Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

 These pumpkin spice cookies are so pillowy soft and delicious.  The perfect fall dessert!

Once September arrives it's all about pumpkin in my kitchen.  From pies to breads to granola, and of course these cookies, our family enjoys pumpkin everything.  Don't you just love fall?

I shared a similar recipe back in 2013 and just recently re-worked it slightly to perfect it.  It's a winner!  

Your family will love these cookies.  They are so incredibly soft and delicious and the perfect bite of fall.  This recipe is quick and easy to make and can be doubled if you would like to. 

Ingredient Notes:

Unsalted Butter - I've also successfully made these with non-dairy butter.

Canned Pumpkin - make sure to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling.

Egg - used a binder for the dough.  I have also swapped this with 2 Tablespoons of aquafaba for an egg-free version and it works perfectly.
Cinnamon & Pumpkin Pie Spice - you can use all cinnamon if you prefer or cinnamon plus a pinch of nutmeg also works.

Optional Ingredients:

Cream Cheese Frosting - these cookies are absolutely delicious on their own and even more so with this frosting.  

Chopped Nuts - if you would prefer to skip the frosting, chopped walnuts or pecans are a nice addition to this cookie.

Mini Chocolate Chips - chocolate and pumpkin always go together beautifully, so this would also be a nice alternative to the frosting.

Making The Cookies:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix: Cream together the butter and sugars on low until combined then on medium-high for about 2 minutes. 
3. Add Wet Ingredients:  Add the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla. Mix well. 
4. Add Dry Ingredients:  Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Mix just until combined. Stir in chopped nuts or mini chocolate chips if using.
5. Bake:  Drop onto cookie sheet by heaping tablespoonful. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until tops look set. Remove to a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.

Storing The Cookies:

If you happen to have any left, these cookies store great at room temperature in a sealed container for 3 days and in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.  For longer storage, store in the freezer, unfrosted, for up to 3 months.

More Delicious Fall Recipes:

Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Bread

Pumpkin Sandwich Bread

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Quick Bread

Slow-Cooker Applesauce

printable recipe here

Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

makes approx. 24 cookies

Cookies:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon salt

cream cheese frosting (recipe follows), optional

Frosting:

1/4 cup butter, softened
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar


For the Cookies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars on low until combined then on medium-high for about 2 minutes. Add the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla. Mix well. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Mix just until combined. 

Drop onto cookie sheet by heaping tablespoonful. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until tops look set. Remove to a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting:
Beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until well blended. Add vanilla and the powdered sugar and beat on medium-high until well blended. Frost cookies once they are cooled.

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