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Iced Pumpkin Spice Cookies are soft, chewy, and topped with amazing cream cheese frosting! All the pumpkin you need in one cookie!

Nothing says fall like pumpkin baking in your oven! If you love pumpkin as much as I do then try these pumpkin desserts Pumpkin Pecan Pie Bars, Pumpkin Cheesecake with Caramel Sauce or Incredible Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Whipping Cream Frosting.

pumpkin spice cookies stacked on top of each other

Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Today we are doing pumpkin! Fall is my favorite season of the year and one of the top reasons is because of pumpkin cookies. My ultimate favorite pumpkin cookies are these pumpkin oatmeal chocolate-chip cookies, but these are definitely on the top of the list!

These cookies are soft, chewy, and almost muffin-top like. The cream cheese frosting takes them over the top! I hope you love these cookies as much as we do!

What You Need For Iced Pumpkin Spice Cookies

These cookies are always a hit in the fall. They are soft and chewy with a little savory and sweetness in every bite. I love how easy these cookies are made and with all the ingredients I already have in my pantry. It makes these cookies so easy to make and taste delicious when baked! Pumpkin is the main ingredient and gives a lot of its flavoring.

It is not too strong but just enough to have that pumpkin kick. When making the frosting you can make it as thick or as thin as you would like. All you need to do is add more or less powdered sugar to make a thicker or thinner frosting. The cookie, frosting combination is such a simple and delicious treat that won’t last long!

Cookies:

  • Unsalted butter: I like to use unsalted butter since I am controlling how much butter goes in with my dash of salt in the dry ingredients.
  • White sugar: for sweetness in the cookies.
  • Pumpkin: the main ingredient that has the base as well as the flavor.
  • Egg: helps aid it and sticks everything together.
  • Vanilla extract: just a hint can add that extra flavoring that is subtle but enough to taste.
  • Flour: binds the cookies and gives it thickness.
  • Baking powder: helps raise and bake the cookies with a muffin top.
  • Baking soda: also helps to bake the cookies and give it a thicker, textured cookie.
  • Cinnamon: for the fall seasoning taste.
  • Pumpkin pie spice: if you don’t have any try my Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice instead of store bought.
  • Salt: just a pinch!

Frosting:

  • Butter: softened is best to blend together.
  • Cream Cheese: this has all the flavoring.
  • Powdered sugar: add as little or much as you desire for the perfect thickness of frosting you prefer.
  • Vanilla extract: adds a touch of flavoring!

How You Make Iced Pumpkin Spice Cookies

These are so simple to make and don’t take up too much time when baking. My kids love to come and help in the kitchen and mix all the ingredients together. All you need is one bowl for cookies and one bowl for frosting.

Everything mixes together and then combined to enjoy all the sweet and savory pumpkin spice cookies has to offer. These bake up so nicely and have a dome or muffin top to them, making them look and taste extra special. Enjoy these cookies cooled with frosting or hot out of the oven!

Making the cookies:

  1. First, preheat oven for baking: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Mix ingredients together: In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. Beat in the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla.
  3. Add in dry ingredients: On top add the flour, baking powder, soda, spices, and salt. Mix until combined.
  4. Bake on a baking sheet: Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove and allow to completely cool.

Making the frosting: 

  1. Mix all ingredients together: Meanwhile, beat together the room temperature butter and cream cheese with the powdered sugar and vanilla.
  2. Making the frosting the perfect thickness: Add the powdered sugar to desired consistency but note that the frosting is supposed to be like a non-baked cheesecake layer — very thick and cheesecake-like.
  3. Frost: Frost cookies and enjoy!

Tips For Making Iced Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Using the right pumpkin puree can be the best thing for these cookies. It helps give the cookies their shape as well as the flavoring is Oh. So. Good! These expand a little more than other cookies and will need more space when baking them. If you like another flavorful frosting, these cookies go well with most fall frosting flavors or just have them without frosting.

Add some fun fall festive treats on top and you have a cookie that won’t last long. These tips will be fun to substitute or add to them making them extra special for you friends and family this fall!

  • I like to use pumpkin puree. You will not want to use pumpkin pie filling. It is not the same and will not have great results when baking your cookies.
  • When baking the cookies, the dough expands and spreads on the cookies sheet. You will want to have more space in between each cookie.
  • A buttercream frosting would be delicious on these pumpkin spice cookies too!
  • You can add a candy pumpkin, sprinkles or a few candy corns to make them a little more fall festive.
  • Instead of making traditional cookies, you can frost the middle and connect two cookies together and create a pumpkin whoopee pie.
  • Sprinkle with cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice on the top before serving.
  • Wait until your cookies are completely cool before frosting them.

pumping spice cookies

Storing Pumpkin Spice Cookies

These cookies usually don’t last long at our house when I make them. I have learned to double the batch and instantly hide the second batch in the freezer for the next day to share with friends and family. When I am baking them, they are so tempting to just sneak one or two here and there. These are great for storing and last a little longer because of the pumpkin.

  • Making dough ahead: you can make the dough ahead of time and place in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
  • Freezing dough: make your cookie dough and before baking them, create a tight ball out of your dough and place in the freezer for up to a month. When ready to bake, thaw the dough in the refrigerator. Make your cookie dough and prepare your sheet pans for cookies. Drop your cookie dough on the prepared sheet pans and place in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours until they are harden. Take your frozen cookie dough and place in an airtight container or bag and freeze individual cookies. When ready to bake just bake the frozen cookies at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 12 minuets. This is perfect for that quick party you just got invited to!
  • Freezing cookies: Make and prepare all your cookies and freeze them individually on a sheet pan in the freezer. I like to leave them unfrosted but you are welcome to frost them before hand. The packaging will be a little different if they are frosted though. You will need to use parchment paper over top if you are layering the cookies. That way they will not stick together. Frozen cookies will last about 1 month in the freezer.
  • Refrigerating dough: just like preparing and making the dough ahead. Place in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Bake at the same temperature as instructed.
  • Refrigerating cookies: If you add the cream cheese frosting to the tops of the cookies, you will want to use parchment paper to line the tops so they do not get stuck together. The frosted cookies do not need to be refrigerated but it is not a bad idea either. They will last a little bit longer in the refrigerator though.

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Iced Pumpkin Spice Cookies

5 from 1 vote
By: Alyssa Rivers
Iced Pumpkin Spice Cookies are soft, chewy, and topped with amazing cream cheese frosting!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies

Ingredients 

Cookies

Frosting

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy.
  • Beat in the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla.
  • On top add the flour, baking powder, soda, spices, and salt. Mix until combined.
  • Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove and allow to completely cool.
  • Meanwhile, beat together the room temperature butter and cream cheese with the powdered sugar and vanilla. Add the powdered sugar to desired consistency but note that the frosting is supposed to be like a non-baked cheesecake layer -- very thick and cheesecake-like.
  • Frost cookies and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 79kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 1gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 115mgPotassium: 40mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1776IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 1mg

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

Additional Info

Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!

About Alyssa Rivers

Alyssa Rivers is the author of 'The Tried and True Cookbook', a professional food photographer and experienced recipe-developer. Having a passion for cooking, her tried and true recipes have been featured on Good Morning America, Today Food, Buzzfeed and more.

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Recipe Rating




5 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    These. Are. Amazing. Dense and somehow light at the same time! I’m going to be making these for every holiday party this season! I made half on a cookie sheet and half in muffin tins, and the batter took on the properties of each with ease! As far as leaving them out vs. refrigerating them – I leave them out during the day in a closed tupperware container and put them in the fridge overnight. Let thaw for an hour after taking them out of the fridge.

  2. These are delish! I’m wondering if they’ll freeze well (just the cookies, without the cream cheese frosting)?? I’d love to make these ahead and freeze, so if anyone has done this successfully, lemme know!

  3. I just madethese today and they are delicious! They also get 5 stars from my 6yr olds and 4 yr old. I’m wondering if they need to be refrigerated because of the cream cheese frosting?

    1. I’m wondering the same thing. Do they need to be refrigerated after being frosted? I can’t wait to try them!