Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Name: Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 24
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 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 salt; 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened; 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar; 1 cup canned pumpkin puree; 1 large egg; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 4 ounces cream cheese, softened; 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened; 2 cups powdered sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

These pillowy pumpkin cookies are the perfect way to welcome the crisp autumn air into your kitchen.

By Enzo81 Kitchen· American· October 23, 2026

Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

enzo81.xyz

Prep

20 minutes

Cook

15 minutes

Total

35 minutes

Serves

There is something truly comforting about the smell of pumpkin and spice wafting through the house in October. These cookies are incredibly soft, almost like little cakes, and they pair beautifully with a tangy layer of cream cheese frosting on top.

My best tip for this recipe is to make sure your butter and cream cheese are at room temperature before you start. This helps everything mix together smoothly so your cookies turn out perfectly tender every single time.

Ingredients

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 salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

7Instructions

1
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
3
In a separate large bowl, beat the 1/2 cup butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla, then mix until combined.
4
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until just combined.
5
Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until they feel set.
6
While the cookies cool completely, prepare the frosting by beating the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until creamy.
7
Spread a generous amount of frosting onto the top of each cooled cookie.

Tips

Store these cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator because of the cream cheese frosting. They taste even better the next day after the flavors have had time to settle.

#dessert #pumpkin #autumn #cookies #vegetarian

Made this recipe? Let us know how it went.