These pumpkin spice cookies with cream cheese frosting are my second most popular cookie recipe. They’re soft, dense, spiced, and loaded with cream cheese frosting. This cookie brings so many things about a baked good that I love into one cookie. It is FABULOUS. And trust me, it will be a crowd pleaser, because there really isn’t anything not to love! You can top them with icing or you can even fill two cookies with icing to make whoopie pies. So delicious either way!
What you need for pumpkin spice cookies with cream cheese frosting + substitutions:
- Unsalted butter- You can use salted butter as well if that’s what you have! Just decrease the salt in the recipe to 1/2 tsp instead of 3/4 tsp.
- Brown sugar- Brown sugar gives it that caramel note and adds the perfect sweetness as well as giving them that deep rich brown color. You can use light or dark. I used light!
- Granulated sugar- You can use white sugar, cane sugar, whatever you prefer. I haven’t tested coconut sugar.
- Egg- The egg helps to bind the recipe and really help give it taste and texture. Make sure these are room temperature as well (on the counter for at least an hour) to help the recipe bind together better.
- Canned pumpkin- Canned pumpkin makes these cookies so soft and delicious. It obviously adds the pumpkin flavor as well. Make sure you buy pure canned pumpkin. You don’t want to get pumpkin pie mix, although it would still be delicious.
- Vanilla extract- No baked good recipe is complete without vanilla extract in my opinion. It’s key!
- All-purpose flour– I typically bake with all-purpose flour. Almond and coconut flour do not have the same measurements so they will not work in this recipe. However, gluten-free 1:1 all-purpose flour should work just fine. Make sure to find one with xantham gum, I love Bob’s Red Mill, but any should do.
- Sea salt- Salt is key in a baked good, because it really helps to bring out the flavor!
- Baking powder- Helps to inflate the cookies!
- Baking soda- Helps to produce a light and fluffy and perfectly cooked funfetti cookie.
Tips for making:
- Make sure not to overbake the pumpkin spice cookies- They bake pretty quickly and puff up fast! They have more of a dense cake consistency than a regular cookie so you want them to be puffy and soft but a little soft to touch in the middle.
- Let them cool completely before frosting- If the cookies are still warm, the frosting will melt all over them and won’t turn out as pretty!
- Refrigerate the dough- I know this is always the worst, but it really makes a difference. It’s easier to scoop out the dough and also helps the flavor to develop in the cookie!
- If you don’t love cream cheese frosting, you can always substitute with my buttercream frosting!
If you love these, you may also love:
- Fluffy Lemon Poppyseed Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Soft Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Funfetti Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Alright, let’s get to making the recipe! Enjoy friends!
Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
These pumpkin spice cookies with cream cheese frosting are my second most popular cookie recipe. They're soft, dense, spiced, and loaded with cream cheese frosting. This cookie brings so many things about a baked good that I love into one cookie. It is FABULOUS. And trust me, it will be a crowd pleaser, because there really isn't anything not to love! You can top them with icing or you can even fill two cookies with icing to make whoopie pies. So delicious either way!
Servings: 16
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup brown sugar light or dark
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1 cup pure canned pumpkin
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour spoon & leveled
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¾ tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
For the Frosting:
- 2 cups powdered sugar packed
- 4 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of sea salt
For Topping:
- cinnamon to sprinkle
Instructions
For the Cookies:
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add in the pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- Next, add in the flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, sea salt, baking powder, baking soda and mix until you get a soft dough.
- The batter will be very soft so the best thing to do here is refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes to harden up first to make it easier to scoop.
- When you’re ready, scoop dough onto a lined baking sheet (either parchment paper or a silpat). I love using a cookie scooper because I find it easier to use. You can also just scoop out with a big spoon. Make sure to give them space because they will spread a good amount.
- I made 16 cookies this time around. You can make yours larger or smaller! Just adjust your cook time.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes. You want the tops set but soft. They’ll continue to cook when you take them out so don’t over bake! Mine too about 15 minutes.
- Once done, cool on the baking sheet for about 5-10 minutes and then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Frosting:
- Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl cream together the butter, cream cheese and vanilla extract.
- Add in the powdered sugar and sea salt and mix until well combined. Set aside.
To assemble Cookies:
- Once cookies are completely cooled, spread icing on top of the cookies. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Or if you'd like to do whoopie pies, fill the inside of one cookie with icing and top with another cookie! Enjoy!
Notes
For Storing: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Best enjoyed thawed at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before eating.
For Freezing: Freeze cookies fully cooked and frosted in a freezer bag! You can store in the fridge first so the icing hardens and then store right in the freezer! Lasts for about 3 months and actually delicious straight from the freezer!
Incredibly yummy looking
Thank you!!
These look fabulous and I will be making them this weekend! Do you use salted or unsalted butter in the recipe?
Oh wonderful, I hope you enjoyed them! I use unsalted but both should work. Thank you for pointing that out! I fixed it in the recipe 🙂
Very nice and tasty looking cookies. Thanks for the recipe.
Thank you so much!
Made these this weekend and they were a huge hit in my house! So delicious!
Yay, I’m so happy to hear that! One of my favorites as well!
What kind of pumpkin purée do you use?
Hi there! Sorry I fixed it in the description to clarify but I use pure canned pumpkin!
In the description you mention mix egg- but no egg is mentioned in the ingredients
How many eggs??
Hi Leila! It may seem hidden but it does say 1 egg in the ingredient list 🙂
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