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These Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting are soft, thick, and perfectly spiced with cinnamon and pumpkin pie spices, then topped with a rich cream cheese frosting. I’ve been making this cookie recipe for years and it’s one of those fall cookies I come back to again and again.

stacked pumpkin cookies with frosting on top

Why You’ll Love These Cookies

Pumpkin can make cookies tricky because it adds so much moisture, which is why this recipe uses just an egg yolk and a chilling step to give them that soft texture without becoming soggy or cakey. I have a soft spot in my heart for soft pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting – it’s the best kind of frosting, after all! This recipe works: I’ve been making it over and over for years.

I’ve served these to a lot of people over the years and people always tell me they’re some of the best they’ve ever had. They also freeze beautifully with or without the frosting, so they’re an easy fall dessert to make ahead.

Soft Pumpkin Cookies Ingredients

  • Unsalted butter – Measure then melt (for the cookies) and softened for the frosting, salted butter may be substituted
  • Pumpkin puree – I like to use Libby canned pumpkin but any brand will do – make sure it’s not pumpkin pie mix.
  • Brown sugar – You can use light or dark brown sugar, but the dark brown sugar will give the cookies a darker coloring and richer flavor.
  • Egg yolk – Just using the yolk offsets the moisture in the pumpkin – be sure to use a large egg yolk – any extra moisture will make the cookies not turn out.
  • Ground nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cinnamon – Use my DIY Pumpkin Spice as well or a blend from the store.

Click to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions. See below the recipe card for even more information: process shots, variations, FAQ and more.

stacked pumpkin cookies with frosting on top and the cookie on top cut in half

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Expert Tips

  • Don’t skip the chilling step – that ensures a puffy soft cookie.
  • Learn how to separate eggs if you don’t know how! It’s important to just use the yolk in this cookie recipe or the mixture will be too wet.
  • You could add some chopped walnuts or pecans in the cookie or on the top of the frosting.
  • Dust the tops of these with a bit of cinnamon or pumpkin spice, or sprinkles!
5 from 28 votes

Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

By: Dorothy Kern
Soft and chewy pumpkin cookies are even better with the best cream cheese frosting recipe. These are the best fall cookies!
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Chill Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 22 servings
stacked pumpkin cookies with frosting on top
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Ingredients

Cookies

  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted
  • ⅓ cup (81g) pumpkin puree
  • ¾ cup (150g) packed brown sugar, (light or dark)
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ¾ cups (217g) all purpose flour

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 4 ounces (113g) cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ½ cups 170g) powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions 

  • Place melted butter, pumpkin, and both sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. You can also use a hand mixer, if you prefer. Mix until smooth, about 30 seconds. Mix in egg yolk, baking soda, salt, spices, and vanilla. Mix in flour until batter is smooth. It’ll be a soft batter. Chill dough for at least 2 hours.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silpat baking mats.
  • Scoop 2 tablespoon balls of cookie dough onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 10-13 minutes until they are no longer glossy. (I like to err on the side of under baked for a gooey cookie!) Cool completely before frosting.
  • To make the frosting: cream butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Slowly add in powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Frost cookies and dust with a bit of cinnamon.
  • Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze unfrosted cookies for up to 1 month.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 184kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 98mg | Potassium: 35mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 852IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Storing and Freezing Instructions

Did I mention that these pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting can be stored for later AND frozen?! 

Store any leftover cookies that you’re going to eat within 2-3 days in an airtight container. They’ll need to be kept in the fridge because of the cream cheese frosting. 

To freeze these cookies, let them cool down all the way, and DON’T add the frosting. Just freeze the baked cookies without frosting. When you unthaw them, you can then add the frosting at that point in time. 

To freeze the frosted cookies, place in a single layer on a cookie sheet to freeze, then place them in an airtight container or freezer bag separated by sheets of wax or parchment paper so they don’t stick together. Separate before thawing.

clear glass bowl with pumpkin mixture egg yolk, spices, salt, and baking soda.
clear glass bowl with pumpkin mixture with flour.
clear glass bowl with pumpkin cookie dough.
cookie dough balls on cookie sheet lined with parchment.
icing in bowl

How to make Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

  1. Because this dough is made with melted butter, you can stir by hand or use an electric mixer.
  2. The dough will be wet before you add the flour mixture.
  3. The final cookie dough will be dark orange and soft.
  4. The dough needs chilling; I just scoop onto a cookie sheet without chilling to take up less room in my fridge.
  5. The cream cheese frosting is the perfect texture for spreading on cookies.

Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting FAQ

How do you keep pumpkin cookies from getting soggy or sticky?

It’s important that you only use an egg yolk from a large egg. And make sure to measure the flour correctly to have the perfect ingredient ratio.

How do you know when pumpkin cookies are done baking?

They will flatten a bit and be no longer glossy on top.

These easy and soft Pumpkin Cookies are the best cookie recipe for fall! They are topped with a cream cheese frosting and spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger.

Favorite Pumpkin Cookie Recipes

Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

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5 from 28 votes (26 ratings without comment)

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12 Comments

  3. These are fabulous and I’m not a Pumpkin fan!! I used your cookbook this weekend for this recipe and used your add-in ideas to use up stuff i had in the house, used a can of pumpkin that’s been in the cabinet from last year, as well as a bag of toffee chips!! I doubled the recipe, added some mini chips, no frosting- my husband brought them to the office, excellent way to start a rainy Monday in NJ!!

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