Nothing welcomes fall like baking a batch of soft Pumpkin Spice Cookies! These easy pumpkin cookies are topped with an incredible homemade cream cheese frosting.
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These super soft pumpkin cookies are the pumpkin cookie recipe that you need in your life.
They’re packed with flavor, topped with a cream cheese frosting that will rock your world, and they actually get better a few days after baking.
What Kind of Pumpkin Do You Use For Cookies?
I recommend the classic pure solid-packed canned pumpkin from the grocery store. It’s super affordable, easy to use, and has a consistent texture that lets you duplicate the same results each time.
If you’re feeling adventurous, check out my post on Canning Pumpkin like a cool kid. You can also find instructions on how to freeze pumpkin here.
If you’re not up for canning, Katie over at Hey Nutrition Lady has an awesome post on homemade pumpkin puree.
Here’s How to Make Pumpkin Spice Cookies
*Printable detailed instructions and ingredient measurements are available in the printable recipe card below.
In a stand mixer,(or a deep bowl with a handheld mixer) cream together the butter, sugar, eggs, and pumpkin.
Add in the vanilla (try homemade) and then the dry ingredients. Mix until combined.
Drop dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake and cool completely.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- The dough for these soft pumpkin cookies will be fairly sticky. Resist the urge to keep adding more flour. Use either a cookie scoop or a large spoon to drop the dough onto the baking sheet.
- The cookies will be very very soft until completely cooled. Be patient and wait until they are fully cooled before frosting.
- If you run out of powdered sugar, check out my tutorial on how to make powdered sugar at home.
- Make sure the butter, cream cheese, and eggs are at room temperature before mixing. Don’t have time for that? Microwave the butter and cream cheese in 10 seconds increments until softened. Place eggs (in the shell) in a small bowl of warm water for 5 minutes.
- Throw 1/2 cup of chocolate chips into the batter and go live your best life!
- Store finished cookies in an air-tight container in the fridge. If you need to stack the cookies in the container, place a piece of parchment between the layers. Check out my tips on how to soften cookies should yours get left out for too long.
- Here is the most awesome part about these pumpkin cookies…they are even better the next day.
Other Dessert Recipes You’ll Love
Pumpkin Spice Cookies
Nothing welcomes fall like baking a batch of soft pumpkin spice cookies! These easy pumpkin cookies are topped with an incredible homemade cream cheese frosting.
Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
Making the Cookies
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, eggs, and pumpkin on medium speed.
1 cup butter, 1 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 2 cups pumpkin puree
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Combine the dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and stir to combine.
4 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp cinnamon, 2 tsp baking powder, 2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt
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Slow the mixer down to the lowest level and add in the vanilla and then the dry ingredients. Mix until combined.
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
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Using a cookie scoop, drop dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
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Bake for 12 minutes. Allow to fully cool before frosting.
Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
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In a stand mixer cream together room temperature butter and cream cheese using medium speed until light and fluffy (~3 minutes).
3 oz cream cheese, 2 tbsp butter
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Slowly add in the powdered sugar, orange zest, and vanilla and mix until combined.
1 tbsp orange zest, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
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Frost your cooled and amazing cookies!
- The dough for these soft pumpkin cookies will be fairly sticky. Resist the urge to keep adding more flour.
- The cookies will be very soft until completely cooled. Be patient and do wait until they are fully cooled before frosting.
- A previous version of this recipe called for 4 cups of whole-wheat pastry flour and 1 tbsp of vital wheat gluten. It has been converted to using all-purpose flour, but the whole wheat version is still delicious!
Nutrition Facts
Pumpkin Spice Cookies
Amount Per Serving (1 cookie)
Calories 297
Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Cholesterol 53mg18%
Sodium 250mg11%
Potassium 225mg6%
Carbohydrates 40g13%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 18g20%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 4680IU94%
Vitamin C 1.6mg2%
Calcium 54mg5%
Iron 1.5mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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