Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
These Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting are a delightful fall treat that combines soft, spiced cookies with a creamy, tangy frosting. Perfect for seasonal gatherings or cozy afternoons, they offer a perfect balance of sweet pumpkin flavor and classic sugar cookie texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Total Time: 58 minutes
- Yield: 12-14 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Cinnamon, for sprinkling
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) to prepare for baking the cookies.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine melted butter, pumpkin puree, sugar, egg, and vanilla extract. Stir until the mixture is smooth and evenly blended.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt to the wet mixture. Stir until a cookie dough forms and is well incorporated.
- Chill Dough: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for 25 minutes to firm it up for easier handling.
- Shape Cookies: Remove the dough from the fridge and roll into balls about 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons in size. Place the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You should have 12 to 14 cookies.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 18 minutes until set and lightly golden around the edges.
- Prepare Frosting: While cookies are baking, beat cream cheese and softened butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, then beat again until creamy. Chill the frosting in the refrigerator.
- Cool and Frost: Once baked, remove cookies from oven and allow to cool completely. Spread approximately 1 tablespoon of cream cheese frosting on each cookie. Sprinkle with extra pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon for a finishing touch.
- Serve: Enjoy these festive pumpkin spice sugar cookies with cream cheese frosting fresh for the best taste and texture.
Notes
- Make sure the cream cheese and butter are softened to room temperature for smooth frosting.
- Use fresh pumpkin pie spice or make your own blend with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves for optimal flavor.
- Store the frosted cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- For a firmer cookie, chill the dough longer before baking.
- These cookies can be frozen before frosting for up to 2 months; frost after thawing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
Keywords: pumpkin spice cookies, cream cheese frosting, fall desserts, pumpkin sugar cookies, holiday cookies
