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Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

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  • Author: Alice
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 12-15 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 18-24 cookies
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting are the ultimate fall treat, perfect for holiday celebrations, gatherings, or a cozy snack on a chilly day. These tender, cake-like cookies are infused with warm spices and pumpkin, then topped with a smooth and tangy cream cheese frosting. They’re easy to make and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for anyone who loves the flavors of fall!

Ingredients

For the Cookies:

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger

  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened

  • 3-4 cups powdered sugar (adjust to desired sweetness)

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • Pinch of salt

  • For Garnish (optional):

  • Ground cinnamon, for sprinkling on top

Instructions

Make the Pumpkin Cookies:

  1. Preheat the Oven:
    Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats for easy cookie removal.

  2. Mix the Dry Ingredients:
    In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt. Set aside.

  3. Cream the Butter and Sugar:
    In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

  4. Add the Egg and Pumpkin:
    Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined. Then, add the pumpkin puree and mix until smooth.

  5. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients:
    Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Be careful not to overmix.

  6. Scoop the Cookies:
    Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop rounded spoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

  7. Bake the Cookies:
    Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the cookies are set and lightly golden around the edges. Be sure to check that a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Cream Cheese Frosting:

  1. Beat the Cream Cheese and Butter:
    In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.

  2. Add Powdered Sugar and Vanilla:
    Gradually add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well between each addition. Once all the powdered sugar is added, beat in the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Adjust the frosting’s consistency by adding more powdered sugar for thicker frosting or a little milk if you prefer a thinner consistency.

Frost the Cookies:

  1. Frost the Cookies:
    Once the cookies are completely cooled, spread a generous amount of cream cheese frosting on top of each cookie using a butter knife or an offset spatula.

  2. Garnish:
    Optionally, sprinkle a little ground cinnamon on top of the frosting for extra flavor and a beautiful finish.

Serve and Enjoy:

  1. Serve:
    Enjoy these soft pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting right away, or store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Notes

Add Nuts: Add chopped walnuts, pecans, or even chocolate chips to the cookie dough for extra texture and flavor.Spiced Frosting: Add a teaspoon of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice to the cream cheese frosting for a spiced version of the frosting.Vegan Version: Substitute the butter and cream cheese with dairy-free alternatives and use a flax egg for the egg in the cookie dough.Pumpkin Spice Chips: For extra pumpkin flavor, you can mix in pumpkin spice chips (available at some stores) instead of regular chocolate chips.

Find it online: https://homechineserecipes.com/soft-pumpkin-cookies-with-cream-cheese-frosting/