These pumpkin cookies are ultra-soft, cakey, and packed with warm pumpkin spice flavor. Topped with a creamy maple cream cheese icing, they’re the perfect fall treat. No chilling required—just mix, bake, and enjoy!
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Cookies:
- 1 ½ cups (340g) fresh or canned pumpkin puree (blotted to remove excess moisture)
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice*
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar (dark recommended)
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup, milk, or orange juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the Maple Cream Cheese Icing (Optional):
- 3 ounces (85g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (90g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) pure maple syrup
- Pinch of ground cinnamon (about ⅛ teaspoon, or to taste)
Instructions
1. Prep the Pumpkin:
- Blot the pumpkin puree to remove excess moisture. Place it in a paper towel-lined bowl or press gently with paper towels. You should end up with about 1 ⅓ to 1 ½ cups of pumpkin puree.
2. Preheat the Oven:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
3. Mix the Dry Ingredients:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and ginger.
4. Cream the Butter and Sugars:
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
5. Add Wet Ingredients:
- Beat in the egg until fully combined, then add the maple syrup (or milk/orange juice), vanilla extract, and blotted pumpkin puree. Mix on high speed until combined. (It may look slightly curdled—this is normal.)
6. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients:
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a thick, sticky dough forms.
7. Scoop and Bake:
- Scoop the cookie dough into 1.5 tablespoon-sized balls and place them about 3 inches apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake for 14-15 minutes, or until the edges are set. The centers will still look soft.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Prepare the Icing (Optional):
- In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add the butter and mix until combined.
- Add the confectioners’ sugar, maple syrup, and cinnamon, beating on low until smooth and creamy. Taste and add more cinnamon if desired.
9. Ice the Cookies:
- Once the cookies are cool, dip the tops into the icing or spread it with a knife. Allow the icing to set before serving.
Notes
- Blotting Pumpkin: Removing moisture prevents cakey cookies from becoming too wet. Use fresh or canned pumpkin puree, but avoid pumpkin pie filling.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice Substitute: Use ½ teaspoon each of ground nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and ginger. This is in addition to the cinnamon already in the recipe.
- Maple Syrup Substitution: If you don’t have maple syrup, use milk or orange juice to thin the dough slightly. Orange juice pairs beautifully with pumpkin!
- Optional Add-Ins: Fold in 1 ½ cups of chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or dried cranberries after combining the wet and dry ingredients.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Make Ahead: You can chill the cookie dough for up to 48 hours. Let it come to room temperature before baking.
- Freezing Dough: Freeze the cookie dough balls for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature before baking.
- Freezing Baked Cookies: Freeze baked cookies (iced or uniced) for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Storage: Store iced cookies in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Cookies without icing can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Nutrition (Per Cookie):
- Calories: 135 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Protein: 2g
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Sodium: 105mg
- Sugar: 12g
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