Pumpkin Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Delight in these soft and flavorful Pumpkin Sugar Cookies topped with a rich cream cheese frosting. Perfectly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, these fall-inspired cookies blend the sweetness of pumpkin puree with a tender sugar cookie base. Easy to make and ideal for autumn gatherings or a cozy treat.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: About 18 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup pumpkin puree (100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture is light, fluffy, and well incorporated, about 2–3 minutes.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Mix in the pumpkin puree, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until fully combined into a smooth batter.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to evenly distribute the spices and leavening agents.
- Mix Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir until just combined—taking care not to overmix to ensure tender cookies.
- Shape Cookies: Use a tablespoon or cookie scoop to drop dough evenly spaced onto the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 10–12 minutes or until edges are set and the tops no longer appear wet.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Frosting: While cookies cool, beat together softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt, then beat again until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- Frost Cookies: Once cookies are completely cooled, generously frost each cookie with the cream cheese frosting.
Notes
- Do not overmix the dough when adding the flour to keep the cookies soft and tender.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
- Always use pure pumpkin puree, not the sweeter pumpkin pie filling.
- For added depth, add a pinch of nutmeg to the frosting as well.
- Store frosted cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Keywords: pumpkin cookies, sugar cookies, cream cheese frosting, fall dessert, pumpkin sugar cookies
