Pumpkin Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin sugar cookies with cream cheese frosting are the perfect fall treat that combines everything we love about the season! These pillowy-soft cookies are loaded with real pumpkin puree and warm spices, then topped with the most luscious cream cheese frosting.

Love More Pumpkin Cookies? Try My Pumpkin S’mores Cookies or this Pumpkin Crinkle Cookies next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

These aren’t your ordinary sugar cookies! The pumpkin makes them incredibly soft and moist (almost cake-like), while the pumpkin pie spice gives them that cozy fall flavor we all crave. The cream cheese frosting? Pure heaven! It’s tangy, sweet, and pairs perfectly with the spiced cookies. Plus, they’re ready in just 35 minutes.

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Ingredient List

For the Cookies

• 2 ½ cups (312 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• ½ cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
• 1 ¼ cups (305 g) canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling!)
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 ounces (226 g) block cream cheese, softened but still cool
• ¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter, softened but still cool
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ¾ cups (210 g) sifted confectioners’ sugar

Why These Ingredients Work

Here’s what I learned after making these cookies probably 50 times – the pumpkin isn’t just for flavor, it’s what keeps these cookies from turning into hockey pucks. I tried making them with applesauce once and they were terrible. The brown sugar is non-negotiable too; I made a batch with all white sugar when I ran out and they lost that chewy texture completely.

The cream cheese frosting took me forever to get right. My first attempts were either soup or concrete. The secret is getting that cream cheese just soft enough to mix but not warm enough to make everything runny.

Essential Tools and Equipment

You’ll need mixing bowls, a beater (hand or stand mixer), cookie sheets, and parchment paper. I have a cookie scoop that I’m obsessed with but a big spoon works fine. Wire racks are helpful but not required – I’ve cooled cookies on clean kitchen towels before.

How To Make Pumpkin Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Step 1: Prep Your Workspace

Set your oven to 350°F and line those baking sheets with parchment. I learned this lesson the hard way after scraping burnt cookie bottoms off my pans for an hour.

Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients

Grab a bowl and whisk together your flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Sometimes I’m lazy and just use a fork to mix it up.

Step 3: Cream the Butter and Sugars

Beat that butter and sugar for a full 3 minutes – I used to rush this step and wondered why my cookies were dense. Your arm might get tired if you’re using a hand mixer, but it’s worth every second.

Step 4: Add the Wet Ingredients

Dump in your pumpkin, egg, and vanilla. The mixture looks weird at this point – kind of lumpy and separated. Don’t panic, that’s exactly what mine looked like when I finally got this recipe right.

Step 5: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

Add your flour mix to the pumpkin mixture and stir just until it comes together. Stop mixing as soon as you don’t see dry flour anymore. The dough feels sticky and wet – totally normal.

Step 6: Scoop and Bake

I use my medium cookie scoop for this, but a big spoon works too. Space them about 2 inches apart because they do spread a little. Bake for 13-15 minutes – I always set my timer for 13 and check them.

Step 7: Cool Completely

Let them sit on the pan for maybe 5 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack if you have one. If not, a clean countertop works. They have to be totally cool before frosting or everything melts into a mess.

Step 8: Make the Frosting

Beat your cream cheese and butter until it’s smooth – maybe 30 seconds in my old mixer. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar and beat again until creamy. Don’t go crazy with the mixing once everything’s combined.

Step 9: Frost and Garnish

Spread frosting on each cookie with a knife or offset spatula if you’re fancy. I sprinkle a tiny bit of cinnamon on top because it looks pretty and my kids think I’m a baking genius.

You Must Know

Your frosting ingredients need to be soft but not warm – I can’t stress this enough. I’ve ruined so many batches by using cream cheese straight from the microwave. Also, buy real pumpkin puree, not that pie filling stuff. They’re completely different things and your cookies will taste like baby food if you use the wrong one.

Personal Secret: I always sift my powdered sugar, even though it’s annoying. My sister skips this step and her frosting always has those little lumps that make it look homemade (not in a good way).

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

• Don’t overbake these! I learned this the expensive way after turning two dozen cookies into pumpkin frisbees. The centers should look slightly underdone when you pull them out.
• Temperature matters big time: Cold butter won’t mix properly and warm butter makes everything greasy. Room temp feels slightly cool to touch but gives when you press it.
• Get a cookie scoop: I resisted buying one for years but it changed my baking game completely. All my cookies bake evenly now.
• Sticky dough fix: Chill the whole bowl for 15 minutes if your dough is too sticky to handle. I do this every time now.

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

Add some heat: I threw in a tiny pinch of cayenne pepper once and my husband couldn’t stop eating them. Chocolate version: Mini chocolate chips work great – about half a cup stirred in at the end. Maple madness: I substitute maple extract for vanilla in the frosting sometimes when I’m feeling fancy. Citrus twist: Orange zest in the dough is incredible, like sunshine in cookie form.

Make-Ahead Options

I make the dough on Sunday and bake fresh cookies all week – it keeps beautifully in the fridge for 24 hours. You can freeze the dough too, I’ve kept it frozen for months. The frosting actually improves overnight in the fridge, something about the flavors melding together.

Pro tip from my disaster-prone kitchen: frosted cookies taste even better the next day. I always make these a day ahead for parties now.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

These cookies are supposed to be soft and squishy, not crispy. If you want firmer cookies, you’re making the wrong recipe. The dough will look wetter than regular sugar cookie dough – that’s the pumpkin doing its job.

I’ve had people complain that these don’t taste “pumpkiny” enough, but that’s the point. The pumpkin adds texture and moisture without overpowering everything. If you want intense pumpkin flavor, add an extra tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice.

Serving Suggestions

I pack these for my kids’ school lunches and they come home bragging about having the best mom. They’re perfect with coffee in the morning or as an after-dinner treat. Last week I brought them to book club and we spent more time talking about the cookies than the actual book.

For parties, I arrange them on a fall-themed platter with some mini pumpkins around the edges. People always think I bought them from some fancy bakery.

How to Store Your Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

Keep the frosted ones in the fridge in any container with a lid – they last about 5 days. Take them out 10 minutes before eating so they’re not cold and hard. Plain cookies can sit on the counter for 3 days in a cookie jar or whatever.

I freeze cookie dough balls all the time – they keep for months. The frosting freezes okay too, just let it thaw in the fridge overnight and stir it up before using.

Allergy Information

These have gluten, dairy, and eggs in them. My gluten-free friend uses Cup4Cup flour blend and they work fine. For dairy-free, any plant-based butter and cream cheese substitute should work – I’ve never tried it personally though.

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned?

Sure, but honestly why would you want to? Canned pumpkin is more consistent and I’ve never had a bad batch. Fresh pumpkin is a gamble – sometimes it’s watery, sometimes it’s stringy. Life’s too short for unreliable cookies.

My frosting turned out runny – what happened?

Your cream cheese was too warm. I’ve done this so many times I should have it tattooed on my forehead. Stick that bowl in the fridge for 30 minutes and try mixing again.

How do I know when the cookies are done?

The edges look set but the middles still seem a little soft and pale. If the whole cookie looks completely baked through, they’re probably overdone. I’d rather pull them out early than late.

Do I have to frost these cookies?

Technically no, but you’re missing out on the best part. The frosting makes them special. Without it, they’re just okay pumpkin cookies. With it, they’re legendary.

💬 Made these cookies? Tell me how they turned out! I love seeing photos of your baking adventures.