Pumpkin Cake Cookies (with Maple Cream Cheese Icing)
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These homemade Pumpkin Cake Cookies are little soft pillows of pumpkin spice and warm pumpkin flavors. They have a fluffy cake-like texture and taste like pumpkin cake in a cookie form. Topped with a cream cheese maple icing and will be a new Fall favorite cookie!
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pumpkin cake cookies
Pumpkin Cake Cookies tastes just like a soft and fluffy bite of spiced pumpkin cake in a cookie form that’s frosted with a maple cream cheese glaze. It’s the perfect Fall cookie and is loaded with warm flavors, pumpkin and perfect for pumpkin lovers, Thanksgiving and holiday parties.
Each bite is so soft, moist and bursting with pumpkin and Fall flavors. They are easy cookies to make, don’t require any chilling and perfect all season long!
This recipe doesn’t have a box of cake mix in it, it’s completely made from scratch and both kids and adults will be hooked on them! Be sure to browse all of my other pumpkin recipes :).
Why You’ll Love These soft pumpkin cookies
key ingredients
- Pumpkin puree: The key ingredient! Adds moisture and pumpkin flavor. We can’t make this recipe without it!
- Butter: I used salted butter so you don’t have to add salt but you can also use unsalted butter, just add 1/4 teaspoon of salt in the recipe.
- All-purpose flour: Spoon and level the flour when measuring it. Be sure not to scoop it out of the bag using the measuring cup. This way, you won’t accidentally measure out too much.
- Sugar: We use both granulated white sugar and dark brown sugar or light brown sugar. This combination will increase the chewiness of these cookies.
- Large egg: Make sure the whole egg is at room temperature so it incorporates into the dough better.
- Baking soda: Used as a leavening agent.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances the flavors and adds a warm flavor. I always recommend using vanilla bean paste to add even more rich vanilla flavor.
- Pumpkin puree: The key ingredient! Adds moisture and pumpkin flavor. We can’t make this recipe without it!
- Pumpkin pie spice: Adds the signature flavor of pumpkin pie and spice. You can also make your own from scratch by combining 1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg, 3 tablespoons cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground cloves, 2 teaspoons allspice, and 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger. This pumpkin spice mix will store well and you can use it for other Fall recipes.
how to make pumpkin cake cookies
Remove moisture from pumpkin: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the pumpkin puree in a small bowl and blot it down with several paper towels to remove excess moisture. Set aside.
Mix dry ingredients together: In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin spice and cinnamon.
Beat butter and sugars: In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat together the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until combined, about 2 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed. Add in the egg, vanilla extract, milk and pumpkin puree and continue mixing for another minute.
Add the flour mixture to wet ingredients: Beat together until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Scoop, bake and ice cookies: With a small ice cream scooper (about 1 1/2 tablespoon of dough) scoop and place on the prepared cookie sheet. Bake cookies for 10 minutes and then let them cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Ice cookies and enjoy!
tips & variations
- Shaping cookies: Make perfect shaped cookies by using a cookie scoop.
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies: Add milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips.
- Nuts: Add your favorite chopped nuts to the cookie dough mixture. Chopped pecans, hazelnuts, walnuts, and almonds make great additions.
- Pumpkin bars: Instead of making cookies, make these into Cookie Bars by placing the cookie dough in a grease 13×9 inch baking pan and bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Make the cookie dough in advance: Leave the cookie dough in the fridge for up to 3 days. The dough will be firm so make sure to bring the cookie dough to room temperature and then continue on to Step #7 in the instructions.
- Blot the pumpkin: It’s so important to blot out some of the excess moisture from the pumpkin puree. This will give the cookies the rich delicious pumpkin flavor and it will prevent the cookies from being too soft and spreading while baking.
leftovers & storage
How to store Soft Pumpkin Cake Cookies: Since we use fresh pure pumpkin, these cookies are extra moist and soft so it’s best to store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container with wax paper in between each layer. They will store for up to 4 days in the refrigerator and 2 days on the counter.
To freeze baked cookies: Let the cookies cool completely then transfer them to an airtight container or freezer-safe ziplock bag. If you can, place wax paper in between each layer. Cookies will last 1 month in the freezer. Leave cookies out on the counter to thaw.
How to store cookie dough: Make the cookie dough according to the instructions. Scoop and place cookie dough balls on cookie sheet. Flash freeze until hardened, about 30 minutes. Place the hardened cookie dough balls in an airtight container or freezer-safe ziplock bag. Bake for a few minutes longer than recipe instructions.
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Soft Pumpkin Cake Cookies
Ingredients
To make the pumpkin cookies
- 1 can pumpkin puree
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup salted butter softened at room temperature
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 whole large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons milk
To make the maple icing
- 3 ounces cream cheese softened at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons butter softened at room temperature
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2-1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
To make the pumpkin cookies
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the pumpkin puree in a small bowl and blot it down with several paper towels to remove excess moisture. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin spice and cinnamon.
- In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat together the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until combined, about 2 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Add in the egg, vanilla extract, milk and pumpkin puree and continue mixing for another minute.
- Add the flour mixture and beat together until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- With a small ice cream scooper (about 1 1/2 tablespoon of dough) scoop and place on the prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake cookies for 10 minutes and then let them cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
To make the maple icing
- While the cookies cool, in a medium or large bowl, whisk together or beat with an electric hand mixer the softened cream cheese and butter. Add in the powdered sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon and milk. Add more powdered sugar if the icing is too thin, and more milk if it's too thick.
- Once the cookies have cooled, spoon or dip each cookie in the icing and place on cooling rack to dry and set. Top with cinnamon (optional) enjoy!
