Description
Delight in these soft and flavorful Pumpkin Cookies topped with a luscious Cream Cheese Frosting. Perfectly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves, these cookies offer a cozy fall treat that’s moist and tender, ideal for sharing or enjoying with a cup of tea.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 2 cups (284g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 10 Tbsp (140g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (160g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (110g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup (243g) canned pumpkin
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 5 Tbsp (70g) unsalted butter, nearly at room temperature
- 4 oz cream cheese, nearly at room temperature
- 2 cups (248g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two 18 by 13-inch baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper for easy cookie removal.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves for 20 seconds. Set this dry mixture aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar together until the mixture is well combined and creamy.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg until incorporated, then blend in the canned pumpkin and vanilla extract until smooth and fully mixed.
- Combine with Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined to avoid overworking the dough.
- Shape Cookies: Using a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop slightly heaping amounts of dough and drop them onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing each cookie about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake one sheet at a time in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, or until the cookies are set around the edges but still soft in the center.
- Cool Cookies: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for several minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make Cream Cheese Frosting: In a mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer to whip the butter and cream cheese together until smooth and fluffy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, then mix until fully combined and creamy.
- Frost Cookies: Once the cookies have completely cooled, spread or pipe the cream cheese frosting on top of each cookie.
- Store Properly: Store frosted cookies in a single layer in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring them to room temperature before serving for the best texture and flavor.
Notes
- Use canned pumpkin puree for best consistency; fresh pumpkin can be too watery.
- If you don’t have a cookie scoop, use a tablespoon and level it for portioning.
- For softer cookies, slightly underbake by one minute and allow to set on the baking sheet.
- Let cream cheese and butter reach room temperature before making frosting for a smooth texture.
- Store cookies in a single layer to prevent the frosting from smudging; stack only after frosting has set.
- The spices can be adjusted or replaced with pumpkin pie spice for convenience.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
