Go Back

Pumpkin Sugar Cookies With Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin sugar cookies with cream cheese frosting are tender, spiced cut-outs with a thick cinnamon swirl. Bake until just set, chill the dough for clean shapes, then finish with a cinnamon sugar dusting.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 42 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 260
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For cookies
  • 3 cup flour
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 cup butter softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 0.25 cup pumpkin blotted dry
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
For cream cheese frosting
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 0.25 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 1 cinnamon sugar for finishing

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make and chill dough
  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Mix the cookie dough ingredients, wrap, and chill for 1 hour until firm.
  2. Roll the chilled dough to 1/4-inch thickness and cut circles or pumpkin shapes.
Bake and cool
  1. Bake on a sheet pan for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies are just set. Cool completely on the pan before frosting.
Make frosting and finish
  1. Beat the cream cheese, softened butter, powdered sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla until smooth, then beat in the milk to reach a pipeable or spreadable texture.
  2. Pipe or spread the frosting generously onto each cooled cookie.
  3. Dust the frosted cookies with cinnamon sugar for finishing.

Notes

Pro tip: blot the pumpkin until dry so the dough stays workable and your cut-out edges hold cleanly. Store cookies covered in the fridge for up to 4 days; bring to room temperature before serving for best texture. Freeze baked cookies (unfrosted or frosted) for up to 2 months—thaw overnight in the refrigerator. For a dairy-light swap, use a plant-based cream cheese and plant-based butter that soften well, then follow the same method for the frosting texture.