Tasty Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Icing

Fall baking has always been my favorite time of year in the kitchen. I love the smell of cinnamon and nutmeg filling the house, and there’s something about pumpkin recipes that just makes everything feel cozy. But I’ll be honest – I’m not always in the mood for another slice of pumpkin pie or a heavy pumpkin bread.

That’s where these pumpkin cookies come in. They give you all those warm fall flavors in a soft, chewy cookie that’s perfect with a cup of coffee or packed in a lunchbox. The cream cheese icing takes them from good to great, but they’re still light enough that you won’t feel guilty having two. Or three.

Want something that tastes like fall but won’t leave you feeling too full? These are your answer. Plus, they’re way easier than rolling out pie dough, and the kids can actually help without making a huge mess.

What Kind of Pumpkin Puree Should I Use?

You can use either fresh or canned pumpkin puree for these cookies, and both will give you great results. If you’re going the canned route, make sure you’re buying plain pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling, which already has spices and sugar added. Fresh pumpkin puree works wonderfully too, but it can be a bit more work since you’ll need to roast and puree your own pumpkin. When using fresh puree, just make sure to drain any excess moisture by letting it sit in a fine-mesh strainer for about 15 minutes before using. Either way, your cookies will turn out soft and full of that cozy pumpkin flavor we all love.

Options for Substitutions

These soft pumpkin cookies are pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you need to make changes:

• Pumpkin puree: If you’re out of pumpkin puree, you can substitute with sweet potato puree or butternut squash puree. Just make sure it’s smooth and not watery – drain any excess liquid if needed.
• Pumpkin pie spice: Don’t have pumpkin pie spice? Mix together 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, and 1/8 teaspoon cloves to make your own blend.
• Brown sugar: You can use all granulated sugar if that’s what you have, but the cookies will be a bit less chewy. For every cup of brown sugar, use 1 cup granulated sugar plus 1 tablespoon molasses if you want that rich flavor back.
• Maple syrup in cookies: The maple syrup adds moisture and flavor, but you can swap it with milk, orange juice, or even vanilla extract if that’s what you have on hand.
• Cream cheese icing: If you want to skip the cream cheese frosting, a simple powdered sugar glaze works great too. Just mix powdered sugar with a little milk and vanilla until smooth.
• Maple syrup in icing: For the frosting, you can replace the maple syrup with honey, vanilla extract, or just add a bit more powdered sugar and milk to reach your desired consistency.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making pumpkin cookies is using cold ingredients, which can lead to dense, tough cookies that don’t spread properly – make sure your butter, egg, and cream cheese are all at room temperature before you start mixing. Another common error is overmixing the dough once you add the flour, which develops too much gluten and creates chewy cookies instead of soft ones, so mix just until the ingredients are combined. Don’t skip draining your pumpkin puree if it seems watery, as excess moisture can make your cookies spread too much and turn out flat and greasy. For the cream cheese icing, resist the urge to add it while the cookies are still warm, as it will melt right off – let them cool completely first, and if your icing seems too thick, add maple syrup one teaspoon at a time until you reach the perfect consistency.

What to Serve With Pumpkin Cookies?

These soft pumpkin cookies are perfect alongside a warm cup of coffee or spiced chai tea, especially on a cozy fall afternoon. I love serving them with a glass of cold milk for dunking, or you can pair them with hot apple cider for the ultimate autumn treat. They also make a great addition to any fall dessert spread alongside caramel apples or vanilla ice cream. For something a little different, try crumbling them over plain Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey for a simple breakfast or snack.

Storage Instructions

Store: These pumpkin cookies with cream cheese icing stay soft and delicious when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The cream cheese icing needs to be kept cold, so don’t leave them out on the counter for more than a couple hours. I like to layer them between parchment paper to keep the icing from sticking.

Freeze: You can freeze the cookies without the icing for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. Just let them thaw completely at room temperature, then add the cream cheese icing right before serving. The iced cookies don’t freeze as well since the cream cheese can get a bit watery when thawed.

Make Ahead: These cookies are perfect for making ahead! You can bake the cookies up to 2 days before you need them and store them covered at room temperature. Then just whip up the cream cheese icing and spread it on when you’re ready to serve. The icing only takes a few minutes to make fresh.

Preparation Time	20-30 minutes
Cooking Time	14-15 minutes
Total Time	34-45 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3450-3650
• Protein: 35-40 g
• Fat: 135-145 g
• Carbohydrates: 515-540 g

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar, or light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 tsp maple syrup, milk, or orange juice
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

For the icing:

• 3 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

Step 1: Blot the Pumpkin Puree

• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)

Place the pumpkin puree in a bowl lined with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.

Gently blot to remove excess moisture, but do not squeeze it dry.

You should have between 1 1/3 and 1 1/2 cups of pumpkin after blotting.

Set aside until later in the recipe or refrigerate, covered, if preparing in advance.

Step 2: Prepare Dry Mixture and Baking Sheets

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger

Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C).

Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, ground cinnamon, and ground ginger until evenly combined.

Set this dry mixture aside.

Step 3: Make the Wet Mixture

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar, or light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 tsp maple syrup, milk, or orange juice
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• blotted pumpkin puree (from Step 1)

Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the 3/4 cup of room-temperature unsalted butter together with the brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Add the egg and mix on high until just combined, about 1 minute, scraping down the bowl as necessary.

Then add the maple syrup (or milk or orange juice), vanilla extract, and the blotted pumpkin puree from Step 1.

Mix on high until fully combined—the mixture may look a little curdled and that’s perfectly fine.

Step 4: Combine and Bake Cookies

• wet mixture (from Step 3)
• dry mixture (from Step 2)

Add the dry mixture from Step 2 to the wet mixture from Step 3.

Mix on low speed until a thick and sticky dough forms.

Scoop or roll about 1.5 tablespoons of dough per cookie and place them about 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 14-15 minutes, or until the edges appear set and the centers look soft.

Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

I like to let the cookies cool for a long time, as their flavor improves even more by the second day!

Step 5: Make the Maple Cream Cheese Icing

• 3 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

In a medium bowl, using a handheld mixer or stand mixer with paddle or whisk attachment, beat the softened cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy.

Add 2 tablespoons of softened unsalted butter and mix until well combined.

Add the powdered sugar, maple syrup, and ground cinnamon, then beat on low until the icing is smooth and creamy.

Taste and add more cinnamon if you like.

For extra flavor, I sometimes drizzle a little extra maple syrup on top just before serving.

Step 6: Ice and Serve the Cookies

• baked cookies (from Step 4)
• maple cream cheese icing (from Step 5)

Once the cookies from Step 4 have completely cooled, dip the tops into the maple cream cheese icing from Step 5 or spread the icing on with a knife.

Let the icing set before serving.

If you have leftovers, cover the iced cookies tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to a week.

Enjoy!