When the air gets crisp and the leaves start to change, my thoughts always turn to baking with pumpkin. These delicious pumpkin cookies are a favorite way to bring that cozy fall feeling into my home. I know you’re looking for simple, comforting recipes, and I’m excited to share these three wonderful pumpkin cookie ideas with you today.
Whether you like them soft and spiced, or with a creamy surprise, you’ll find a pumpkin cookie recipe here that you’ll love making and sharing. Get ready to fill your kitchen with the sweet scent of autumn baking!
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Perfect Pumpkin Cheesecake Snickerdoodle Cookies
These cookies bring together two amazing treats: classic snickerdoodles and creamy cheesecake. You’ll love the soft pumpkin cookie base rolled in cinnamon sugar, with a delightful cream cheese center.
Key Ingredients & Tips
- Cream Cheese Filling: Make sure your cream cheese is softened to room temperature. This helps it mix smoothly for a lump-free center in your pumpkin cookies.
- Cinnamon-Sugar Coating: Don’t skip rolling the cookie dough in cinnamon sugar. It gives these pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies their classic sweet and spiced crust.
What You Need
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, plus ¼ cup for coating
- ½ cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon (for coating)
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup powdered sugar (for filling)
⏱️ Time: 35 minutes🍽️ Yields: 2 dozen cookies
How to Make It
Step 1: Make the Pumpkin Cookie Dough
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with 1 ½ cups of granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract until well combined. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
Step 2: Prepare the Cheesecake Filling & Assemble
In a small bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with powdered sugar until smooth. For the coating, combine the remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish. Take about 1 tablespoon of cookie dough, flatten it slightly, and place about 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese filling in the center. Carefully wrap the dough around the filling to seal it, forming a ball. Roll the cookie dough ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Step 3: Bake and Cool Your Cookies
Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are set. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
📝 Final Note
Because these pumpkin cookies have a cream cheese filling, it’s best to store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep them fresh.
Simple Pumpkin Frosted Cookies for Fall
These soft pumpkin cookies are a fall classic that everyone enjoys. They feature a tender, spiced pumpkin base topped with a smooth, sweet cream cheese frosting.
Key Ingredients & Tips
- Pumpkin Puree: Make sure you use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. This ensures the best pumpkin flavor without extra sugars or spices.
- Cooling is Key: Wait until your pumpkin cookies are completely cool before frosting them. If they are warm, the frosting will melt and slide right off.
What You Need
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- For the Frosting:
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons milk (optional)
⏱️ Time: 40 minutes🍽️ Yields: 3 dozen cookies
How to Make It
Step 1: Prepare and Bake the Pumpkin Cookies
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light. Beat in the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing until just combined. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are set. Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 2: Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
While the cookies cool, prepare the frosting. In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and softened butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, a cup at a time, beating until combined after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract. If the frosting is too thick, add milk one tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired spreading consistency.
Step 3: Frost the Cooled Cookies
Once the pumpkin cookies are completely cool, spread a generous amount of cream cheese frosting over the top of each cookie. You can use a knife or a small offset spatula for this. Enjoy your freshly frosted pumpkin treats!
📝 Final Note
For a pretty finish, you can sprinkle a little cinnamon or a pinch of pumpkin pie spice on top of the frosting just before serving these pumpkin cookies.
Hearty Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
These comforting pumpkin oatmeal cookies are packed with flavor and a satisfying chewy texture. They are perfect for a snack or dessert and capture the essence of fall in every bite.
Key Ingredients & Tips
- Old-Fashioned Oats: Use old-fashioned (rolled) oats for the best chewy texture in these pumpkin oatmeal cookies. Instant oats will make them softer.
- Don’t Overmix: Mix the wet and dry ingredients just until they are combined. Overmixing can make your pumpkin cookies tough.
What You Need
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
- ½ cup raisins or chocolate chips (optional)
⏱️ Time: 30 minutes🍽️ Yields: 2.5 dozen cookies
How to Make It
Step 1: Mix the Wet and Dry Ingredients
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract until well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Stir in the rolled oats, and any optional add-ins like nuts, raisins, or chocolate chips.
Step 2: Bake Your Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
Drop rounded tablespoons of the cookie dough onto your prepared baking sheets, leaving a little space between each cookie. Bake for 10-13 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers are set. The cookies will be soft when they first come out of the oven.
Step 3: Cool and Serve
Let the pumpkin oatmeal cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes. This helps them firm up before you move them. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. These cookies are great warm or at room temperature.
📝 Final Note
For even more pumpkin spice flavor, you can add a pinch more cinnamon or nutmeg to the dough. These cookies store well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.
