Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
- By Amy Dong
- Updated Oct. 1, 2025
I bring these pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting to fall gatherings every year. They’re beautifully spiced, perfectly chewy, and the tangy cream cheese frosting seals the deal.
In This Article
This post may contain affiliate links, at no additional cost to you.
Amy’s Notes
These Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting are one of my favorite fall cookies. Here’s why they always hit the spot:
- Chewy, Not Cakey: These cookies turn out perfectly chewy with just the right amount of softness. Like our Pumpkin Spice Cookies, they hold their shape beautifully and still melt in your mouth.
- Packed with Pumpkin Flavor: Between the pumpkin puree and cozy fall spices, every bite is rich, warm, and comforting.
- That Cream Cheese Frosting: The frosting is thick, smooth, and perfectly tangy.
- Easy to Make Ahead: The dough chills easily overnight and bakes up like a dream the next day. Great for prepping ahead for parties or gifting.
- Always a Fall Favorite: I make a big batch of these every October and they never last long. Friends, neighbors, and kids all come back for more, just like our Chewy Pumpkin Snickerdoodles.
Key Recipe Ingredients
- Pumpkin Purée – Adds deep fall flavor and natural moisture to keep the cookies soft and chewy without being cakey.
- Brown Sugar & Granulated Sugar – This duo provides a balance of rich caramel notes and sweetness, helping to create that perfect soft-baked texture.
- Warm Fall Spices – A bold blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice gives every bite that cozy, spiced pumpkin flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour & Leavening Agents – The base that gives the cookies structure and height, while just enough baking powder and soda ensure a gentle rise.
- Cream Cheese Frosting – Made with cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla, this smooth and tangy topping takes the cookies over the top.
Substitutions And Variations
Here are some of our favorite substitutions and variations:
- Pumpkin Purée: Canned pumpkin works perfectly, but you can swap in homemade pumpkin purée if you have it on hand. Just make sure it’s not too watery, or your dough may spread too much.
- Add Mix-Ins: For added texture, try stirring in mini chocolate chips, chopped pecans, or pumpkin spice morsels before chilling the dough.
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
- Whisk butter, sugars, vanilla, and pumpkin.
- Mix dry ingredients in separate bowl.
- Fold wet into dry; chill dough.
- Roll, flatten, and bake cookies.
- Cool completely before frosting.
- Whisk icing; spread on cookies.
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
How To Prep Ahead
Take a look at our best prep-ahead strategies for this recipe:
- Make Dough Beforehand: You can prep the cookie dough a day ahead and chill it overnight. The dough needs time to firm up anyway, so prepping it the night before makes baking the next day even easier.
- Make Frosting Ahead: The cream cheese frosting can be made up to 3 days ahead. Keep it covered in the fridge, then let it soften at room temperature before spreading.
Video: Watch Us Make This Recipe
Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
These Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting are a delightful treat every fall. They are loaded with pumpkin flavor, chewy soft, and drizzled with the most luscious cream cheese icing.
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- ½ cup butter, melted
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
For Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, melted
- 3 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon milk, see notes
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk the melted butter and both sugars together until completely smooth and incorporated. Whisk in vanilla and pumpkin until smooth. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, hand-whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice.
- Using rubber spatula, fold together the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Don't over-mix; the dough will be very soft. Cover airtight and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight. Dough must be chilled to bake properly.
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, with rack on lower middle position. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll the dough into 1.5 tablespoon sized balls and place 2 inches apart on lined baking sheet. Slightly flatten the dough balls.
- Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes. Cookies may appear soft and under-baked. They will further set upon cooling. If they didn't spread out much, slightly flatten them a bit once out of oven. Allow cookies to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the cream cheese icing by whisking all frosting ingredients in a bowl until well combined. Spread icing in an even layer over cooled cookies.
Notes
- Use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. The latter has added sugar and spices that will throw off the balance.
- Melted butter makes for a chewier cookie with a soft center. Let it cool slightly before mixing with the sugars.
- Be sure to chill the dough for at least an hour. This helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much while baking.
- If using salted butter in cookie dough, reduce table salt to 1/8 teaspoon.
- If frosting is too thin, add a touch more milk at a time, until it reaches desired consistency. If it’s too thick, add a bit more powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached.
- This recipe is part of our Pumpkin Recipes Collection.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 162kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 99mg | Potassium: 46mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1193IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 0.5mg
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree?
No, pumpkin pie filling contains added sugar and spices. Stick to pure pumpkin puree to keep the flavor and texture balanced.
Do I really need to chill the dough?
Yes, chilling is essential. It helps the cookies hold their shape and develop a chewy texture rather than spreading too much during baking.
Why didn’t my cookies spread?
If your dough was too cold or your flour was slightly over-measured, they may not spread as much. Gently flatten them after baking while still warm.
How long do leftover cookies keep?
Keep frosted cookies in a single layer in an airtight container in the fridge. They can be stored this way for up to 4 days. Let them come to room temperature before serving.
More to Bake and Eat
- Pumpkin Trifle – This Pumpkin Trifle is super easy, feeds a large crowd, and is teeming with fall flavors. It’s the ideal last-minute holiday dessert, show-stopping yet quick to prepare.
- Pumpkin Pie Bars – Easier than baking a whole pie, these pumpkin pie bars are made with a homemade pumpkin filling layered between a flour and pecan crust and a sweet crumble topping.
- Pumpkin Churros – This Pumpkin Churros recipe is inspired by an interview I had with Bobby Flay. Just in time for fall, these mini churros pack a punch of fresh pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice the entire family will devour.
- Pumpkin Cupcakes – These moist Pumpkin Cupcakes with whipped cream frosting will have your home full of fall aromas. Your family will come running for these tender, flavorful cupcakes.