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:

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1 large egg, room temperature (for better incorporation into dough)
• 2 tsp maple syrup (or milk or orange juice)
• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (I use Libby’s canned pumpkin)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (freshly ground preferred)
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (softened for easy creaming)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3 cups all-purpose flour (I prefer King Arthur all-purpose)

For the icing:

• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar (sifted to remove lumps)
• 3 oz cream cheese, softened (brings out creaminess and tang)

Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place and Preheat Oven

• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree

Start by blotting the pumpkin puree with paper towels to remove excess moisture—this prevents the cookies from becoming too dense and cakey.

While blotting, preheat your oven to 350°F and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.

Having everything ready before you start mixing ensures you can move quickly once the dough is prepared and ready to bake.

Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients

• 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

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and ginger until evenly combined.

This step ensures the leavening agents and spices are distributed throughout the flour, which will create a more consistent rise and flavor in every cookie.

Set this dry mixture aside.

Step 3: Cream Butter and Sugars

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar

In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together for about 2 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.

This creaming process incorporates air into the dough, which helps the cookies rise and develop a tender crumb.

The mixture should look pale and slightly increased in volume when finished.

Step 4: Build Cookie Dough

• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 tsp maple syrup
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• dry ingredient mixture from Step 2

Add the room-temperature egg to the creamed butter mixture and beat for about 1 minute until fully incorporated.

Add the maple syrup, vanilla extract, and blotted pumpkin puree, mixing until everything is well combined and smooth.

I like to use maple syrup here instead of just milk because it adds subtle depth and complements the pumpkin beautifully.

Now gently fold in the dry ingredient mixture from Step 2 until just combined—avoid overmixing, as this can lead to tough cookies.

The dough should come together without any visible streaks of flour.

Step 5: Scoop and Bake Cookies

• cookie dough from Step 4

Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop rounded portions of dough onto your prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 14-15 minutes until the edges are set and the centers are just barely firm to the touch—the cookies will continue to cook slightly as they cool.

The cookies should have a tender crumb, not a cakey texture, so don’t overbake.

Step 6: Cool Cookies

Allow the baked cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes—this initial cooling period lets them set enough to handle without falling apart.

Then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before icing.

I find that starting them on the sheet helps prevent them from breaking apart, which is especially important with pumpkin cookies since they’re more delicate than regular sugar cookies.

Step 7: Prepare Cream Cheese Icing and Finish

• 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
• cooled cookies from Step 6

While the cookies cool, prepare the icing by beating the softened cream cheese in a bowl until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.

Add the softened butter and beat until well combined, then add the sifted powdered sugar, maple syrup, and cinnamon, beating until you reach a smooth, spreadable consistency.

Once the cookies are completely cooled, spread or pipe the icing onto each cookie.

The contrast of the warm spice in the cookie with the cool, tangy cream cheese icing is what makes these cookies truly special.