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These cakey pumpkin cookies are the real deal. I started with the base of my popular pumpkin sugar cookies (which has 128 five-star reviews), and with just a few tweaks turned them into the perfect soft pumpkin cookie. Paired with my simple cream cheese frosting, these are a must-make Fall cookie!
The Perfect Pumpkin Cookie Recipe
My chewy pumpkin cookies always get rave reviews, so I decided to make soft pumpkin cookies for those who like a more cakey cookie. To accomplish this, I used my years of baking experience and knew I needed to first add an egg. The egg promotes puffiness and spreading in cookies.
Next, I added baking powder, which helps with lift. I also increased the amount of pumpkin puree for a moister, softer texture. The result? The fluffiest pumpkin cookies. These are like a cross between pumpkin cake and pumpkin cookies.
Finally, I paired them with my popular cream cheese frosting, which just takes these to the next level! If you love pumpkin flavor, check out more of my pumpkin recipes! Keep reading for all my best tips, storage info, and more.
Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Spice Cookies
It’s that time of year when we want all the Fall flavors, warm spices, and Pumpkin spice lattes! Here are just a few of the reasons why you’ll love these delicious pumpkin cookies:
- Super soft cookies with a cakey texture
- Bursting with pumpkin spice flavor
- No dough chilling required
- Paired perfectly with a cream cheese frosting
- Super easy to make, with no baking experience required
Pumpkin Cookie Ingredients
Made with simple ingredients, these melt-in-your-mouth pumpkin cookies are always a crowd-pleaser perfect for the Fall season. Get the full recipe with measurements and instructions in the recipe card below. Here’s what you’ll need:
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg
- Ground ginger
- Ground cloves
- Salt
- Unsalted butter: room temperature
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
- Pure Pumpkin puree
- Egg
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream cheese: softened
- Unsalted butter: softened
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
- Salt and dash of milk or heavy cream: optional
How to Make Pumpkin Cookies
Even if you’ve never baked before, you can make these easy pumpkin cookies with success when you follow my simple step-by-step guide. Get the full recipe in the recipe card below. Here are the instructions:
Cookies
- Prep oven and remove moisture from pumpkin puree. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. To remove excess moisture from pumpkin puree, place the pumpkin puree in a few paper towels on a plate. Fold the paper towels over the puree, so it’s completely enclosed. The excess moisture will soak into the paper towels within a few minutes. This step is critical.
- Mix dry ingredients. In a small mixing bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and salt. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugars. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer for 1-2 minutes.
- Add in the pumpkin puree and egg, beat again to combine.
- Combine dry and wet ingredients. Gradually add in the dry ingredients, mixing on low or by hand with a spatula until combined. The dough will be thick and sticky.
- Make cookie dough balls & bake. Use a cookie scoop to drop dough balls about 3 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Bake for 10-14 or until the edges have set.
- Cool. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 20-30 minutes, then move to a cooling wire rack to cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Combine butter and cream cheese. Place room temperature unsalted butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer on medium and beat together for 1-2 minutes, until whipped and fluffy.
- Add remaining ingredients. Add in the vanilla extract and powdered sugar (and optional salt), beat again on low for 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until everything is incorporated. If the frosting is too thick, add a splash of milk or heavy cream, beat until creamy.
- Top cookies. Spread the frosting on top of the cookies and top with a sprinkle of cinnamon if desired.
Pumpkin Spice Cookie Recipe Tips
For best results, follow these tips:
- Remove excess moisture from the pumpkin puree: To remove excess moisture from the pumpkin puree, place the pumpkin puree in a few paper towels on a plate. Fold the paper towels over the puree, so it’s completely enclosed. The paper towel will soak up the excess moisture within a few minutes.
- Do not use pumpkin pie filling: Stick with pumpkin puree. While you can use fresh pumpkin puree, I’ve found that canned pure pumpkin puree is best.
- Properly measure the flour: Use the spoon and level method to properly measure the flour. This is crucial for creating the right texture and density in the cookies.
- Be sure to use a cookie scoop: Do not roll the cookies between your hands – this pumpkin cookie dough is sticky and should be dropped from a cookie scoop onto the baking sheet.
Storing Pumpkin Spice Cookies
Store leftover cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. If the cookies are not frosted, you can store them at room temperature.
Can you freeze Pumpkin Cookies?
For longer storage, you can freeze these pumpkin cookies in a freezer-safe bag or container, separated by parchment paper for up to 3 months.
You can also freeze the cookie dough. To do so:
- Form the dough balls. Place them on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat. You can place the dough balls close together since you won’t be baking them.
- Place the baking sheet in the freezer until the cookies are frozen solid, about 1 hour.
- Remove the baking sheet from the freezer and transfer the frozen cookie dough balls to a ziplock freezer bag. Label the bag with baking directions.
- Freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months.
- To bake, remove the dough from the freezer. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Roll the balls in sugar and bake for 15-19 minutes. Frozen cookies may need to bake for 1-2 minutes longer than non-frozen cookies.
More Pumpkin Recipes
- Pumpkin Spice Scones
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
- Homemade Pumpkin Pie Recipe
- Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Pumpkin Cookie
Ingredients
Cookies
- 3 cups (360 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup (149 grams) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (160 grams) brown sugar
- 1 cup (227 grams) pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz (226 grams) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 3-4 cups (350-340 grams) powdered sugar
- optional: 1/8 tsp salt and dash of milk or heavy cream
Instructions
Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. To remove excess moisture from pumpkin puree, place the pumpkin puree in a few paper towels on a plate. Fold the paper towels over the puree, so it’s completely enclosed. The excess moisture will soak into the paper towels within a few minutes. This step is critical.
- In a small mixing bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and salt. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer for 1-2 minutes.
- Add in the pumpkin puree and egg, beat again to combine.
- Gradually add in the dry ingredients, mixing on low or by hand with a spatula until combined. The dough will be thick and sticky.
- Use a cookie scoop to drop dough balls about 3 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Bake for 10-14 or until the edges have set.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 20-30 minutes, then move to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Place room temperature unsalted butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer on medium and beat together for 1-2 minutes, until whipped and fluffy.
- Add in the vanilla extract and powdered sugar (and optional salt), beat again on low for 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until everything is incorporated. If the frosting is too thick, add a splash of milk or heavy cream, beat until creamy.
- Spread the frosting on top of the cookies and top with a sprinkle of cinnamon if desired.
