Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Frosting

Looking for the ultimate fall dessert to impress your guests? These Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Frosting are your answer. They’re tender, cake-like cookies bursting with pumpkin spice flavor and topped with a smooth, cinnamon-kissed frosting that melts perfectly over each bite.

Perfect for Thanksgiving, cozy weekends, or festive bake sales, these cookies capture everything we love about autumn. If you enjoy baking recipes, fall desserts, and easy sweet treats, this recipe will become your new go-to.

Quick Recipe Overview

Ingredients

For the Cookies:

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (swap with GF blend if needed)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (or coconut oil for dairy-free)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Cinnamon Frosting:

• 4 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2–3 tablespoons milk (adjust for desired consistency)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat and Prep

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper (alt text: “lined baking sheet ready for pumpkin cookies”).

2. Mix Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. This blend gives the cookies their signature warm, fall aroma.

3. Cream Butter and Sugars

In a large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add in pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla; mix until smooth and creamy.

4. Combine and Form

Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients until a soft dough forms. Drop rounded tablespoons onto the baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

5. Bake to Soft Perfection

Bake 10–12 minutes until edges are set and tops look slightly puffy. The cookies should stay soft and cake-like, not crisp. Cool completely before frosting.

6. Make the Cinnamon Frosting

Beat butter until creamy, then mix in powdered sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and milk until smooth and spreadable. Frost cooled cookies generously.

Nutrition Facts

Healthier or Dietary Alternatives

Want a lighter or allergen-friendly version of these soft pumpkin cookies? Substitute half the butter with unsweetened applesauce to reduce fat while keeping the texture moist and tender. Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend for a celiac-safe version, or switch to coconut oil and almond milk for dairy-free baking.

You can also lower sugar content by using coconut sugar or a monk fruit sweetener. These tweaks preserve that classic fall flavor while making the easy pumpkin cookie recipe a bit more wholesome.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with a warm mug of apple cider or chai latte.
• Add festive sprinkles or a dusting of cinnamon sugar before the frosting sets.
• Stack and gift in decorative boxes for holiday bake swaps.

See also other sweets recipes that you might love : Easy Sugar Cookies, Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée Cheesecake , sweet vanilla dessert

People Also Ask (FAQ)

Conclusion

These Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Frosting are the taste of fall in every bite—warm, spiced, and melt-in-your-mouth soft. They’re the perfect treat to bake for Thanksgiving or cozy nights at home. Try them once, and they’ll become your signature seasonal dessert.

Leave a comment, pin this recipe, or share it with your favorite baker friends—because fall baking is always better together.