Description
These Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting are a delightful fall treat combining warm spices, moist pumpkin flavors, and a luscious cream cheese topping. Perfectly soft and slightly spiced, these cookies bring cozy autumn vibes to every bite and are great for holiday baking or any seasonal gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Cream butter and sugars: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps create a tender cookie texture.
- Add pumpkin mixture: Incorporate the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract into the creamed butter mixture, mixing thoroughly to combine all wet ingredients evenly.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt to distribute the spices and leavening agents uniformly.
- Combine dry and wet: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet pumpkin mixture, mixing just until combined. Avoid overmixing to keep cookies soft.
- Shape cookies: Drop tablespoon-sized portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until the edges start to turn a light golden color and the centers are set.
- Cool cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely, which prevents sogginess and helps them firm up.
- Prepare frosting: Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy, forming the base of the frosting.
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla: Gradually mix in the powdered sugar, continuing to beat until the frosting is creamy and well combined. Stir in vanilla extract for extra flavor.
- Frost cookies: Once cookies are fully cooled, spread a generous layer of cream cheese frosting on each cookie to add richness and sweetness.
- Optional garnish: Sprinkle a pinch of extra ground cinnamon on top of the frosting for a decorative touch and enhanced spice aroma.
Notes
- You can store frosted cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- For easier frosting, chill the cookies completely before applying the cream cheese topping.
- To make the dough less sticky, refrigerate it for 30 minutes before scooping.
- Experiment with adding chopped nuts or raisins to the dough for extra texture.
- Make sure all dairy ingredients are at room temperature before mixing to ensure a smooth batter and frosting.