Pumpkin cookies are the best way to start my annual fall-baking. Soft, moist (sorry), spiced to perfection + crowned with luscious cream cheese frosting – they’re everything!

A single pumpkin cookie with cream cheese frosting on the counter.

Pumpkin Cookie Recipe

Over the years I have developed quite a list of must-bake desserts for the fall season. And at the *very top* of that list are these pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting. They are the quintessential fall cookie. With the pumpkin spice flavor you crave and a tangy, sweet frosting on top, you’ll basically want to eat them every day.

Make them for a spooky halloween movie night, your neighborhood chili cook-off (you know you have one), or as a treat to munch on while watching football / reading the latest thriller / passing out halloween candy. I promise that once you bake this pumpkin cookie recipe, you’ll be baking it annually for the rest of your life.

A pumpkin cookie with cream cheese frosting cut in half stacked together , leaning on another cookie.

Ingredients in Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Salted butter, partially melted – I always use salted butter!
Brown sugar – Just brown sugar in this recipe so the cookies stay nice and moist.
Egg
Pumpkin puree – Puree, not pumpkin pie filling! They are right next to each other at the store, so be careful to buy the puree.
vanilla extract
All-purpose flour
Cornstarch – This will help your cookies stay ultra soft!
Cinnamon -The cinnamon is what makes pumpkin things taste like pumpkin things! haha don’t skimp here or else you’ll be sad with the flavor of the cookie.
Baking soda
salt
Buttermilk – The buttermilk will react with the baking soda to give the cookies that cake-like texture.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Salted butter, softened
Cream cheese, softened
Powdered sugar
Vanilla extract
Salt
Heavy whipping cream– You can sub regular milk here, you will just need to use significantly less.

How to Make Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer, mix the partially melted butter and brown sugar until combined.
Add the egg, pumpkin puree and vanilla, mixing well.
Scrape the sides and add the flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, baking soda and salt to the bowl. Slowly start mixing. As the dry ingredients are mixing in, slowly add in the buttermilk.
Mix until a thick batter forms.
Scoop the batter onto the pan using a #40 scoop (1 1/2 tbsp) for small cookies or a #24 scoop (3 tbsp) for larger cookies.
Bake at 375° F for 8-12 minutes or until the cookies have spread and no longer look wet and underbaked in the center of the cookie.
Allow the cookies to cool on the pan.
While the cookies are cooling, make the frosting.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the softened butter and cream cheese until mixed thoroughly.
Scrape the sides of the bowl and then alternate adding the remaining frosting ingredients, adding a portion of the powdered sugar and then some liquid, letting the mixer go on low until the powdered sugar is completely incorporated before adding more.
Repeat this process until all of the ingredients have been added. You can adjust the consistency of the frosting by adding more heavy cream to thin the frosting or more powdered sugar to thicken the frosting.
Spread the frosting onto each cookie. Garnish with some cinnamon sugar, if desired.
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Enjoy!

Pumpkin cookie dough balls on the cookie tray prior to being baked.

How should I store my pumpkin cookies? Can I store cookies with cream cheese frosting on the counter?

Once cooled, store your frosted cookies in an airtight container on the counter for 3 days! The sugar will stabilize the cream cheese so it can be stored at room temp! These cookies also freeze really well and can be stored in a resealable freezer bag for up to 3 months. I have a post all about how to freeze cookies if you would like more guidance!

What variations or add-ins can I try with the recipe?

First, I recommend sprinkling cinnamon-sugar on top of the cream cheese frosting to really push these cookies over the edge.

You can also try adding in chocolate chips or chopped nuts (I prefer pecans) to the cookie if you want a little extra umph.

Angled image of 3 pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting on the corner of a wire cooling rack. On the bottom it says "cream cheese frosted pumpkin cookies" in text.

Check out these other pumpkin treats!