Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Frosting

Pull up a chair, I made you cookies

The very first chilly afternoon each fall, I start a batch of Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Frosting and somehow the whole house goes quiet except for the oven fan and my dog gently thumping her tail like she knows what is coming. I baked these for my neighbor once and he stood in the doorway, mid sentence, just sniffing the air like a cartoon. They are soft, like tiny cakes but still cookieish, and the cinnamon frosting is basically a sweater for your sweet tooth. I almost wrote a whole thing about leaf piles here, but okay, cookies first.

Also, full disclosure, I once grabbed the cinnamon form the pantry and it was actually cumin. Let us just say the compost ate well that day.

Why I keep making these again and again

I make this when the afternoon feels long and I need something warm and friendly. The batter comes together fast, no fuss.
My family goes a bit wild for the frosting. It is creamy, lightly spiced, and it sets just enough so you can stack a couple for sneaky snacks later.
There is room to play. Some days pecans, other days chocolate chips, and sometimes just plain because the pumpkin sings on its own.
I used to get annoyed by cakey pumpkin cookies, but this version stays soft without turning into a muffin. A wee bit of cornstarch helps, who knew.
And, if I am honest, I love that the kitchen smells like a cozy bakery. It is the kind of smell that makes you text a friend and say hey, swing by.

What you will need, with a few easy swaps

For the cookies:

280 g about 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour. My grandmother insisted on a particular brand, but honestly any good unbleached flour works fine.
2 tbsp cornstarch. I sometimes skip it if I am out, the cookies are still good, just a touch less tender.
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
A pinch of nutmeg or allspice, whatever you have
113 g 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened. If I am in a hurry, I use half butter and a glug of neutral oil for extra softness.
150 g 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
100 g 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, room temp if you remember
180 g about 3/4 cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling. I like Libbys, but store brand works too.
2 tsp vanilla extract
Optional a handful of chopped pecans or 1/2 cup chocolate chips

For the cinnamon frosting:

113 g 4 oz cream cheese, softened
56 g 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
220 to 240 g 1 3/4 to 2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 to 2 tbsp milk or cream, as needed for spreadable bliss

Quick help if you are new to baking flour into cups, this guide is excellent and very friendly: how to measure flour. Also, if your pumpkin seems watery, peep the brand page for what you are actually buying: Libbys pumpkin info.

Let us bake, without overthinking it

Preheat the oven to 175 C 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment. If you forget the parchment, a light buttering works in a pinch.
Whisk the dry stuff. In a bowl, whisk flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and that pinch of nutmeg. Set it aside and feel briefly accomplished.
Cream the butter and sugars. In a stand mixer on medium, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for about 2 to 3 minutes until fluffy and a little pale. Hand mixer is great too. Actually, I find it works better if the butter is slightly softer than you think.
Add the egg, pumpkin, and vanilla. Mix until combined. Do not panic if it looks curdled, it always does at this stage. This is where I usually sneak a taste because I am nosy.
Dry meets wet. Add the dry mixture to the bowl and mix on low just until you do not see streaks of flour. Fold in pecans or chocolate chips if using. Overmixing is the enemy of tender, so stop early and let the oven finish the job.
Chill a bit. Pop the dough into the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes. If you skip this, the cookies still bake fine, they just spread a touch more and get a softer edge.
Scoop and bake. Scoop about 1 1/2 tbsp mounds onto the sheets, 5 cm apart. I gently pat the tops to flatten slightly, just a little. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges look set and the tops are no longer shiny. If they look a bit puffy, that is normal.
Cool. Let them sit on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Do not rush this or you will end up with a few cookie casualties. Been there.
Make the frosting. Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar in two rounds, then cinnamon, vanilla, salt. Add milk a splash at a time until it spreads easily but does not run. Taste and adjust cinnamon if you want more cozy.
Frost generously. Once the cookies are fully cool, slab on the frosting with a butter knife or offset spatula. Or pipe swirls if you are feeling fancy.

If you want to go nutty and boost flavor, try browning the butter for the dough, it adds a toasty note that is unreal. Here is a great step by step if you have never done it: how to brown butter.

Notes I learned the fun way

Blotting watery pumpkin on a paper towel for a minute or two keeps the cookies soft but not spongey.
Flour measuring is sneaky. Spoon and level into the cup, or just weigh. Too much flour equals dry cookies and a frowny face.
Let the cookies cool fully before frosting. I once thought warm cookies would make a glossy glaze. Nope, it slid right off into little frosting puddles.
On second thought, if a light glaze is your thing, thin the frosting with more milk and drizzle while the cookies are just barely warm. It is messy, but delightful.

Variations I have tried

Maple cinnamon frosting. Swap 1 tbsp of the milk for real maple syrup. You might need a bit more powdered sugar to keep the texture spreadable.
Brown butter dough. Brown the butter, let it cool until just barely warm, then cream as directed. Flavor level turns up, like wow.
Whole wheat twist. Replace 1/2 cup of the all purpose flour with white whole wheat for a nubbly, hearty vibe. Add a teaspoon more milk to the dough if it feels stiff.
The one that did not work. I tried all oat flour once. Tasted lovely, texture went gummy. I will not do that again unless a wizard shows me how.

Gear I use, and how to cope without it

Stand mixer for the frosting. I call it essential for cloud smooth frosting, but if you only have a hand mixer, you are fine. Even a sturdy whisk works if the butter and cream cheese are really soft and you have some patience.
Cookie scoop. Great for even rounds. No scoop, no problem, two spoons do the job. Slightly messy, slightly charming.
Cooling rack. Helps keep the bottoms from getting damp. In a pinch, I rest cookies on the edges of an upside down muffin tin to let air circulate. Bit cheeky, but it works.

Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Frosting

How I store them

Because of the cream cheese frosting, I keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 or 5 days. They taste lovely cold, or let them come to room temp for 15 minutes. You can stash unfrosted cookies at room temp for 2 days. Freeze unfrosted cookies for up to 2 months, then thaw and frost fresh. Though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day.

Serving ideas that make me happy

Dust a whisper of cinnamon sugar over the frosting right before serving. Sparkly and a little extra.
With a mug of strong coffee, or a glass of very cold milk. If it is movie night, we do a plate of these and a bowl of salty popcorn. Sweet, salty, cozy.
For a small gathering, I pipe tiny rosettes of frosting and add one toasted pecan on each cookie. Looks fancy without any faff.

Pro tips learned the clumsy way

I once tried rushing the creaming step and regretted it because the cookies baked up flat and a bit greasy. Two to three minutes of creaming really does matter.
Do not add extra pumpkin thinking more is more. I did, they puffed like little cakes and lost that cookie chew. Keep it to about 3/4 cup.
Taking the cookies off the sheet too soon can bend them. Let them set for those 5 minutes. It is a tiny wait that saves drama.
Use room temp egg. Cold egg stiffened the butter for me once and the batter went lumpy. It still worked, but the texture was not as even.

FAQ because you all asked

Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of puree
Short answer, no. Pie filling has sugar and spices already, which will make these too sweet and oddly spiced. Pure pumpkin is what you want.

Do I have to chill the dough
Not mandatory, but helpful. Chilling makes scooping easier and keeps the cookies a bit thicker. If you are in a hurry, go straight to the oven, they still taste wonderful.

Help, my cookies are cake like
That is pumpkin doing its thing. Try blotting the pumpkin, and make sure you are measuring flour correctly. A touch more cornstarch helps too.

Can I make these without egg
Yes. Replace the egg with 2 tbsp milk or unsweetened applesauce. The cookies will be slightly softer, but still lovely.

What if I do not have cream cheese for the frosting
Use all butter and a splash more milk. It becomes a cinnamon buttercream. Different, still scrumptious.

Can I pipe the frosting
Absolutely. Make the frosting a tad stiffer, add a spoon more powdered sugar, and use a star tip. It holds its shape nicely.

Do I need a mixer
I say yes for the frosting if you want it super smooth, but I have done this with a whisk and determination. My arm was tired, its true, but it worked.

How do I measure flour without a scale
Fluff the flour, spoon into the cup, level off. Or peek at the guide I linked earlier. It saves bakes, truly.

Alright, that is the lot. If you bake these Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Frosting, let me know how they went, and if your dog also parks by the oven like mine does while we wait for that first tray. Wildly hopeful, slightly impatient, just like me.