Pumpkin Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
These Pumpkin Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting are a delightful fall treat featuring soft, spiced pumpkin-infused cookies topped with a smooth, cinnamon-flavored cream cheese frosting. Perfect for autumn gatherings or cozy snacks, these cookies blend warm spices and creamy sweetness for a perfect balance of flavors.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes per batch
- Total Time: 1 hour (including cooling and frosting)
- Yield: About 40 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ⅛ tsp ground allspice
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
- 1 cup softened unsalted butter
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar, plus more for rolling
- ½ cup plain pumpkin purée
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp alcohol-free vanilla flavoring
Frosting
- 8 oz softened cream cheese
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp alcohol-free vanilla flavoring
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch of kosher salt
Garnish
- Extra ground cinnamon, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Prepare Oven and Dry Ingredients: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to ensure the cookies don’t stick. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, kosher salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground allspice, and ground cloves until they are well combined.
- Mix Wet Ingredients and Combine: In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter together with 1¼ cups granulated sugar until light and creamy. Then, mix in the pumpkin purée, egg, and alcohol-free vanilla flavoring until fully incorporated. Gradually stir in the dry ingredient mixture just until the dough comes together, careful not to overmix to keep cookies tender.
- Shape and Bake Cookies: Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of the dough and roll each piece in additional granulated sugar to coat. Arrange the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, or until the edges are just lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool completely on wire racks.
- Make Frosting and Decorate: While the cookies cool, beat together the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, alcohol-free vanilla flavoring, ground cinnamon, and a pinch of kosher salt until smooth and creamy. Once the cookies are completely cooled, spread or pipe the cream cheese frosting on top of each cookie. Finish by lightly dusting with extra cinnamon for added flavor and decoration.
Notes
- Store the frosted cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep the cream cheese frosting fresh.
- Bring cookies to room temperature before serving for best texture and flavor.
- Use alcohol-free vanilla flavoring if serving to children or if avoiding alcohol for dietary reasons.
- If desired, you can substitute pumpkin purée with homemade pumpkin or canned 100% pumpkin for similar results.