➡️Craving soft pumpkin cookies topped with creamy cinnamon frosting? These treats blend fall spices and fresh pumpkin into a melt-in-your-mouth delight that’s simple to bake at home.
➡️You’ll get a full recipe with easy steps, tips for perfect texture, and ideas to tweak the flavor for holidays or any cozy day.
Why This Recipe Works So Well 🎯
✅Pure Comfort in Cookie Form 🍪
These cookies taste like pumpkin pie had a baby with a sugar cookie (trust me). The pumpkin keeps them soft for days, while the spices give you that warm, cozy feeling without being overwhelming.
✅Easy Enough for Beginners ⚡
No chilling required, no complicated techniques—just mix, scoop, bake. The frosting comes together in minutes with a hand mixer. Honestly, if you can make boxed cake mix, you can make these.
✅Crowd-Pleasing Winner 🎉
I’ve brought these to potlucks, bake sales, and Thanksgiving dinners. They disappear fast. The cinnamon frosting is what gets people—it’s sweet but not cloying, with just enough spice to keep things interesting.
Serving Size 🍽️
Yield: About 18-20 medium cookies (depends on scoop size)
Perfect for: Sharing at gatherings or hoarding for yourself—no judgment here
What You’ll Need 📝
For the Cookies:
- 1/2 cup vegan butter, softened (regular butter works too)
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch (keeps them soft)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (adds extra warmth)
For the Cinnamon Frosting:
- 1 cup vegan butter, softened (or regular butter)
- 3 teaspoons vanilla paste or extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or use more cinnamon)
- 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
- 3 1/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2-3 tablespoons plant milk or regular milk (if needed for consistency)
Kitchen Equipment 🛠️
Essential Tools:
- Hand mixer or stand mixer (makes life easier)
- Large mixing bowls (at least two)
- Baking sheets (two if you have them)
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
- Cookie scoop (2-tablespoon size is ideal)
- Piping bag and Wilton tip #2A (or any large star tip)
- Cooling rack
Prep Time Breakdown ⏱️
Total prep: About 15 minutes
Mix ingredients: 10 minutes
Scoop cookies: 5 minutes
Side note—the frosting takes another 10 minutes, but you make that while cookies cool, so it doesn’t really add to your active time.
How Long to Cook 🔥
Baking time: 11-13 minutes per batch
Cooling time: 20 minutes before frosting
Total time: About 45-50 minutes start to finish (including frosting)
Let’s Get Cooking 🍳
Get Everything Ready 📋
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your baking sheets with parchment paper—don’t skip this or you’ll have sticky cookies stuck to the pan (been there). Let your butter sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. It should be soft enough to press easily but not melting. Pull out your pumpkin puree and give it a stir if there’s any liquid separation.
Build the Cookie Dough 🧄
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with both sugars using your hand mixer on medium speed for about 2-3 minutes. You want it fluffy and lighter in color. Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla—beat until combined. Don’t freak out if it looks a bit curdled; that’s normal with pumpkin. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture on low speed. Mix just until no flour streaks remain—overmixing makes tough cookies.
Shape and Bake 🔥
Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop (or just a regular spoon), drop dough onto your prepared baking sheets. Space them about 2 inches apart because they’ll spread a little. Bake for 11-13 minutes—they’re done when the edges are set but the centers still look slightly underdone. Here’s the thing: they’ll continue cooking on the hot pan, so pull them out when they look almost done. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Wait until they’re completely cool before frosting (I know it’s hard).
Make That Frosting ✨
While cookies cool, beat the softened butter in a clean bowl until creamy. Add the vanilla, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and brown sugar—beat until combined. Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating on low speed so you don’t create a sugar cloud in your kitchen. Once all the sugar is incorporated, increase speed to medium-high and beat for 2-3 minutes until fluffy. If it’s too thick to pipe, add milk one tablespoon at a time. You want it firm enough to hold a shape but soft enough to pipe easily.
Frost and Enjoy 🎨
Fill your piping bag fitted with the 2A tip (or whatever large star tip you have). Hold the bag perpendicular to the cookie and pipe a swirl starting from the outside and working your way to the center. Actually, forget what I just said—pipe however you want. These taste amazing no matter how pretty they look. If you don’t have a piping bag, just spread the frosting with a knife. Totally fine.
Taste Experience 👅
These cookies deliver soft, cakey texture with intense pumpkin spice flavor. The cookie itself is mildly sweet with warm cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger notes from the pumpkin pie spice. It’s not overwhelming—just cozy. The frosting brings a sweet, buttery contrast with a subtle cinnamon kick that complements the pumpkin base without competing with it. Think pumpkin pie meets cinnamon roll. The brown sugar adds depth and a slight molasses flavor that makes these taste more sophisticated than your average sugar cookie. Honestly, the frosting might be the best part (don’t tell the cookies).
Allergen Alert 🚨
Contains: Wheat (gluten), potentially dairy (if using regular butter)
Free from: Eggs, nuts (as written)
Making It Safe 🛡️
For gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend (the kind with xanthan gum already added).
For nut allergies: This recipe is naturally nut-free, but check your butter and pumpkin labels if you’re concerned about cross-contamination.
For soy-free: Make sure your vegan butter doesn’t contain soy—brands like Earth Balance have soy-free options.
Nutritional Breakdown 📋
Per cookie (with frosting, approximately):
- Calories: 220-240
- Fat: 12g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Sugar: 18g
- Protein: 1g
- Fiber: 1g
Keep in mind these are treats, not health food. But the pumpkin does add vitamin A and a bit of fiber (I’m not 100% sure that makes up for all the sugar, but we’ll call it a win).
Making It Work for You ⚙️
Vegan Version 🌱
This recipe is already vegan if you use vegan butter and plant milk. Stick with it—no changes needed.
Traditional/Dairy Version 🧈
Swap the vegan butter for regular unsalted butter (same measurements) and use regular milk in the frosting. Some people swear the flavor is better with real butter, but honestly, I can’t tell the difference in these cookies.
Lower Sugar Option 📉
You can reduce the sugar in the cookies by 2 tablespoons, but don’t mess with the frosting ratios or it won’t pipe properly. Or just eat smaller cookies (yeah, right).
Creative Changes 🎨
Spice It Up 🌶️
Add 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger or cardamom to the cookie dough for extra warmth. Or throw in 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg if you’re a nutmeg person. I sometimes add a pinch of cloves when I’m feeling fancy.
Mix-Ins for Texture 🍫
Fold in 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips, chopped pecans, or mini chocolate chips to the dough. The chocolate-pumpkin combo is surprisingly good (trust me on this one).
Frosting Variations 🌈
Try cream cheese frosting instead (beat 4 oz softened cream cheese with the butter before adding other ingredients). Or make a maple cinnamon frosting by replacing the brown sugar with 3 tablespoons maple syrup. For plain vanilla frosting, just skip the cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice.
Perfect Partners 👫
Beverage Pairings 🥤
These are made for hot apple cider, chai tea, or pumpkin spice lattes (yes, I’m that person). A strong coffee cuts through the sweetness nicely. For something cold, try them with cold brew or vanilla almond milk. Kids love these with regular milk, obviously.
Complete Meal Ideas 🍽️
Serve these at Thanksgiving dessert tables alongside pumpkin pie and apple crisp. They’re also perfect for fall birthday parties, Halloween treats, or cozy afternoon tea. I’ve brought these to Friendsgiving three years running—they’re kind of my thing now.
Keeping It Fresh 🌿
Room Temperature Storage:
Once frosted, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Layer them with parchment paper so the frosting doesn’t get smooshed. They stay soft because of the pumpkin—one of my favorite things about these cookies.
Refrigerator Storage:
Frosted cookies keep for up to 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Let them come to room temperature before eating for the best texture (cold butter frosting is weird).
Freezer Storage:
Freeze unfrosted cookies for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw at room temperature and frost fresh. You can also freeze the frosted cookies, but the texture isn’t quite the same after thawing—the frosting can get a bit grainy.
Success Secrets 🔐
Don’t Overbake 🎯
Pull these cookies when the centers still look slightly underdone. They’ll firm up as they cool. Overbaked pumpkin cookies are dry and sad—trust me, I’ve made that mistake.
Room Temperature Everything 🌡️
Softened butter is non-negotiable. Cold butter won’t cream properly, and your cookies will be dense. Give it 30-45 minutes on the counter before starting.
Measure Flour Correctly ⚖️
Spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife. Don’t pack it down or scoop directly from the bag—you’ll end up with too much flour and dry cookies.
Chill the Dough If Needed ❄️
If your kitchen is warm and the dough feels too soft to scoop, refrigerate it for 15-20 minutes. This helps the cookies hold their shape better. Actually, I rarely do this, but some people swear by it.
Fixing Common Mistakes 🛠️
Cookies Spread Too Much:
Your butter was probably too warm or you didn’t measure flour correctly. Make sure butter is softened but not melting, and try chilling the dough for 15 minutes before baking the next batch.
Cookies Are Too Dry:
You either overbaked them or used too much flour. Next time, pull them a minute earlier and double-check your flour measurement. Also, make sure your pumpkin puree isn’t too thick—if it seems dry, add an extra tablespoon.
Frosting Won’t Pipe:
Too thick—add milk one tablespoon at a time until it’s pipeable. Too thin—add more powdered sugar, 1/4 cup at a time. Getting the right consistency takes practice (I still mess it up sometimes).
Frosting Melts on Cookies:
Your cookies weren’t completely cool yet. I know waiting is annoying, but warm cookies will absolutely melt buttercream frosting. Give them a solid 20 minutes to cool.
Common Questions 🤔
Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned?
You can, but it’s more work than it’s worth. Canned pumpkin puree has the perfect consistency and moisture level. If you do use fresh, make sure to drain any excess liquid or your cookies will spread too much.
What if I don’t have pumpkin pie spice?
Make your own: mix 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, and a pinch of cloves. Or just use 1 teaspoon of cinnamon—the cookies will still taste good, just less complex.
Can I make these without a mixer?
Yeah, but your arm will get a workout. Use a wooden spoon and put some muscle into creaming that butter and sugar. The frosting is harder to make by hand, but it’s doable if you’re determined.
How do I know when they’re done?
The edges should be set and lightly golden, while the centers still look slightly soft and puffy. If you press gently on a cookie, it should spring back slowly. They’ll continue cooking on the hot pan after you remove them from the oven.
Can I double this recipe?
Absolutely. Just make sure you have enough baking sheets and cooling space. I usually double it when making these for a crowd—they go fast.
Do I have to use a piping bag?
Nope. A butter knife or offset spatula works fine for spreading frosting. The piping bag just makes them look prettier (which is nice for gifts or parties, but totally optional).
The Bottom Line 🎯
These soft pumpkin cookies with cinnamon frosting deliver everything you want in a fall cookie: warmth, spice, and that perfect soft texture that makes you reach for another one (and maybe another). The recipe is forgiving enough for beginners but impressive enough to bring to any gathering. Here’s the thing—they taste like you spent hours in the kitchen, but you really didn’t.
