Description
These soft and spiced pumpkin cookies are the perfect fall treat! Topped with a creamy cinnamon-spiced cream cheese frosting, they melt in your mouth with every bite. They’re easy to make and ideal for any autumn occasion.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Spice Mix:
- 2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
For the Dry Ingredients:
- 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Wet Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature (do not microwave)
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened (cut into 8 pieces, do not microwave)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon reserved Spice Mix
- Milk, as needed (to adjust frosting consistency)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick liners. - Make the Spice Mix:
In a large bowl, whisk together the cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger for the Spice Mix. Reserve 1 teaspoon of the Spice Mix for the frosting.
To the remaining Spice Mix, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine. - Prepare the Wet Ingredients:
In a separate large bowl, beat the room-temperature butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar, and beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the canned pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla, and beat until well combined. - Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients:
Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined. Be careful not to overmix the dough. - Form the Cookies:
Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 3 inches between each cookie as the dough is very sticky. - Bake the Cookies:
Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes, or until the tops are set. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 3 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. - Make the Frosting:
In a medium bowl, beat the butter and powdered sugar together with a hand mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add the cream cheese, one piece at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.
Add the vanilla extract and the reserved 1 teaspoon of the Spice Mix. If needed, add milk (1 teaspoon at a time) to reach the desired consistency. - Frost the Cookies:
Once the cookies have cooled completely, spread the frosting evenly over each cookie.
Notes
- Be sure to let the butter and cream cheese soften at room temperature to avoid runny frosting.
- For a fun variation, you can add 2 to 2 ½ cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips to the cookie dough after combining the dry ingredients.
- For an extra delicious experience, microwave the frosted cookies for 5-10 seconds to make them soft and gooey!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 130kcal
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 75mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
