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Love From The Oven

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Soft Pumpkin Cookies

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These pillowy Soft Pumpkin Cookies are topped with decadent cream cheese frosting, creating an irresistible fall dessert. Reminiscent of Pumpkin Lofthouse Cookies, they can be made with or without sprinkles, and are a crowd pleaser either way. Their consistency is perfectly light and fluffy and their flavor is out of this world. 

Not only are these cookies delicious, the recipe and ingredients are simple, and they come together in no time. No dough chilling, hand rolling or any other time consuming steps. Mix up your ingredients, scoop onto a cookie sheet, and into the oven they go. Your family and friends will rave about these perfectly pumpkin spiced treats. 

frosted pumpkin cookies, one with a bite taken out, on a blue background

Reasons To Make This Recipe:

  • The flavor combination of pumpkin and cinnamon, along with the incredible texture, will make this recipe a fall favorite. 
  • They are topped with a cream cheese frosting that is so delicious, you might want to eat it with a spoon (and no judgement if you do!). 
  • Do you prefer quick and easy recipes? You are in luck, this one checks both boxes and comes together in just minutes. 
  • Your family will ask you to make these on repeat, and your friends will need a copy of the recipe – they are that good. 

A plate of pumpkin cookies, some with frosting and sprinkles

Iced Pumpkin Cookies

One of the best things about fall, or at least approaching fall, is the baking. Pumpkin cookies are a favorite in our household, everybody loves them. From Pumpkin Snickerdoodles to Pumpkin Caramel Cookies, nobody can resist these pumpkin treats. But when you add cream cheese frosting to the mix, it takes cookies to a whole other level. Dare I say that these might be our favorite fall cookie yet? Sprinkles are optional, you can add them after frosting if you desire. Your call! 

Inspired by the perfect sink-your-teeth-into softness of Lofthouse cookies, these pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting manage to be super soft and cakey in the very best way imaginable. In general, I am not a fan of cakey cookies. But these cookies get that light and fluffy texture just right. They have a satisfying weight to them, aren’t the least bit dry, and the pumpkin spice flavor absolutely shines. While the cream cheese frosting really shines with these cookies, they are still spectacular even when you skip the frosting. 

A stack of three pumpkin cookies

How To Make Soft Pumpkin Cookies

As with all of my favorite recipes, these cookies are easy to make. Similar to other drop cookie recipes, the dry ingredients are combined, wet ingredients are combined, and the two are then mixed together. There is no chilling and need to roll or shape the dough, it’s simply scooped onto a baking sheet.

For variety I made these cookies in two sizes. To get the traditional Lofthouse size cookie, a lever ice cream scoop dispenses the perfect amount of cookie dough. Also wanting a smaller cookie, my regular cookie scoop worked perfectly. Baking times are slightly different and listed in the recipe card below.

One note about the dough, this is not a dough that you want to let sit. While many cookie doughs can be chilled, and often develop better flavor by doing so, this is not that dough. With this being a super soft cookie, the dough is a bit more airy, and doesn’t hold up to sitting like some doughs do. Whip up the dough and bake these cookies all in one sitting for the best results. 

Ingredients to make pumpkin spice mix

Ingredients 

Like most pumpkin recipes, the flavor really comes from the spices. In this recipe you’ll use cinnamon and pumpkin spice. If you don’t have pumpkin spice on hand, you can easily make your own pumpkin spice mix. What if you don’t have all of those on hand but want to make these ASAP? Use the spices you have to get as close to the pumpkin spice mix recipe as possible, just make sure you don’t leave out the cinnamon – it’s critical. The cookies will still be amazing, I promise. 

These cookies are made using canned pumpkin puree, such as Libby’s. Make sure you are using pumpkin puree, and not pumpkin pie mix. If you are using fresh pumpkin, the ratios may be different. For baking I really prefer to stick with canned pumpkin for it’s dependable consistency. However if you choose to make these with fresh pumpkin, I’d love to hear how it goes. 

Plain and iced pumpkin cookies on a blue napkin

More Great Pumpkin Desserts To Try

Pumpkin desserts really are my family’s favorite. If you like this cookie recipe, you might want to also try my Easy Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting, Pumpkin Bundt Cake, Pumpkin Brownies and Pumpkin Caramel Cupcakes. Of course we can’t forget the classic –Libby’s Pumpkin Pie.

You can even start your day with pumpkin with my Baked Pumpkin Donuts or myStarbucks Pumpkin Bread.

Frosted pumpkin cookies, one with a bite taken out

Click To Pin And Save This Recipe

Pumpkin cookies with icing with one that has a bite taken out of it

Soft Pumpkin Cookies

These pillowy Soft Pumpkin Cookies are topped with decadent cream cheese frosting creating an irresistible fall dessert. Reminiscent of Pumpkin Lofthouse Cookies, they can be made with or without sprinkles.
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cookies, pumpkin
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 36 minutes
Total Time: 46 minutes
Servings: 36 cookies
Calories: 135kcal
Author: Christi Johnstone

Ingredients

Cookies

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 15oz can pumpkin puree 1/2 of a 15 oz can is approximately 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Frosting

  • 4 oz softened cream cheese make sure to sit it out in advance to come to a softened consistency
  • 3 tbsp softened butter
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • pinch salt optional

Instructions

Cookies

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare cookie sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
  • In a large mixing bowl combine softened butter and sugar, and beat until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes. Add in egg and vanilla and mix until well combined. Add in pumpkin puree and mix until well combined.
  • Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices all at once, then mix on low or by hand until just combined. Do not over mix. Scoop onto prepared baking sheets, leaving approximately 2" between cookies. Bake for approximately 12 minutes for small cookies, or 15 minutes for large cookies, or until edges start to very slightly brown and the tops of the cookies appear set and cooked through.
  • Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet, on a wire cooling rack, for at least ten minutes prior to removing from the baking sheet with a spatula. Allow to cool completely prior to frosting.

Frosting

  • Combine butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl and beat until well combined and smooth. Add in powdered sugar and beat until well combined, light and fluffy. Add in vanilla and salt, and mix until well combined. Spread on cooled cookies.

Notes

Makes 36 small cookies, approximately 2" in size or 18 large cookies. 

Nutrition

Calories: 135kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 89mg | Potassium: 36mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 766IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @lovefromtheoven or tag #lovefromtheoven!

I hope your family enjoys these cookies as much as mine does!

About author Christi Johnstone of Love From The Oven

Christi is the baker, cook, blogger, food photographer, recipe developer and sprinkle lover behind Love From The Oven. As a busy mom, it's important to Christi that her recipes are family-friendly and picky eater approved. In addition to running Love From The Oven, Christi is the author of The My Little Pony Baking Book and Smart Cookie, and the co-author of Peeps-A-Licious.
Interested in working with Christi? please contact her by email.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our disclosure policy.

Home » Baking & Sweets » Cookies » Soft Pumpkin Cookies

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August 9, 2020 by LOVE FROM THE OVEN

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  1. RJ says

    August 28, 2020 at 10:20 am

    5 stars
    Is it bad if I ate 6 in one sitting?

    Reply
  2. A very average high school senior says

    September 27, 2020 at 4:28 pm

    5 stars
    AMAZING!!! and so easy to bake! I’m a high school student and I never bake bc i ruin everything so for me to say easy really means EASY!

    Reply
    • Christi Johnstone says

      September 29, 2020 at 9:24 am

      I’m so glad you enjoyed them! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Patricia says

    November 5, 2020 at 8:06 am

    How do you store these cookies without the frosting Sticking to each other ,. When you stack them.

    Reply
    • Christi Johnstone says

      November 5, 2020 at 9:05 am

      Honestly I try not to stack them too much, but if I must I put a layer of parchment or wax paper between.

      Reply
  4. Nicole says

    November 23, 2020 at 4:35 pm

    Do these need to be refrigerated?

    Reply
    • Christi Johnstone says

      November 24, 2020 at 8:02 am

      If you are serving within a day or so, no, you are fine at room temp.

      Reply
  5. Deborah Timmons says

    November 24, 2020 at 7:47 am

    can you freeze these after you bake and ice them?

    Reply
    • Christi Johnstone says

      November 24, 2020 at 7:58 am

      I would suggest freezing them prior to icing them.

      Reply
  6. KathyB says

    January 21, 2021 at 9:08 pm

    5 stars
    Easy to make, soft and they taste delicious.

    Reply
Hi, I'm Christi I love sharing easy & delicious recipes that your family & friends will love. I'm a mom, cookbook author...Read More

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