Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
These Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting are one of my favorite pumpkin dessert recipes. They’re light, fluffy, and perfectly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. They’re great homemade gift ideas and perfect for bake sales too.
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You’ll love this recipe because it’s easy to make with simple pantry staples, and the cookies come out soft and tender—not cakey. And if you’re making these cookies for a bake sale, be sure to check out my Fall Bake Sale Treat Ideas for even more delicious recipes!
How to Make Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients you’ll need for the cookies
Ingredients you’ll need for the cream cheese frosting
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Cream together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl until it’s light and fluffy.
3. Add in the pumpkin purée, vanilla extract, and egg. Mix it all up until it’s smooth and everything is combined.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir until everything’s just combined—no need to overmix!
6. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto a greased or lined baking sheet, making sure to leave about 2 inches between each cookie.
7. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Let them cool completely on a wire rack.
8. While the cookies are baking, prepare the frosting by beating the butter until smooth and creamy.
9. Add in the cream cheese and beat until everything is silky smooth.
10. Slowly mix in the icing sugar, vanilla extract, and pinch of salt, and keep beating until it’s light and fluffy.
11. Once your cookies are completely cooled, generously spread the cream cheese frosting on top. You can even add a sprinkle of cinnamon for a little extra flair.
Serve and Enjoy!
Important Recipe Notes
- Make sure your butter and cream cheese are fully softened before mixing to achieve a smooth, creamy frosting.
- Don’t overmix the cookie dough once you add the dry ingredients—overmixing can make the cookies tough instead of soft and tender.
- Let the cookies cool completely before frosting to prevent the cream cheese frosting from melting and sliding off.
- Use fresh pumpkin purée (canned works great too!) and avoid pumpkin pie filling, which contains extra spices and sugars.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container in the fridge if you’re not eating them right away; they stay fresh for up to 5 days.
- These cookies freeze well—just freeze unfrosted cookies, then thaw and frost when ready to serve.
Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar and 1⁄2 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin purée
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups flour
- 2 tsp baking powder and 1⁄2 tsp baking soda
- 1⁄2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1⁄2 tsp nutmeg
- 1⁄2 tsp ginger
For the cream cheese frosting
- 1⁄2 cup butter, softened
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Cream together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl until it’s light and fluffy.
- Add in the pumpkin purée, vanilla extract, and egg. Mix it all up until it’s smooth and everything is combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir until everything’s just combined—no need to overmix!
- Drop spoonfuls of dough onto a greased or lined baking sheet, making sure to leave about 2 inches between each cookie.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Let them cool completely on a wire rack.
- While the cookies are baking, prepare the frosting by beating the butter until smooth and creamy.
- Add in the cream cheese and beat until everything is silky smooth.
- Slowly mix in the icing sugar, vanilla extract, and pinch of salt, and keep beating until it’s light and fluffy.
- Once your cookies are completely cooled (and I mean completely—you don’t want melted frosting), generously spread the cream cheese frosting on top. You can even add a sprinkle of cinnamon for a little extra flair.
Check Out More Pumpkin Recipe Ideas!
Fall Charcuterie Board + Pumpkin Pie Dip
