Description
Indulgent pumpkin cookies with cinnamon cream cheese frosting bring autumn’s warmth to your dessert table. Spiced with nutmeg and drizzled with creamy frosting, these cookies offer a delightful seasonal treat you’ll crave all year long.
Ingredients
Scale
Pumpkin Spice Mix:
- 2.5 teaspoons (2.5 tsp) cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon (1 tsp) ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon (1 tsp) ground cloves
- 0.5 teaspoon (0.5 tsp) ground ginger
Main Dry Ingredients:
- 2.67 cups (2 2/3 cups) all-purpose flour
- 1.25 teaspoons (1 1/4 tsp) baking powder
- 1.25 teaspoons (1 1/4 tsp) baking soda
- 0.5 teaspoon (1/2 tsp) salt
Wet Ingredients and Sugars:
- 0.5 cup (1/2 cup) butter, room temperature
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 0.67 cup (2/3 cup) granulated sugar
- 1.5 cups (1 1/2 cups) canned pumpkin puree
- 1 egg
- 1.5 teaspoons (1 1/2 tsp) vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
- 1.5 cups (1 1/2 cups) powdered sugar
- 4 ounces (4 oz) cream cheese, softened
- 1 teaspoon (1 tsp) vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon (1 tsp) reserved spice mix
Instructions
- Create a harmonious blend of dry ingredients by whisking together spices, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl.
- Cream butter using an electric mixer for approximately 30 seconds, then incorporate both sugars until the mixture becomes light and airy.
- Integrate pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract into the butter mixture, ensuring thorough incorporation without overmixing to maintain cookie softness.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Carefully fold dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring minimally to prevent toughening the dough.
- Utilize a cookie scoop to distribute dough onto prepared baking sheets, maintaining 3-inch spacing between cookies.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until cookie tops appear set and edges slightly golden.
- Allow cookies to rest on baking sheet for 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for complete cooling.
- Whip softened butter and powdered sugar until fluffy, gradually adding cream cheese while beating thoroughly.
- Incorporate vanilla extract and reserved spice mix into the frosting, adjusting consistency with milk if needed.
- Once cookies have cooled completely, generously apply cinnamon cream cheese frosting.
- Optional: Briefly microwave frosted cookies (5-10 seconds) for an enhanced melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Notes
- Always use room temperature ingredients to ensure smooth mixing and consistent texture in your cookie dough.
- Measure pumpkin puree precisely, as too much moisture can make cookies dense and cakey.
- Consider chilling the dough for 30 minutes before baking to prevent excessive spreading and maintain a perfect cookie shape.
- Experiment with additional warm spices like nutmeg or cardamom to enhance the seasonal pumpkin flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 13 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg