Chewy Pumpkin Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting (Print Version)

Soft, spiced pumpkin sugar cookies topped with tangy cream cheese frosting. A delightful autumn treat, perfect for sharing or a quiet evening.

# Recipe Info:

Prep Time: 25 Minutes minutes
Cook Time: 12 Minutes minutes
Total Time: 37 minutes
Servings: 24 Servings
Difficulty: Intermediate
Cuisine: American
Dietary: Vegetarian

# Ingredients:

→ Cookie Base

01 - 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
07 - 1 large egg
08 - 1 cup pumpkin puree (100% pure pumpkin, not pie filling)

→ Warm Spices

09 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
10 - 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
11 - ½ teaspoon ground ginger
12 - ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

→ Cream Cheese Frosting

13 - 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened
14 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
15 - 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
16 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Optional Garnish

17 - Pinch of ground cinnamon or flaky sea salt for dusting

# Instructions:

01 - First things first, get that softened butter and granulated sugar into your stand mixer. Cream them together on medium speed until they're light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. This step is super important for getting that tender texture in your pumpkin sugar cookies. I always get a little excited watching it transform, all pale and airy.
02 - Next up, beat in the egg until it's just combined, then add the pumpkin puree. Mix on low speed until everything is well incorporated. Don't overmix here; we just want it combined. The mixture will look a bit thick and orange, and the smell of pumpkin will start to fill your kitchen, which is honestly one of my favorite parts of making these pumpkin sugar cookies.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together your flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Give it a really good whisk to make sure all those spices are evenly distributed. I once didn't whisk enough, and one cookie tasted like a spice bomb while the next was bland. Oops! Learning moment, right?
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Stop as soon as you see no more streaks of flour. Overmixing develops the gluten too much, and we want soft, chewy pumpkin sugar cookies, not tough ones. The dough will be soft and a bit sticky, but that's totally normal!
05 - Cover the dough and chill it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This step is crucial, honestly! It helps the dough firm up, making it easier to handle and prevents the cookies from spreading too much. I've skipped this before, thinking "it'll be fine," and ended up with flatter, less appealing pumpkin sugar cookies. Learn from my impatience, hon!
06 - Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving some space. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are just set but the centers are still soft. Let them cool completely on a wire rack before frosting. While they cool, whip up that cream cheese frosting – beat softened cream cheese and butter until smooth, then gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Frost generously! The aroma, the texture, everything about these finished pumpkin sugar cookies is just wonderful.

# Notes:

01 - Always use room temperature butter and cream cheese for the best texture in both the cookies and frosting.
02 - Don't overbake the cookies! They should look slightly underdone in the center for that perfect chewiness.
03 - Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes; it makes a huge difference in preventing spread.
04 - For extra soft cookies, slightly underbake them - they'll continue to cook a bit on the hot baking sheet.
05 - Don't overcrowd your baking sheets; this ensures even baking and prevents merging cookies.
06 - A tiny sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top of the frosting before it sets can really elevate the flavor.

# Equipment Needed:

01 - Stand mixer or hand mixer
02 - baking sheets
03 - parchment paper
04 - cooling rack
05 - mixing bowls
06 - whisk
07 - spatula.

# Nutrition (Per Serving):

Calories: 250
Total Fat: 12g
Total Carbohydrate: 35g
Protein: 3g

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