These soft and chewy pumpkin spice cookies with naturally sweetened cream cheese frosting are full of pumpkin spice flavor for an indulgent treat! Make large bakery-style cookies or bite-sized cookies to fit with your daily macros.
Do you ever feel like you need a classic go-to recipe for fall?
Something that tastes like fall, smells like fall (like Stove-Top Potpourri), and is perfect for cooler weather? And maybe something that’s pretty easy and straightforward too?
How about pumpkin spice cookies with naturally sweetened cream cheese frosting?
Oh yes, I think that will do the trick.
How do you make pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting?
Pumpkin puree and cozy spices combined with creamy, tangy icing make a lower-sugar version of frosted pumpkin spice cookies perfect for fall.
PUMPKIN SPICE COOKIES
This pumpkin cookie recipe is seriously amazing! In fact, my pumpkin-hating husband ate three cookies fresh from the oven. And then couldn’t stop eating them the rest of the night. They’re also:
- Made with simple ingredients. In the fall, I already have pumpkin ready for my favorite recipes, and everything else is easy to find in the kitchen.
- No chilling the dough! These cookies go from mixer to oven to done in about 30 minutes.
- The perfect mix of cake and pie. These pumpkin spiced cookies taste like a mixture of Pumpkin Cake and Pumpkin Pie (both of which are also yummy).
- Plus, with a lot less sugar than typical pumpkin spice cookies, you’ll feel better saying “yes” if the kids ask to have cookies for breakfast.
ARE PUMPKIN SPICE PUMPKIN COOKIES HEALTHY?
One thing you should know about these pumpkin spice cookies is that they have SIGNIFICANTLY less sugar than most other pumpkin cookies recipes.
My recipe was inspired by a few different pumpkin cookie recipes, many of which called for at least 1 cup of white sugar and ½ cup of brown sugar. And then another 2 cups of powdered sugar in the icing. YIKES!
Ever since my family and I quit processed sugar, we’re super conscious about how much sugar we feed ourselves and the kids.
It’s not that all sugar is bad, but we do believe in using natural sugar whenever possible. And even then, in moderation.
Friends, 3 ½ cups of processed sugar IN ONE RECIPE is not moderation.
For these pumpkin cookies with pumpkin spice, we’re enjoying the sweet flavors of fall without going overboard.
Thinking about food priorities is something I teach in Grocery Budget Bootcamp. It will be different for every family, and it will affect what your grocery budget looks like.
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SOFT PUMPKIN COOKIE RECIPE INGREDIENTS
These soft pumpkin cookies have a lot of typical chewy cookie ingredients, which combine for a classic, lightly sweetened fall treat. Yum!
- Butter. Bring the butter to room temperature to help it cream nicely with the sugar.
- Sugar. As I said, this is a lower-sugar pumpkin cookie recipe. I also use Turbinado sugar instead of white table sugar. It is slightly less sweet and also slightly less processed. Coconut sugar would likely also work well.
- Molasses. Did you know that brown sugar is actually just granulated sugar and molasses, and you can make your own? We’re including both ingredients in these pumpkin spiced pumpkin cookies for that deep, sweet flavor.
- Maple Syrup. Because pumpkin + maple syrup = awesome. This helps give the cookies a pumpkin pie flavor.
- Pumpkin Puree. Pumpkin cookies wouldn’t be complete without PUMPKIN! I use canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling), but you can make Homemade Pumpkin Puree if you prefer.
- Egg. To help hold everything together. A flax egg should also work here.
- Vanilla Extract. Vanilla helps trick your taste buds into thinking the cookies are sweeter than they actually are. Try my homemade recipe here.
- Flour. I use all-purpose einkorn flour for my pumpkin spice cookies. A mixture of whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour would also work.
- Baking Powder + Baking Soda + Salt. These leavening agents keep the cookies light and fluffy.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice. This recipe calls for a full TABLESPOON of Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice. Seriously, don’t skimp on this blend of spices. It takes these delicious pumpkin pie spice cookies to the next level!
- Cornstarch. Give thanks to Sally’s Baking Addiction for this tip. Adding cornstarch to your cookies gives them a light and fluffy cake-like texture. This is how these cookies taste like pie and cake at the same time!
- Frosting. We’ll mix cream cheese with a few of the ingredients we’ve already pulled out for the cookies: butter, vanilla, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt.
HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN SPICE COOKIES
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
Step 2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat.
Step 3. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the butter and granulated sugar until the color is very light, about 5-7 full minutes.
Step 4. Add maple syrup, molasses, pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla and whisk well until combined.
Step 5. Add dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cornstarch, and pumpkin pie spice, and mix until JUST combined.
Step 6. Using a cookie scoop, scoop dough balls onto the prepared cookie sheets. 1 scoop of dough will yield smaller, more bite-sized cookies. 2 scoops of dough will yield slightly bigger bakery-style cookies.
Step 7. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cookies are golden to light brown underneath.
Note: Allow the cookies to cool completely before frosting.
Step 8. Meanwhile, prepare the frosting. In a stand mixer, blender, OR by hand, combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and maple syrup. Add the salt and taste, adjusting the sweetener as desired.
Step 9. Spread frosting on each cookie and sprinkle with additional cinnamon for decoration, if desired.
STORING PUMPKIN PIE SPICE COOKIES
These pumpkin pie spice cookies do not need to be refrigerated. They will be fine for a few days at room temperature. However, the frosting should be refrigerated.
- Pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting are THE BEST the day they’re baked. But they hold up well for a few days if you keep them in an airtight container.
- Unless you have oodles of fridge space, I recommend making the frosting and storing it in a separate container. Then frost the pumpkin spice pumpkin cookies right before eating or serving.
- This pumpkin cookie recipe also freezes well unfrosted! Thaw to room temperature before frosting, and you have an instant dessert ready for those holiday gatherings.
MORE TASTY PUMPKIN RECIPES
Try one of these other delicious pumpkin recipes too!
PUMPKIN SPICE COOKIES AND MACRO TRACKING
The first step in eating real food is taking small steps to improve what you’re eating. For these pumpkin spice cookies, we’ve used higher-quality flour and sugar, lowered the overall sugar content, and included pumpkin puree, which has fiber, potassium, and plenty of vitamin A!
Enjoying treats, especially homemade treats with simple ingredients, is a great start, but it’s not enough. You also need to make sure you’re getting enough protein to fuel your body, and the right balance of carbs and fats for YOU.
And you still get to eat cookies.
Want to learn more about macros, nutrition goals, and accurately tracking what you eat? Grab my free guide here to start achieving your real body goals by eating the foods you love.
PUMPKIN COOKIES WITH PUMPKIN SPICE FAQS
Do pumpkin cookies need to be refrigerated?
Unfrosted, these chewy pumpkin cookies do not need to be refrigerated. They will hold up well for a few days if you keep them in an airtight container at room temperature, and you can frost them before serving. If you choose to frost them all right away, you will need to store them in the fridge.
Why are my pumpkin cookies sticky?
Pumpkin spice cookies may turn out sticky if the pumpkin puree has extra liquid. This happens sometimes with Homemade Pumpkin Puree. If you find that your pumpkin cookies are sticky, you can add more flour to your mixture or blot the pureed pumpkin with a paper towel before adding it to the recipe.
Can I add mix-ins to these pumpkin vookies?
MORE YUMMY COOKIE RECIPES
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Pumpkin Cookies with Naturally Sweetened Cream Cheese
These soft and chewy pumpkin spice cookies with naturally sweetened cream cheese frosting are full of pumpkin spice flavor for an indulgent treat! Make large bakery-style cookies or bite-sized cookies to fit with your daily macros.
Ingredients
Cookies
- ½ cup butter (1 stick) room temperature (113g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- 1 tsp molasses (7g)
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup (40g)
- 1 ½ cup pumpkin puree (340g)
- 1 egg (50g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (300g)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice (6g)
Frosting
- 8 oz brick cream cheese room temperature (227g)
- 3 Tbsp butter room temperature (42g)
- ½ tsp vanilla
- 3 Tbsp maple syrup (60g)
- pinch salt
Instructions
Make the cookies.
-
Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.
-
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat.
-
In a large bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the butter and granulated sugar until the color is very light, about 5-7 full minutes.
-
Add 2 Tbsp maple syrup, molasses, pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla and mix well until combined.
-
Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cornstarch, and pumpkin pie spice and mix until JUST combined.
-
Using a cookie scoop, scoop dough onto the prepared baking sheet. 1 scoop of dough will yield smaller, more bite-sized cookies. 2 scoops of dough will yield slightly bigger, bakery-style cookies.
-
Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cookies are golden to light brown underneath. Allow the cookies to cool completely before frosting.
Meanwhile, prepare the frosting.
-
In a stand mixer, blender, OR by hand, combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and maple syrup in a medium bowl. Add the salt and taste, adjusting the sweetener as desired.
-
Spread frosting on each cookie and sprinkle with additional cinnamon for decoration, if desired.
Notes
- These are THE BEST the day they’re baked. But they hold up well for a few days if you keep them in an airtight container.
- Unless you have oodles of fridge space, I recommend making the frosting and storing it in a separate container. Then frost the pumpkin cookies right before eating or serving.
- These cookies also freeze well unfrosted! Thaw to room temperature before frosting and you have an instant dessert ready for those holiday gatherings.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookieCalories: 217kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 3gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 225mgPotassium: 93mgFiber: 1gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 3219IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 1mg
