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Soft-Baked Pumpkin Sugar Cookies with Easy Creamy Icing

soft-baked pumpkin sugar cookies - featured image
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These soft-baked pumpkin sugar cookies are pillowy, moist, and topped with a tangy cream cheese icing. They’re the perfect fall treat, easy to make, and stay soft for days.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup (120g) pumpkin puree (100% pumpkin)
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 ounces (113g) cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1½ cups (180g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1–2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, beat softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides.
  3. Add pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Beat on medium speed until fully combined (mixture may look curdled).
  4. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix. Dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
  5. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours).
  6. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  7. Using a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion dough and roll into smooth balls. Place 2 inches apart on prepared sheets. Gently flatten each ball to about ½-inch thick disc.
  8. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until edges are set and lightly golden (centers will look soft). Let cookies rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes.
  9. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack and cool completely before icing.
  10. For icing: In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating on low. Add vanilla, pinch of salt, and 1 tablespoon heavy cream. Beat until spreadable; add more cream if needed.
  11. Spread generous amount of icing onto each cooled cookie. Optionally sprinkle with cinnamon or festive sprinkles. Serve immediately or let icing set for 15 minutes.

Notes

Chilling the dough is essential to prevent spreading. Do not overbake; cookies should look slightly underdone in the center when removed from the oven. Cool completely before icing to prevent melting. Cookies stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Un-iced cookies freeze well for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin cookies, soft-baked cookies, sugar cookies, cream cheese icing, fall cookies, pumpkin dessert

Find it online: https://eliplate.com/soft-baked-pumpkin-sugar-cookies-with-easy-creamy-icing/