemon crinkle cookies are always on my Christmas cookie tray.
That goes to say that while pumpkin might be a typical fall flavor, I love these frosted pumpkin cookies all year, just like my favorite pumpkin bread. There’s no reason to wait until fall — just bake these whenever you want a delicious, easy-to-make cookie.
Pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting
These pumpkin cookies are soft, and we top them with a sweet cream cheese frosting. They’re pretty, too, so they make a great gift.
Why you’ll love this recipe
TASTE: Pumpkin puree makes these cookies taste so amazing. And our secret ingredient is cornstarch! This is what helps the cookies keep that soft, cake-like texture.
EASY: This cookie recipe is so easy! It takes about 20 minutes to mix the dough and another 15 minutes to bake the cookies. That’s it!
METHOD: You don’t need a rolling pin or a cookie cutter for this recipe. You only need a cookie scoop or just a spoon.
MAKE-AHEAD: You can make this recipe ahead of time and freeze the unbaked dough or the baked cookies.
I hope you make these pumpkin muffins. I think you’ll love them!
Ingredients for frosted pumpkin cookies
➡️➡️➡️ The full ingredient amounts and instructions are listed below on the printable recipe card. Scroll below the recipe card for frequently asked questions and tips for success.
Pumpkin cookies
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Cornstarch
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg
- Ground ginger
- Ground cloves
- Granulated sugar
- Light brown sugar
- Unsalted butter
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Canned pumpkin puree
Cream cheese frosting ingredients
- Cream cheese
- Unsalted butter
- Powdered sugar
- Heavy whipping cream
How to make pumpkin cookies
- PREPARE: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- MIX DRY INGREDIENTS: Combine the flour, leavening agents, and spices in a medium bowl and whisk. Set aside.
- MIX WET INGREDIENTS: In a large bowl, beat the butter with the sugars until light and creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, then pumpkin puree and mix well.
- COMBINE: Pour the flour mixture into the butter and beat until just combined. The batter will be thick and sticky.
- BAKE: Scoop balls of dough onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake 13-15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove and cool completely before frosting.
- DECORATE: Use a small spatula or a piping bag to cover the pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting.
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Frosted Pumpkin Cookies
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, slightly softened
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup canned pumpkin puree
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 package cream cheese, softened
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Instructions
Pumpkin cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Cookies: Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves in a medium bowl and whisk. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the sugar, brown sugar, and butter. Using an electric hand mixer at medium speed, beat the sugars and butter together until combined and fluffy.
- Add one of the eggs, and beat until just mixed. Add the second egg and vanilla extract, and continue beating until mixed. Add the pumpkin puree, and beat until smooth.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and stir together with a wooden spoon or spatula until just mixed. (Lumps in the batter are okay.) The batter will be thick and sticky.
- With a cookie scoop (I used a 1 1/2 tablespoon scoop), drop the cookie dough onto the cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. (I could fit 12 cookies onto 1 piece of parchment paper.) Bake the cookies, one cookie sheet at a time, in the preheated oven for 13-15 minutes or until the cookies have risen and the edges are golden brown. Set aside to cool while you make the cream cheese frosting.
Cream cheese frosting
- Add the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and heavy whipping cream to a large or medium bowl, and cream together with an electric hand mixer until well-mixed and smooth.
- Use a small spatula or spoon to spread the cream cheese frosting on top of the cooled cookies. Dust with extra cinnamon, if desired, and serve at room temperature.
Notes
- Use 1 tablespoon of Pumpkin Pie Spice instead of the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. I prefer using individual spices because the flavors are more potent.
- Store these cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Tips and questions
Storing frosted pumpkin cookies
Since these cookies are frosted with cream cheese, they must be stored in the refrigerator. They will keep for up to seven days, but taste best if consumed within 2-3 days.
Can you freeze pumpkin cookies?
Yes, you can freeze pumpkin cookies. We suggest placing the cookies on a baking sheet in the freezer for a few hours until frozen. Then, store them in a large freezer bag for up to three months.
How to decorate pumpkin cookies
You can use a small spatula or spoon to spread the cream cheese frosting on these pumpkin cookies. You can also use a piping or zipper bag with the corner cut off.
Tasty cookies. I have to say as I am UK based the frosting recipe isn’t that clear to me. How many grams or cups is one pack of cream cheese?