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A pumpkin spice cookie topped with cream cheese frosting on a brown plate

Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

These pumpkin cookies will satisfy even the biggest pumpkin spice cravings. You’ll love them for their soft, cake-like texture, rich pumpkin spice flavor, and the tangy cream cheese frosting on top.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Frosting 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 16 cookies

Ingredients
  

Cookies

  • 1 cup canned pumpkin
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 8 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup confectioners sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
  • pinch of salt

Instructions
 

Cookies

  • Prep the pans: Preheat the oven to 350 ℉ and line two baking sheets with silicone mat or parchment paper.
  • Bloom the spices: In a medium pot, cook the pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes until the spices smell fragrant.
  • Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
  • Add Pumpkin, Egg, Vanilla: Mix in the cooled pumpkin until well combined. Then, add in the egg and vanilla.
  • Stir in leavening agents and flour: Sprinkle the baking soda and baking powder over the batter and mix well. Gradually add the flour, mixing slowly until all the flour is fully incorporated.
  • Scoop the Cookies: Using a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop or a scant 1/4 cup, place two inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
  • Bake: Bake the cookies for 18-20 minutes. The cookies should spring back when lightly pressed in the center. Let them cool on the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooking rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Mix it Up: Using a hand mixer, stand mixer, or food processor, mix all the frosting ingredients together until smooth. Scrapping down the sides as needed.
  • Frost the Cookies: Use about 1/2 tablespoon of frosting to lightly frost the cooled cookies.

Notes

  • Make sure you use canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling
  • Store bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice will work
  • Store frosted cookies in a single layer in the fridge covered in an airtight container
  • Unfrosted cookies can be frozen for up to three months