Pumpkin Sugar Cookies with Brown Sugar Frosting

There’s a new kid in town around here. They go by the name of ‘the most amazing soft pumpkin sugar cookies with brown sugar cream cheese frosting.”

That doesn’t mean we don’t still love and adore the classic pumpkin bar recipe, it simply means the pumpkin spice in our life doubled (tripled? quadrupled?) which directly correlates with happiness, doesn’t it?

These cookies are a must-make this fall. They are so soft, light, and fluffy, with the just-right balance of cinnamon and pumpkin spice.

Their subtleness is paired with a tangy, luxurious cream cheese frosting, made with brown sugar nonetheless, for a unique, rich, caramel essence. The combination is out of this world, and I can pretty much guarantee you won’t be stopping at just one.

The Cookie + Frosting Ingredients

This recipe uses simple ingredients that you likely already have in your cupboard (’tis the season to stock up on pumpkin, isn’t it?).

That’s one of the things I love most about it; while these cookies have an air of elegance, and sophistication, and may seem like a labor of love, they’re actually easy to make and pretty straightforward.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Unsalted Butter – I recommend unsalted so we can add our own salt, and therefore the ratios will be the same regardless of which brand of butter you use.
• Vegetable Oil – using oil with butter keeps these cookies moist and soft.
• Pumpkin Puree – make sure you’re using 100% pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.
• Granulated and Powdered Sugar – both sugars contribute to the cookie’s texture. I use a mix of powdered sugar in my soft sugar cookie recipe, too. It helps add to the softness of the cookies and contributes to the melt-in-your-mouth texture.
• Egg – just one in this recipe; I recommend bringing it to room temperature so it combines with the other ingredients properly.
• All-Purpose Flour – please, please, please weigh your flour to ensure proper results!
• Cream of Tartar – adding to that classic sugar cookie flavor, it also works with the baking soda to keep these cookies light and fluffy!
• Salt
• Vanilla Extract – get the real stuff!
• Pumpkin Pie Spice – now we’re talking pumpkin cookies.
• Cinnamon – how could we not add extra cinnamon?

As for the sugar cookie frosting, we will need cream cheese, butter, vanilla, brown sugar, and powdered sugar. Oh, and a little more pumpkin pie spice for good measure.

Be sure to click the ‘metric’ tab on the recipe card to weigh out the main ingredients!

How to Make Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

Get ready, because you’re going to be making pumpkin cookies on repeat! Luckily, they’re pretty darn easy, ready in about 30 minutes (depending on your cool time before frosting!), and the dough does not need to chill! More on that chilling piece in a minute…

I recommend first combining the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. This will help make the process quicker, AND it’s the easiest to do since you’ll be using that handy-dandy kitchen scale.

Weigh the ingredients where noted (especially the flour) for the most accurate results. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, sift your flour and spoon it into a dry measuring cup, being extra careful to not pack it down whatsoever. Then go get yourself a kitchen scale. 😉

Begin the batter by creaming together the butter and sugars. Use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or an electric hand mixer. Run the mixer on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is light, pale, and fluffy. When the two are creamed together, it helps create a light and fluffy texture in our cookie, so don’t skip it!

Once creamed, add the oil, pumpkin, and vanilla extract. Mix until combined, then beat in the egg.

Next, stir in the dry ingredients just until combined. As with many baked goods, it’s important to not overmix these to ensure they keep their soft texture.

Do I need to chill the dough?

Let me tell you, friends. You don’t really need to chill the dough. Not really. But you can, if you want even thicker cookies.

I tested these many, many times (it’s a hard job but someone has to do it). Each time I made half of the batter immediately, then chilled the other half for 30 minutes. There wasn’t a great deal of difference, as you can see below. However, the chilled cookies were very slightly thicker.

Or, the other way to phrase that, is that the unchilled cookie dough spread just ever so slightly more.

Personally, this difference didn’t really matter to me. I’m generally in the camp of let’s just eat the cookies already! However, if you want thicker cookies, go ahead and chill the dough. If the dough seems like it’s too runny, or if it’s a hot day, I would recommend going ahead and chilling the dough.

Short answer? No, not really, with a few caveats.

Shaping Sugar Cookies

Use a #40 cookie scoop or about one and a half tablespoons of dough and dollop on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

Once the dollops are placed, dip a flat-bottomed glass in sugar (you may want to dampen the bottom of the glass so the sugar sticks the first time).

Then, using the bottom of the glass, gently press the cookie dough into a disc that is about 1/4 inch thick, or 2 inches wide. It will likely feel natural as you’re gently pressing, as long as you don’t use all of your muscles.

If you’re feeling extra, add another sprinkle of sugar, but keep in mind that brown sugar icing is going on top anyway.

Once they’re pressed, it’s time to bake!

Bake the cookies until the edges are set and slightly golden brown. They are naturally darker in color because of the pumpkin and spices, so they may not look as golden brown as you’re used to with cookies. Similar to muffins, you can lightly touch the tops to see if they’re done; they should gently bounce back.

Making Brown Sugar Frosting

I realize that ‘brown sugar cream cheese pumpkin spice frosting‘ is a very long name for a frosting. I mean, even brown sugar cream cheese frosting is a mouthful. But whatever you want to call it, it’s dang delicious.

I’m pretty sure it’s my new favorite frosting, too.

The brown sugar gives it a slight caramel flavor and adds a little texture since it has a grainier texture than our typical all-powdered sugar frosting. I’m telling you, it’s a winner. And the hint of pumpkin spice compliments these cookies like WOW.

Start by beating together the cream cheese and butter. It’s important that both are room temperature so they easily combine together. If your frosting is lumpy, they weren’t quite soft enough, so definitely keep that in mind.

Once the two are combined, add in the sugars, spice, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated. I fully approve of taste testing.

What’s the texture like? The result will be thick yet spreadable, and it will stay creamy and soft. It won’t harden as royal icing does.

Frosting the Cookies

There is really only one important thing to keep in mind when frosting the cookies: make sure the cookies are cooled before icing them. Similar to frosting a cake or pumpkin bars, the top may peel away when icing if they are still warm.

The good news? Put the cookies on a cooling rack and they will cool off in no time. It doesn’t take as long as it sounds.

Then, spread the frosting on top. A spoon or small icing spatula works great for this. Use about 1 1/2 teaspoons per cookie and you’ll have the perfect amount of frosting for the 22 cookies!

Common Questions

More Sugar Cookie Recipes

• Chocolate Sugar Cookies
• Lemon Sugar Cookies
• Brown Sugar Cookies
• Sugar Cookies turned Mini Fruit Pizzas
• Giant Raspberry Sugar Cookie

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review in the form below. I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others, too!