Super Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
If you’re searching for the best pumpkin cookies recipe, this is it. These cookies are soft, perfectly spiced, and topped with rich cream cheese frosting (or icing) that makes them melt in your mouth.
We make them every year, and they’ve even gone viral on Pinterest and Instagram for good reason! My friends beg for the recipe because they love that the cookie dough comes together quickly — no chilling required.
One reader, Meghann, commented: Absolutely delicious and easy to make! These were a hit for our Halloween party, and I look forward to making them again for Thanksgiving!” ★★★★★
Fall desserts are here and I couldn’t be happier! I’ve been perfecting cookie recipes for years, and these these are some of my favorite, alongside brown sugar pop tart cookies. They’re like perfect little pumpkin muffin tops in cookie form with a cream cheese icing.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
These soft pumpkin cookies are thick, cakey, and filled with warm pumpkin spice flavor. Just mix, scoop, and bake! Top them with cream cheese frosting for the full melt-in-your-mouth experience.
- Melt-in-your-mouth texture: Soft and cakey, like a pumpkin muffin top!
- Easy & quick: One bowl and no chill time required.
- Full of pumpkin flavor: Real pumpkin + warm spices = the ultimate fall cookie.
- Perfectly frosted: The cream cheese icing adds a rich, tangy balance to the sweet cookies.
- Freezer-friendly and perfect for make-ahead baking.
My Top Tips Before You Bake
Blot the pumpkin puree: Pumpkin holds a lot of water, which can make cookies cakey. Lay paper towels on a plate, spread the puree on top, and blot until some of the liquid is absorbed.
Don’t skip room temperature ingredients: Softened butter and cream cheese whip up smooth and creamy, while a room-temp egg blends seamlessly into the dough.
Cool completely before frosting: If the cookies are even slightly warm, the cream cheese frosting will melt and slide off. Patience pays off with picture-perfect frosted cookies.
Love pumpkin recipes? Try pumpkin snickerdoodle cobbler, pumpkin cinnamon rolls, or pumpkin pudding cookies next.
Key Ingredients
- Pumpkin puree: Blot it with paper towels to remove excess moisture for the best texture.
- Butter + sugar: Creamed together for a fluffy cookie base.
- Pumpkin pie spice + cinnamon: Warm fall flavors in every bite.
- Cream cheese frosting: Tangy, creamy, and balances the sweetness.
How to Make Pumpkin Cookies
- Cream the butter and sugar: Beat butter in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, then add the sugar and beat again for 1-2 more minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add the spices: Add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice and beat until well combined.
- Wet ingredients: Add one egg and the vanilla then beat well, until no yellow streaks remain. Mix in the pumpkin until it’s combined.
- Dry ingredients: Beat in the flour on medium speed until completely incorporated. The dough will be wet, this is what you want!
- Scoop and and bake: Use a heaping tablespoon or medium cookie scoop to drop dough balls a few inches apart on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the tops are set and no longer look wet.
- Frost: Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Frost cooled cookies. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon and enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- Make them without frosting – They’re just as delicious plain!
- Add mix-ins – Fold in chocolate chips, chopped pecans, or walnuts for extra texture.
- Don’t overbake – The cookies should be just set and lightly golden on the edges.
Do you love frosted cookies? Out of all of my cookie recipes, I absolutely love these eggnog cookies and Taylor Swift chai cookies.
Storage & Freezing
Storage: Keep frosted cookies in an airtight container in the fridge up to 5 days.
Freeze baked cookies: Freeze unfrosted cookies for up to 3 months; thaw and frost before serving.
Freeze cookie dough: Drop the dough on a sheet pan and flash freeze until solid. Store in an air tight container. You can bake from frozen, just add 1-2 minutes to the bake time.
Soft Pumpkin Cookies
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Ingredients
Pumpkin Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree blotted dry with paper towels
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer, or bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium-high speed for 1 minute. Add sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice and beat until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.1 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- Add the egg and vanilla then beat well, until no yellow streaks remain. Add the pumpkin pure and beat again until incorporated. With the mixer running on low, add the flour turn up to medium speed until completely incorporated. The dough will be slightly wet.1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cup canned pumpkin puree, 2 cups all-purpose flour
- Use a heaping tablespoon or medium cookie scoop to drop the cookie dough balls a few inches apart on prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until tops are set and no longer look wet. Allow to cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the frosting, beat together the softened butter and cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth and all of the lumps are gone. Sift in the powdered sugar then add the vanilla. Beat until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Frost cooled cookies with cream cheese frosting.1/2 cup unsalted butter, 8 ounces cream cheese, 3 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Notes
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
FAQs
Yes! Bake and cool, then store unfrosted cookies in an airtight container for up 5 days. Add frosting before serving for the best texture.
If they’re frosted with cream cheese icing, yes. Store them in the fridge for food safety and best texture.
Likely due to too much moisture in the pumpkin puree! Always blot your pumpkin before mixing to prevent excess liquid.
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I went to make a half batch of these cookies per instructions. The first ingredient is .5 cup (2 sticks)……the correct amount should read (1 stick).
Hey Connie! The way the tech works on the back end doesn’t let me update the parenthesis so if you change the serving size that portion doesn’t change. I’ll work on this, thanks!
Thank you for this recipe – we love it! Since finding it a few months ago I’ve made it multiple times and everyone loves them – especially my husband. I add chopped walnuts which is a nice addition. In my oven I bake the cookies for exactly 13 minutes and they come out great every time. Thanks again – have some in the oven right now! 🙂
These were the bomb.com. Thank you for sharing!
By far my most favorite cookie recipe ever!!
Love this recipe! I’m bringing these cookies to a Thanksgiving party..
Thanks so much!
Can the dough be frozen before baking?
Yes! You may just need to add a few minutes to the bake time.
These are amazing!!! I’ve even made them for my celiac sons and they love them! Making for thanksgiving!
Thanks!