Description
These soft pumpkin cookies with cinnamon frosting are a perfect treat for the fall season. Featuring a tender cookie base infused with warm spices and a creamy, flavorful cinnamon frosting, these cookies are deliciously moist and sweet with just the right amount of spice. Easy to bake and perfect for sharing, they make a cozy dessert or snack for pumpkin lovers.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cookies:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Cinnamon Frosting:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to ensure the cookies bake evenly and don’t stick.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt. Set this dry mixture aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, use a hand or stand mixer to cream the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light, fluffy, and well combined, which usually takes about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the pumpkin puree, large egg, and vanilla extract into the creamed butter and sugar until the mixture is smooth and fully incorporated.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until all the flour is combined; avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
- Form Cookies: Drop rounded tablespoons of the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing each cookie about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading during baking.
- Bake: Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden around the edges and set in the center.
- Cool Cookies: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, preparing them for frosting.
- Prepare Frosting: While the cookies cool, beat the softened butter in a medium bowl with a mixer until creamy and smooth.
- Add Frosting Ingredients: Gradually add powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract to the butter, beating continuously until the frosting becomes smooth, fluffy, and evenly mixed.
- Add Cinnamon: Stir in the ground cinnamon until it is fully incorporated into the frosting, adding a warm spice flavor.
- Frost Cookies: Once the cookies are completely cool, spread or pipe the cinnamon frosting evenly over the tops of the cookies.
- Set Frosting: Allow the frosting on the cookies to set before serving to prevent smudging and to enhance flavor.
Notes
- Use canned pumpkin puree for the best texture; avoid pumpkin pie filling which is sweetened and spiced.
- Ensure cookies are completely cooled before frosting to prevent melting.
- The frosting can be made thicker or thinner by adjusting the amount of milk.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- For a nut-free version, make sure all ingredients are processed in nut-free facilities.
