These soft and cake-like melt-in-your-mouth pumpkin sugar cookies are a great fall dessert idea. They’re a wonderfully moist pumpkin spice treat!
One of my favorite things to do when I cook for Thanksgiving is prepare an assortment of appetizers that include at least one sweet dish. Something small, sweet, but not overwhelming. These pumpkin sugar cookies are the perfect example of a “I want to eat something sweet before the main meal” dessert.
These melt-in-your-mouth pumpkin cookies are exactly what they sound like! Super soft and moist, they exist somewhere between a cake, muffin, and a cookie. Sorry, if you’re looking for a chewy cookie I’ll get your back on a recipe for a different day (I’m avidly working behind the scenes to create the perfect pumpkin chocolate chip cookie, so stay tuned)! However, these are little tender rounds of pumpkin spice that are honestly some of the best pumpkin cookies I’ve ever had.
Don’t forget the cream cheese frosting on top!
How to Make Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
Start by making the cookies.
In one bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients such as flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Make sure you’re measuring flour correctly. Reference this guide if you need any help! Add a teaspoon of cinnamon and a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice to give these cookies the pumpkin spice flavor we all know and love.
Then, in a stand mixer (or feel free to use a hand mixer), cream together butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until it is light and fluffy. Add an egg, vanilla, and the pumpkin. Make sure you are using canned pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling. Then, fold in the dry ingredients until they are just combined. Try to avoid over-mixing the dough! This is especially important for this recipe as over-mixing causes the cookies to become tough. Which…completely goes against the name of this recipe. 😉
Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until they’re puffed up and set.
Then make the cream cheese frosting
Making cream cheese frosting is super easy! Just make sure both your butter and cream cheese are softened and at room temperature.
Beat the butter and cream cheese together with a pinch of salt until they’re well combined and fluffy. Then add powdered sugar, vanilla, and a splash of milk and continue beating until the frosting comes together. The final consistency of the frosting should be creamy and smooth. I find that cream cheese frosting tends not to be as fluffy and light as buttercream frosting.
Frost cooled pumpkin cookies with a butter knife.
How to Store Leftover Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
Store leftover cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You may also wrap and freeze them for up to 3 months.
Did you Make This Recipe?
If so, I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to leave a comment or rating. Or, share it on Instagram and tag me @toppedwithhoney. Looking forward to seeing your pumpkin cookies!
Want More Pumpkin Dessert Ideas?
Try what I think is the best pumpkin spice bundt cake.
Or, add a little wintertime flair with these gingerbread pumpkin cupcakes.
And if you have a favorite pumpkin recipe, do share it with me!
Melt-in-Your-Mouth Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup (one stick) unsalted butter, softened
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- ½ cup canned pumpkin
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 2 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1-1¼ cup confectioners (powdered) sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla
- 1-2 tsp milk
- pinch of salt
Instructions
Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well mixed. Set this aside for now. Then, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the softened butter and two sugars. Beat the butter and sugars together on medium to medium-high speed until fluffy (1-2 minutes). Add the egg, vanilla, and canned pumpkin and continue beating until smooth.
- Turn off your mixer and add the dry ingredients. Either with a rubber spatula or with the mixer running on low speed, fold the flour into the wet ingredients until it is just combined. Do not overmix the dough.
- Scoop large rounded spoonfuls of dough (approximately 1.5 tbsp each) onto the prepared cookie sheets, making sure to space the cookies at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies are set and start to turn golden at the edges. Remove them from the oven and let them cool on the sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.
Frosting
- Beat the cream cheese, butter, and a pinch of salt together until fluffy. Add the remaining ingredients and continue beating until smooth. Add as much milk as needed to get to your preferred consistency.
- Use a butter knife to frost the cookies once they've cooled. Enjoy!
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