Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting are easy, super moist and a must add to your fall baking list. They will be a hit with everyone! 

Aside from the leaves, the cool weather, the comfort food, the pumpkin patch, my birthday and Halloween, one of my favorite parts of fall is that it is finally time for me to start enjoying all things pumpkin. From pumpkin soup to pumpkin cheesecake, to pumpkin martinis, I love it all. These  Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting to the list are also always a favorite.

Whether I am bringing them to a school party,  dropping them off with neighbors or giving the kids a snack after school, these cookies are a must make every fall.

What ingredients do you need?

The cookies are pretty standard when it comes to ingredients. You’ll need all of the basic cookie ingredients: flour, baking soda, sugar, eggs, salt and butter. In addition, you’ll need:

• PUMPKIN PIE SPICE: I like to use this because you won’t need a bunch of different seasonings. They are all in one handy place!
• PUMPKIN PUREE: Make sure that you use Pumpkin Puree and not pumpkin pie mix.

To make the cream cheese frosting you’ll need:

• CREAM CHEESE: Make sure it’s softened, it’ll be easier to blend that way.
• BUTTER: Use unsalted and make sure it is softened too.
• POWDERED SUGAR
• VANILLA EXTRACT

How do you make pumpkin cookies?

When it comes to pumpkin desserts, Pumpkin Cookies are right up there with Pumpkin Pie and Pumpkin Cake with Chocolate Ganache as one of my favorites. I will never turn down a perfectly baked pumpkin cookie. This pumpkin cookie recipe yields perfectly fluffy pumpkin cookies each and every time.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice.
3. Using a stand or hand held mixer, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in sifted flour mixture until well combined. Fold in pumpkin puree.
4. Drop tablespoonfuls of dough onto prepared baking sheet a couple of inches apart. Baking for 12 – 15 minutes or until cookies start to brown slightly on the edges. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.
5. While cookies are cooling, cream together the cream cheese and butter. Beat in vanilla. Add in 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar and beat until it is a stiff spreadable mixture. Add more powdered sugar if necessary. Frost cookies. Sprinkle with cinnamon

DES TIP: The batter for these cookies will be a little wet so you aren’t going to want to handle it very much. Instead, to make sure that all of the cookies are the same size, I recommend using a cookie scoop.

Cream cheese and pumpkin just go so well together. Don’t believe me? Try these cookies AND my Pumpkin Cake with Amaretto Cream Cheese Frosting. You’ll be convinced for sure.

Just make sure you give the cookies a chance to cool before topping them with frosting. I know it will be hard, but you can do it!

If there are any leftovers, and I know it’s a big IF, you’re going to want to store them in an airtight container the refrigerator.

Note: Originally posted in 2011, updated 2021.