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Baking Sweet Fall Memories
The first time I baked pumpkin sugar cookies, the whole house smelled like fall—warm spices, sweet pumpkin, and buttery goodness. I topped them with a swirl of tangy cream cheese frosting, and suddenly, these weren’t just cookies… they were little bites of autumn comfort. My kids helped decorate them with sprinkles shaped like leaves, and they quickly became a family tradition for October weekends.
These Pumpkin Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting are soft, chewy, and full of cozy fall flavor. Perfect for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or simply when you’re craving a festive treat, they’re a must-bake for pumpkin lovers.
Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
These aren’t your average sugar cookies—they’re fall’s best upgrade. Here’s why you’ll keep coming back to this recipe:
- Soft & chewy: Pumpkin purée makes these cookies pillowy and moist.
- Perfectly spiced: A blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin spice adds warmth.
- Dreamy frosting: The tangy cream cheese frosting balances the sweetness.
- Festive & fun: Add fall sprinkles or pipe the frosting into little pumpkins for a holiday-ready treat.
Tips for Perfect Pumpkin Cookies
- Chill the dough: This keeps cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
- Don’t overbake: They should be just set in the center for soft cookies.
- Use block cream cheese: Not the spreadable kind, for a rich frosting.
- Decorate creatively: Add orange food coloring to frosting for a pumpkin look, or dust with cinnamon for a rustic touch.
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup pumpkin purée
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in pumpkin purée, egg, and vanilla until well combined.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to wet, mixing until just combined. Chill dough for 30 minutes.
- Scoop dough into 1 ½-inch balls, place on baking sheets, and flatten slightly.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, until edges are set. Cool completely before frosting.
- For frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar gradually, then vanilla. Beat until fluffy.
- Spread or pipe frosting on cooled cookies. Add sprinkles or decorations if desired.