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My favorite soft pumpkin cookies recipe, topped with the most heavenly cream cheese frosting. It’s the perfect fall dessert recipe!
Who’s ready for some fall baking? ? ? ?
I just officially stocked my pantry with its first round of pumpkin puree for the season (yesss), and whipped up a fresh batch of homemade pumpkin pie spice (just 5 ingredients!), and stocked the fridge with a very friendly stash of butter and cream cheese to have on hand (because…butter and cream cheese ?).
Now the question is simply…what to make?!?
I’m feeling all of the baking vibes this year, and have a long list of new recipes that I’d like to try. But if you have any specific requests or favorite recipes to share, I’d love love love to hear ’em. (Seriously, your requests are my favorite recipes to share here!)
That said, I also have a long list of pumpkin recipes here on the site that I’m excited to revisit this fall, including these perfectly soft and delicious pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting that I first shared way back in my very first year of blogging (holla 2009!). I was cleaning out an old camera card this week and forgot that I had re-photographed them last year. So I thought I would bump this recipe back to the top of the blog today for anyone who might have missed them over the years. They have been my go-to pumpkin cookie recipe for literally a decade now, and they are seriously the best.
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To make them, simply whip up a quick batch of cookie batter featuring lots of pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice. Heads up that the batter for this recipe is super-soft (very different than, say, chocolate chip cookie dough batter), and tends to puff up a bit rather than flatten during baking. I like to use a cookie scoop to plop it onto a parchment-covered baking sheet, and then gently press the batter down with my fingers a bit to flatten.
Then, while those yummy cookies are baking in the oven, I highly recommend whipping up a batch of this heavenly cream cheese frosting. It’s indulgent and doesn’t cut corners…and it is THE BEST. ?
Then once the cookies are ready to go, let them cool completely to room temperature before frosting. (<– Otherwise that delicious cream cream cheese icing will slide right off!) Then give them a quick frost…maybe an extra sprinkle of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice…
…and behold, these gorgeous soft pumpkin cookies will be yours to share and enjoy. (<– Key word: share, since I can vouch from personal experience that these cookies have a way of making everyone smile and feel all ? ? ? about fall.)
This soft pumpkin cookies recipe is my absolute fave! Soft spiced pumpkin cookies topped with a heavenly cream cheese frosting — what’s not to love? :)
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until combined. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed for 1 minute until light and fluffy. Add in the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla to butter mixture, and beat on medium-speed until just combined. Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined.
Drop on cookie sheet by heaping tablespoonfuls (I like to use this cookie scoop), then use your fingers or a spoon to flatten then slightly. (These cookies tend to poof up slightly rather than flatten during baking, so shape them beforehand however you’d like. They won’t rise much.)
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are cooked through and bounce back slightly if you touch them. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool until they reach room temperature. Then frost or drizzle with cream cheese frosting, and sprinkle with an extra pinch of pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon if you’d like. Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
To Make Cream Cheese Frosting:
With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla together on medium-high speed until smooth. Gradually add in the powdered sugar until it is all combined and the frosting is smooth. If it is too thick, add in a tablespoon or two of milk (or water) until it reaches your desired consistency. If it is too thin, add in more powdered sugar until it reaches your desired consistency.
Notes
Adapted from All Recipes. Updated in September 2017.
Is the brown sugar supposed to be tightly packed, loosely packed, or just loosely measured into a measuring cup? I guess I “moderately” packed it and my butter and sugars aren’t creaming. It looks like sugar cookie dough just with the butter and sugar.
Noelle white —
Brown sugar should always be tightly packed. If your mixture isn’t getting creamy and fluffy just up the speed a bit and let it mix longer. You literally can’t over mix the wet ingredients, just make sure you don’t over mix once you add the dry
Justine —
This is a great recipe. The cookies are very moist and fluffy!
I absolutely love these cookies! They are delicious and already made them multiple times. The smell inside the house while baking them is also amazing.
I am making these for the 2nd time in a week and a half. I am not a baker! My mom who is 91 and literally on her death bed says they are the best cookies she has ever eaten. Thank you for helping me give her a little joy. Everybody else loved them too!
These are delicious. The cookies are melt in your mouth soft and the frosting is so creamy. I didn’t store them in the fridge, and the frosting stayed soft. They didn’t last long.
As well as a previous commenter, I put the frosting between two cookies to make a sandwich and they were great!! Almost like a little handheld bit of cake.
I would give this recipe 100/5 stars if I could. These cookies are the best dessert I’ve ever made, and I bake A LOT. They are moist and fluffy on the inside, just like a cloud. Perfect amount of pumpkin, spice, and sweetness but not too sweet. Amazing!!
Brenda —
Can I freeze these cookies, with or without the icing?
This recipe turned out fantastic!!!
The granddaughters loved them!!!
I used fresh pumpkin for the purée… that I had left over from making homemade fresh pumpkin pies
I loved it! Although, the cookies did seem a bit dry. If you’re going for a more moist pumpkin cookie, I recommend using a full 15 oz can. Other than that, very good cookies!
So easy to make and delicious to eat! My family absolutely loved them! (and so did I!) Not overly sweet like the store bought ones. I made the pumpkin spice recipe, just quick and easy and now nice to have on hand. Thanks for sharing ?
This recipe is excellent! The cookie is fluffy and cake-y. We chopped up some pecans and dipped the frosted cookies in the crumbs. This was a yummy addition if you like nuts. ?
These were super yummy and turned out 3 large cookie trays. My son said they were addicting. I cut the sugar a little because my family prefers less sweet treats, added a bit more pumpkin puree (because I used the whole can and that came in a little more than recipe asked for), and tossed in some super dark chocolate mini morsels. Turned out like soft but chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies that had the perfect balance of flavor and texture. The extra pumpkin make the batter runny, but If you make it this way, and like a chewy cookie, don’t be alarmed, they came out perfect. I did add a little salt because I used unsalted butter. I did not add the frosting because I went the chocolate chip cookie route. I will make these again. Thanks for this recipe. I plan to try the pumpkin scones next.
Mary —
Also, almost forgot, I drizzled a little bit of honey on top of cookies when done and dusted with a confectioners sugar. But after tasting, not necessary.
I was going to try this recipe, but after reading the reviews, there were a lot of questions asked (which I had also), but none of them were answered! I would think that when you put a recipe up, you should check the reviews and ANSWER the questions that people have. Because of that, I am moving on to a different recipe
This recipe is amazing! I subbed maple instead of vanilla in the frosting and it was a fun twist. Also I followed another comment and made sandwiches with the frosting in the middle which was perfect and unique. Great recipe, thank you!
Excellent recipe! Made them today and they turned out perfect, exactly as described. The cream cheese icing was very light and fluffy – almost like whipped cream. I think I’ll use it on cupcakes or a cake next. Thanks!
This were absolutely delicious! I had only half the pumpkin left over from a previous recipe. I ended up cutting everything in half, except for the egg. It make 2 dozen plus 2 extra cookie. Perfect amount for my small family. Thank you for sharing!
I tried This recipe & it was awful. The dough didn’t even turn into dough, there was no way I could Make cookies with that!! I had To throw it all away what a waste! No wonder she used a scoop to make cookies because you def don’t get a dough after following that recipe & I have Made homemade cookies before with no issues.
Linda —
Hmmm, 50 5 star ratings and one 1 star. I made this recipe with absolutely no problem. Perhaps you measured wrong. Most people would consider that before going on a rant that just makes them look foolish🤷🏻♀️.
I would store them in a covered container in a single layer. I cooled my cookies completely before frosting them and let the frosting firm up a bit then layered them with wax paper. Not that they lasted long, they were gone in a day!
Just FYI, straight almond flour DO NOT WORK! I didn’t have any regular flour so I tried almond. Please don’t. I can’t speak to other flours but this basically made a sloppy mess so I made cake balls with it! :-D
This recipe in wonderful! These cookies taste lovely, and the frosting tastes great with them! Thank you, these were a big hit with all of my friends at my Halloween Party!
I really loved this recipe! The only thing I changed was making my own pumpkin spice without using allspice because I didn’t have a premade/bought shaker of either :). This is probably my new my favorite kind of cookie of all time!! Thank you for sharing this recipe it with us.
I made them a little smaller and ended up with 4 dozen, I enjoyed them unfrosted and used the cream cheese frosting on the other 3 dozen, I enjoyed them because not overly sweet!
These cookies were great! I read that some people were saying they were too cake-like, so I blotted the pumpkin filling with two paper towels to get rid of some of the excess water (which I read about online somewhere) but I left some of the moisture there or else I was afraid they would be too dry. They turned out perfect. And I was so pleased that there was plenty of icing for all the cookies. Too many times I’ve made recipes and it seemed like they wanted to skimp on the icing.
Wow. These are just perfection! The cookies are soft but still firm, the cream cheese icing is sweet and rich without being too much and pairs perfectly with the pumpkin spice flavor. I ended up using regular fat cream cheese and its still delicious! It’s easier than I thought to make these I doubled the recipe and ended up with 77 cookies. I refrigerated these due to the frosting and you know what? People said it was better chilled! I agree, something about the frosting being cold just does something with the warm flavors. Thank you so much for this recipe!
These cookies are delicious! The husband and kids all loved them. Especially enjoyed them warm from the oven.
Is the brown sugar supposed to be tightly packed, loosely packed, or just loosely measured into a measuring cup? I guess I “moderately” packed it and my butter and sugars aren’t creaming. It looks like sugar cookie dough just with the butter and sugar.
Brown sugar should always be tightly packed. If your mixture isn’t getting creamy and fluffy just up the speed a bit and let it mix longer. You literally can’t over mix the wet ingredients, just make sure you don’t over mix once you add the dry
This is a great recipe. The cookies are very moist and fluffy!
I absolutely love these cookies! They are delicious and already made them multiple times. The smell inside the house while baking them is also amazing.
I am making these for the 2nd time in a week and a half. I am not a baker! My mom who is 91 and literally on her death bed says they are the best cookies she has ever eaten. Thank you for helping me give her a little joy. Everybody else loved them too!
Has anyone froze some of this cookie dough to use at a later time?
These are delicious. The cookies are melt in your mouth soft and the frosting is so creamy. I didn’t store them in the fridge, and the frosting stayed soft. They didn’t last long.
As well as a previous commenter, I put the frosting between two cookies to make a sandwich and they were great!! Almost like a little handheld bit of cake.
I would give this recipe 100/5 stars if I could. These cookies are the best dessert I’ve ever made, and I bake A LOT. They are moist and fluffy on the inside, just like a cloud. Perfect amount of pumpkin, spice, and sweetness but not too sweet. Amazing!!
Can I freeze these cookies, with or without the icing?
This recipe turned out fantastic!!!
The granddaughters loved them!!!
I used fresh pumpkin for the purée… that I had left over from making homemade fresh pumpkin pies
I loved it! Although, the cookies did seem a bit dry. If you’re going for a more moist pumpkin cookie, I recommend using a full 15 oz can. Other than that, very good cookies!
So easy to make and delicious to eat! My family absolutely loved them! (and so did I!) Not overly sweet like the store bought ones. I made the pumpkin spice recipe, just quick and easy and now nice to have on hand. Thanks for sharing ?
I am going to make these.
Followed the recipe exactly and they turned out perfect! Thank you!
Made 18 big cookies! Around 286 cal each with frosting. I used Philadelphia 1/3 fat cream cheese. Great recipe :)
So stinking good!! You won’t regret making these. Came out perfect, taste great and not hard to make.
These were delicious!
Hello,
Can you make this dough ahead and freeze it?
This is an amazing recipe, the cream cheese frosting is a MUST for these pumpkin cookies! They are soft, moist, and just plain delicious.
This recipe is excellent! The cookie is fluffy and cake-y. We chopped up some pecans and dipped the frosted cookies in the crumbs. This was a yummy addition if you like nuts. ?
These were super yummy and turned out 3 large cookie trays. My son said they were addicting. I cut the sugar a little because my family prefers less sweet treats, added a bit more pumpkin puree (because I used the whole can and that came in a little more than recipe asked for), and tossed in some super dark chocolate mini morsels. Turned out like soft but chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies that had the perfect balance of flavor and texture. The extra pumpkin make the batter runny, but If you make it this way, and like a chewy cookie, don’t be alarmed, they came out perfect. I did add a little salt because I used unsalted butter. I did not add the frosting because I went the chocolate chip cookie route. I will make these again. Thanks for this recipe. I plan to try the pumpkin scones next.
Also, almost forgot, I drizzled a little bit of honey on top of cookies when done and dusted with a confectioners sugar. But after tasting, not necessary.
I was going to try this recipe, but after reading the reviews, there were a lot of questions asked (which I had also), but none of them were answered! I would think that when you put a recipe up, you should check the reviews and ANSWER the questions that people have. Because of that, I am moving on to a different recipe
This recipe is amazing! I subbed maple instead of vanilla in the frosting and it was a fun twist. Also I followed another comment and made sandwiches with the frosting in the middle which was perfect and unique. Great recipe, thank you!
If I can make it right the first time and love it, it’s a success in my book.
I made these with roasted squash and they were divine!
Love these cookies. I make them each year in the fall and they are a big hit each time!
Excellent recipe! Made them today and they turned out perfect, exactly as described. The cream cheese icing was very light and fluffy – almost like whipped cream. I think I’ll use it on cupcakes or a cake next. Thanks!
I wish the number of carbs were posted. My son is Type 1 Diabeates
I made my cookies much bigger and they still turned out perfectly! I also add some chocolate chips and it was delicious!
This cookie is delicious!! it cooks very well and the cookie cooled of very quickly.
I thought these were good, but not great. Really more like a cake than a cookie. But they did have good flavor.
This were absolutely delicious! I had only half the pumpkin left over from a previous recipe. I ended up cutting everything in half, except for the egg. It make 2 dozen plus 2 extra cookie. Perfect amount for my small family. Thank you for sharing!
I tried This recipe & it was awful. The dough didn’t even turn into dough, there was no way I could Make cookies with that!! I had To throw it all away what a waste! No wonder she used a scoop to make cookies because you def don’t get a dough after following that recipe & I have Made homemade cookies before with no issues.
Hmmm, 50 5 star ratings and one 1 star. I made this recipe with absolutely no problem. Perhaps you measured wrong. Most people would consider that before going on a rant that just makes them look foolish🤷🏻♀️.
Delicious cookies. I’ll definitely make again.
How are these cookies stored
I would store them in a covered container in a single layer. I cooled my cookies completely before frosting them and let the frosting firm up a bit then layered them with wax paper. Not that they lasted long, they were gone in a day!
Just FYI, straight almond flour DO NOT WORK! I didn’t have any regular flour so I tried almond. Please don’t. I can’t speak to other flours but this basically made a sloppy mess so I made cake balls with it! :-D
I put in half a cup less powdered sugar in the icing and it was so good! I felt like it was eating a cheesecake cookie!
Can I use canola oil instead of butter?
Same question as a previous poster; how best to store these cookies? I want them to still be presentable/edible the day after tomorrow!
This recipe in wonderful! These cookies taste lovely, and the frosting tastes great with them! Thank you, these were a big hit with all of my friends at my Halloween Party!
Great recipe took awhile to make but loved the result.
I really loved this recipe! The only thing I changed was making my own pumpkin spice without using allspice because I didn’t have a premade/bought shaker of either :). This is probably my new my favorite kind of cookie of all time!! Thank you for sharing this recipe it with us.
Made them at the Senior Citizen Center. They loved them!
Easy to make and awesome taste.
I am making the cookies right now. I must say the batter is delicious! I can’t seen to find how long to bake. Can you send the time to me please?
Made my batch gluten free and it was delicious! Thank you for the recipe!
These sound delicious and will travel good. I’m definitely going to make them and take to family Thanksgiving dinner. Much easier than pie.
I made them a little smaller and ended up with 4 dozen, I enjoyed them unfrosted and used the cream cheese frosting on the other 3 dozen, I enjoyed them because not overly sweet!
These cookies were great! I read that some people were saying they were too cake-like, so I blotted the pumpkin filling with two paper towels to get rid of some of the excess water (which I read about online somewhere) but I left some of the moisture there or else I was afraid they would be too dry. They turned out perfect. And I was so pleased that there was plenty of icing for all the cookies. Too many times I’ve made recipes and it seemed like they wanted to skimp on the icing.
Just made these cookies and they are amazing. This cookie will be made often in our home. Thank you for the recipe.
Will the PUMPKIN SPICE COOKIES WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING FReeze well?
How many oz of pumpkin puree should I use? Cans of pumpkin puree come in several sizes in stores. Thanks!
Wow. These are just perfection! The cookies are soft but still firm, the cream cheese icing is sweet and rich without being too much and pairs perfectly with the pumpkin spice flavor. I ended up using regular fat cream cheese and its still delicious! It’s easier than I thought to make these I doubled the recipe and ended up with 77 cookies. I refrigerated these due to the frosting and you know what? People said it was better chilled! I agree, something about the frosting being cold just does something with the warm flavors. Thank you so much for this recipe!