Soft, tender pumpkin cookies topped with tangy cream cheese frosting. No chill required, and the frosting sets firm so they stack and travel well.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword soft frosted pumpkin cookies
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 14 minutesminutes
Total Time 39 minutesminutes
Servings 30cookies
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cookies
2 ½cupsall-purpose flourspooned and leveled
1teaspoonbaking powder
1teaspoonbaking soda
1tablespoonpumpkin pie spice
½teaspoonground cinnamon
½teaspoonsalt
¾cupunsalted buttersoftened
¾cupgranulated sugar
½cuplight brown sugarpacked
1 ¼cupscanned pumpkin pureenot pie filling, blotted
1largeeggroom temperature
1teaspoonvanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
8ouncesblock-style cream cheesesoftened but cool
¼cupunsalted buttersoftened but cool
1teaspoonvanilla extract
1 ¾cupsconfectioners' sugarsifted
ground cinnamonfor sprinkling
Instructions
Make the Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt.
Press the canned pumpkin between a few layers of paper towel to blot out excess water.
Beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla, and mix until combined.
Add the flour mixture and mix just until combined. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
Scoop heaping tablespoons onto the sheets about 2 inches apart, then gently press each mound to flatten the top.
Bake 13 to 15 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops are soft. Cool on the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Make the Frosting
Beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high until smooth, about 30 seconds.
Add the vanilla and sifted confectioners' sugar and mix just until smooth and thick, about 30 more seconds.
Frost the fully cooled cookies with an offset spatula and finish with a light sprinkle of cinnamon.
Notes
Blot the pumpkin: Removing excess water keeps the cookies soft instead of spongy.
Keep cream cheese cool: Softened but still cool, or the frosting will turn runny.
Cool completely before frosting: Warm cookies melt the frosting.
Storage: Refrigerate frosted cookies in an airtight container up to 5 days.