I’m thrilled to share my Soft Pumpkin Cookies With Cream Cheese Icing recipe that turns a handful of pantry staples into a surprisingly simple fall bake you’ll be eager to try.

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I bake these every fall because they come out pillowy soft and honestly, they just melt in your mouth. I top them with tangy cream cheese that cuts the sweetness and makes each bite addictive, its little tang keeps you going back for more.

Think Pumpkin And Cream Cheese Cookies but even softer, almost unreal, and they make great Fall Cream Cheese Desserts when company drops by. I usually reach for pumpkin purée and a block of cream cheese, that’s my lazy hack, it always works.

You won’t expect how light they are until you break one open, then you get it.

Ingredients

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Pumpkin purée: Adds moisture, fiber and vitamin A, mild sweetness, helps make cookies soft.
Unsalted butter: Provides rich fat, flavour and tender crumb, lots of calories though.
Cream cheese: Adds tangy, creamy frosting, some protein, high in fat and calories.
Brown sugar: Gives caramel sweetness and chew, adds moisture via molasses, dont overdo it.
All-purpose flour: Main structure, lots of carbs, not much fiber or protein by itself.
Pumpkin pie spice: Warm spice mix, little nutrition but big flavor, makes cookies cozy.
Granulated sugar: Pure sweetener, adds crisp edges sometimes, no nutrients just empty carbs.
Egg: Binds ingredients, adds protein and moisture, helps structure and richness.
Cornstarch: Lightens dough makes cookies tender and soft, very little nutrition.

Ingredient Quantities

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin purée

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

8 ounces cream cheese softened

4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch fine salt

1 to 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream optional

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat, rack in the middle of the oven.

2. Whisk together 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon fine salt and 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice in a bowl — set aside.

3. In a large bowl beat 1 cup (2 sticks) softened unsalted butter with 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 cup canned pumpkin purée, 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix until combined, scraping the bowl as needed.

4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet on low speed or fold by hand until just combined, do not overmix or cookies will be tough. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky.

5. Scoop dough by heaping tablespoons or a medium cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons) onto prepared sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. If the dough is too soft to shape, chill 15 to 30 minutes. Gently flatten each mound slightly with your palm or the bottom of a glass so they bake evenly.

6. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until edges are set and centers still look a little soft — they’ll firm up as they cool. Don’t overbake or they’ll dry out. Let cookies cool on the sheet 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

7. Make the cream cheese frosting while cookies cool: beat 8 ounces softened cream cheese with 4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter until smooth. Add 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of fine salt and beat until creamy. If the frosting is too thick add 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until spreadable.

8. Spread or pipe the frosting onto completely cooled cookies. If the frosting softens too much, pop the tray in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes to set before stacking.

9. Store finished cookies in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days, bring to room temp before serving. Unfrosted cookies freeze well for up to 2 months; freeze flat on a tray then transfer to a freezer bag.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven with rack set to middle (preheat to 350 F 175 C), dont forget to let it fully heat
2. Two rimmed baking sheets plus parchment paper or silicone baking mats
3. One large mixing bowl and one medium bowl for dry ingredients
4. Electric mixer or hand mixer (or a sturdy whisk if you want the workout)
5. Measuring cups and spoons, and a kitchen scale if you have one
6. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for scraping and folding
7. Medium cookie scoop or a tablespoon and a small plate to gently flatten dough balls
8. Wire cooling rack and an airtight container for storage

FAQ

Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned? Yes, you can. Roast and puree the pumpkin, then cook it down if it seems watery so it matches the thickness of canned puree. Measure the same amount (1 cup) after it cools. If it still seems thin, squeeze out a little moisture or simmer briefly to thicken, otherwise the dough may be too loose.

How do I keep the cookies soft and not dry? Dont overbake them. Pull cookies when edges are set but centers still look a little soft. Let them cool on the tray for a few minutes before moving to a rack. Store in an airtight container with a slice of bread or a piece of apple to help retain moisture.

Can I freeze the dough, baked cookies, or frosting? Yes. Freeze cookie dough balls on a tray until firm, then transfer to a bag for up to 3 months; bake from frozen, adding a minute or two. Baked unfrosted cookies freeze well up to 2 months. Frosting freezes for about 1 month, thaw and rewhip before using.

My cream cheese frosting is too runny, how do I fix it? Chill the frosting for 15 to 30 minutes to firm up, or add more powdered sugar a little at a time until it thickens. If it is too stiff, stir in 1 tablespoon of milk or cream at a time until you reach spreadable consistency. Make sure cream cheese was fully chilled and not warm when you started.

Can I make these without eggs or dairy? Yes with swaps. For an egg free version use a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoons water, let sit 5 minutes). For dairy free use vegan butter and dairy free cream cheese. Texture will change a bit, they might be slightly less rich but still tasty.

How do I get cookies to bake evenly and look nice? Use a cookie scoop for uniform sizes, roll slightly to smooth tops, and chill scooped dough for 15 minutes if it feels very soft. Space them evenly on the sheet and rotate the pan halfway through baking if your oven has hot spots.

Soft Pumpkin Cookies With Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour (2 1/4 cups): swap with whole wheat pastry flour 1:1 for a nuttier, slightly denser cookie, it’ll still be soft but maybe a hair heavier. Or use a gluten free 1:1 baking blend (with xanthan gum included) same amount, no other change.
Pumpkin purée (1 cup): use mashed roasted butternut squash or cooked sweet potato 1:1, just cool and drain any excess water first so the dough doesnt get too wet.
Unsalted butter (1 cup / 2 sticks): use salted butter 1:1, and reduce the recipe salt by about 1/4 teaspoon. For a dairy free option use a vegan stick butter 1:1, keep it softened like the recipe says.
Cream cheese (8 ounces) for the frosting: swap with mascarpone 1:1 for a milder, silkier frosting, or use well strained full fat Greek yogurt (about equal weight) but the frosting will be tangier and you might need to chill it to firm up.

Pro Tips

1) Measure flour the right way. Spoon it into your cup and level it off or better yet use a scale. Too much flour makes these dense and dry, and a little cornstarch helps keep them tender so don’t skip that part.

2) Chill the dough if it’s too soft. Cold dough spreads less and gives you taller, chewier cookies. If you chill longer than 30 minutes add a minute or two to the bake time, and always gently flatten the scooped mounds so they bake evenly.

3) Keep the cream cheese and butter truly soft but not warm. If either is too cold you get lumps, if too warm the frosting will be soupy. Beat until silky, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time if needed, and if it gets too soft pop it in the fridge 10 minutes before piping or spreading.

4) Storing and freezing hacks. Freeze unfrosted cookies flat on a tray then bag them, they thaw faster and stay fresher. For frosted cookies layer with parchment between them and refrigerate up to 4 days, but bring to room temp before serving so the flavors come back alive.

Soft Pumpkin Cookies With Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Recipe by Nicky Smith

0.0 from 0 votes

I’m thrilled to share my Soft Pumpkin Cookies With Cream Cheese Icing recipe that turns a handful of pantry staples into a surprisingly simple fall bake you’ll be eager to try.

Servings

servings

Calories

261

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven with rack set to middle (preheat to 350 F 175 C), dont forget to let it fully heat
2. Two rimmed baking sheets plus parchment paper or silicone baking mats
3. One large mixing bowl and one medium bowl for dry ingredients
4. Electric mixer or hand mixer (or a sturdy whisk if you want the workout)
5. Measuring cups and spoons, and a kitchen scale if you have one
6. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for scraping and folding
7. Medium cookie scoop or a tablespoon and a small plate to gently flatten dough balls
8. Wire cooling rack and an airtight container for storage

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin purée
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces cream cheese softened
4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch fine salt
1 to 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat, rack in the middle of the oven.
Whisk together 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon fine salt and 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice in a bowl — set aside.
In a large bowl beat 1 cup (2 sticks) softened unsalted butter with 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 cup canned pumpkin purée, 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix until combined, scraping the bowl as needed.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet on low speed or fold by hand until just combined, do not overmix or cookies will be tough. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky.
Scoop dough by heaping tablespoons or a medium cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons) onto prepared sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. If the dough is too soft to shape, chill 15 to 30 minutes. Gently flatten each mound slightly with your palm or the bottom of a glass so they bake evenly.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes until edges are set and centers still look a little soft — they’ll firm up as they cool. Don’t overbake or they’ll dry out. Let cookies cool on the sheet 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Make the cream cheese frosting while cookies cool: beat 8 ounces softened cream cheese with 4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter until smooth. Add 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of fine salt and beat until creamy. If the frosting is too thick add 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until spreadable.
Spread or pipe the frosting onto completely cooled cookies. If the frosting softens too much, pop the tray in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes to set before stacking.
Store finished cookies in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days, bring to room temp before serving. Unfrosted cookies freeze well for up to 2 months; freeze flat on a tray then transfer to a freezer bag.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.