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Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

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25 minutes
15 Comments
5 from 12 votes
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Enjoy our quick, easy, and soft pumpkin cookies with cinnamon buttercream frosting, creating an irresistible fall dessert.
Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

Recipe Ingredient Notes

To make soft pumpkin cookies with cinnamon buttercream frosting, you will need the following ingredients:

Cookies Ingredient

  • 1 cup butter softened
  • ¾ cup white sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 egg
  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla
  • 7.5 ounces pumpkin puree  (not pumpkin pie filling), ½ can
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

Frosting Ingredient

  • ¼ cup butter melted
  • 3 cups powdered sugar (more or less depending on how thick you like it)
  • 2 Tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Equipment Needed

For this recipe, you only need a few simple kitchen tools. We recommend using the following equipment:

How to Make Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

Cookies Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350℉.
  2. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.
  3. Add both sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  4. Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally.
  5. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until combined.
  6. Beat in pumpkin.
  7. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour.
  8. Drop dough by heaping teaspoons 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
  9. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until tops are set.
  10. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool.

Frosting Instructions

  1. As cookies are cooling, mix all frosting ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl.
  2. Once cookies have cooled completely, frost them.

Recipe Tips

  • There is nothing worse when you are making cookies, and you have butter lumps in your dough. That is why we recommend using softened butter, as well as an electric hand mixer, to smooth it out.
  • We also recommend following the order of ingredients. The cookies work best when they are combined in that order. Take it from someone who thought they could make it even faster, and ended up with flat, burnt cookies.
  • This frosting recipe, works best with melted butter, as instructed.
  • We also recommend starting with a little milk and adding as needed. You can always add milk, but you can’t always take it away.

Storing Suggestions

Cookies are exceptionally easy to store and preserve quality.

  • Freezing Cookie Dough: Roll the dough into balls, then place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for about an hour, then layer the cookie dough balls with parchment paper between each layer in an airtight container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
  • Baked Cookies: Once cookies have cooled completely, store cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 4-6 days. To store baked cookies in the freezer, first freeze them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Once completely frozen, transfer them to a airtight container and store for up to 3 months.
  • Refrigerate Cookie Dough: Store unbaked cookie dough in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Allow the dough to sit on the counter for an hour to soften before scooping.

We absolutely love pumpkin recipes, especially in the fall and winter. Check out our comprehensive collection of pumpkin recipes here.

A plate of frosted cookies is in the background, with three frosted cookies in focus in the foreground on a dark surface.

Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting Recipe

5 from 12 votes
Enjoy our quick, easy, and soft pumpkin cookies with cinnamon buttercream frosting, creating an irresistible fall dessert.
Serving36 cookies
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Save Print

Ingredients

Cookies

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • ¾ cup white sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 egg
  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla
  • 7.5 ounces pumpkin puree,  (not pumpkin pie filling), ½ can
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

Frosting

  • ¼ cup butter, melted
  • 3 cups powdered sugar, (more or less depending on how thick you like it)
  • 2 Tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Equipment

Instructions

Cookies

  1. Preheat oven to 350℉.
  2. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.
  3. Add both sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  4. Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally.
  5. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until combined.
  6. Beat in pumpkin.
  7. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour.
  8. Drop dough by heaping teaspoons 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
  9. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until tops are set.
  10. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool.

Frosting

  1. As cookies are cooling, mix all frosting ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl.
  2. Once cookies have cooled completely, frost them.

Notes

We recommend following the order of ingredients. The cookies work best when they are combined in that order. Pumpkin cookie recipe adapted from BHG.

Nutrition

Calories: 148 kcal · Carbohydrates: 22 g · Protein: 1 g · Fat: 7 g · Saturated Fat: 4 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 2 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 22 mg · Sodium: 134 mg · Potassium: 27 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 16 g · Vitamin A: 1124 IU · Vitamin C: 1 mg · Calcium: 15 mg · Iron: 1 mg
Cuisine: American
Cost: $12
Author: Steph Loaiza
Course: Dessert
Did You Make This Recipe?We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review or a question in the comment section below the post.

Published: October 7, 2022Updated: September 27, 2024

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Questions & Reviews

  1. Luci {Luci's Morsels} says:
    What a nice way to adapt the recipe. I would happily eat these with buttercream or cream cheese frosting! I just love the addition of cinnamon in frostings and icings - makes such a deeper flavor! Luci?s Morsels ? fashion. food. frivolity.

    5 stars

  2. Christy says:
    Amazing Recipe! Just found the recipe an hour ago.....had all the ingredients......mixed...baked...Delicious! Already shared on my Facebook wall & will definitely be recommending this recipe to my friends! Great Fall Recipe! ~I also added mini chocolate chips to mine! Yummy Thanks!

    5 stars

  3. Sondra says:
    These are tiny, yummy Fall cookies. Served them tonight to a mixed group -- everyone ate at least 3, took home the left overs and asked for the recipe. We loved them. Definitely a seasonal favorite.

    5 stars

  4. deb says:
    Awesome cookies. I make mine big, so it takes a little longer to bake, but so yummy and I too use fresh pumpkin puree as I grow my own pie pumpkins. Awesome!!!

    5 stars

  5. J.Lee says:
    These were delicious and the tablespoon measure/15 min cooking time produced completely perfect, soft and cakey cookies. I only wish I could get them more even looking, the dough was very shaggy. Will absolutely make these again but perhaps with soaked raisins and maybe a few oats? Delish!

    5 stars

  6. Taylor says:
    I have always hated cream cheese, but love homemade icing. My aunt brought these to Thanksgiving and I probably ate 8 or more! By far the most delicious cookies I've ever tasted.

    5 stars

  7. Nana Phyllis says:
    Can't wait to make these. It feels like fall here in Northwest Washington! I think I'll add some finely chopped walnuts!

    5 stars

  8. Stephanie Coffin says:
    These are the best cookies EVER! I tried this recipe several months ago and now everyone requests I bring them to everything! Seriously so delish!

    5 stars

  9. Kelly says:
    These are the best cookies ever. Every time I make them, people always rave about them and ask for the recipe. I make them year-round because they are that good.

    5 stars

  10. Elishea says:
    My coworkers love these cookies and request them yearly for our Halloween lunch. Because I didn't have all the ingredients on hand a couple years back, I used what I had like half and half, part self rising flour/all purpose and pure Mexican vanilla. They were still amazing!!! Heading to the kitchen this weekend to make this years batch! Delicious! Thank you for keeping the recipe on the website because it's bookmarked!!!

    5 stars

  11. Cyd says:
    Hi Elishea! Thank you for your sweet comment on the Soft Pumpkin Cookies. We are so glad you liked them along with your coworkers! :) You made our day!!
  12. Elishea says:
    Here I am again to get the recipe for our annual party. I can't wait to make these again! Thank you!
  13. Charlotte says:
    Loved your Cookie. I added chopped walnut to the top to add a touch of crunch.

    5 stars

  14. Erika says:
    Love these cookies. And so do all my friends! Want to make them for holiday party in 1 week. Can I bake ahead of time and freeze, then frost after defrost? Or keep dough in fridge for few days until ready to bake? What do you think..? Thanks!

    5 stars

  15. Cyd says:
    These cookie will freeze great with the frosting on. Be sure they are in an airtight freezer container.
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