The holiday season is the perfect excuse to fill your kitchen with cozy, homemade treats. If you are looking for an easy pumpkin dessert, these Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cookies are a delicious choice.
These cookies are the quintessential holiday baked goods. Give your family a festive pumpkin treat with plenty of comforting seasonal flavor. For this recipe, you can use canned pumpkin puree for a soft, moist, and flavorful cookie.
Moreover, sprinkling cinnamon on top of the cookies elevates the flavors to the next level. These pumpkin cream cheese cookies are a delicious way to welcome the fall season. Follow the recipe instructions and note down equipment details and recipe tips below.
Equipment Required
- Oven: Use the oven to bake the delicious cookies.
- Electric Mixer: Beat the cookie batter and cream cheese frosting until smooth and creamy.
- Baking Tray: Place cookies on the baking tray.
- Bowl: In a large bowl, combine the cookie ingredients and beat them well.
- Wire Rack: Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Parchment Paper: Place parchment paper on the baking tray to prevent sticking.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cookies Ingredients & Substitutions
Note: This recipe is big enough to serve 4. If you want to make more or less, you must adjust the recipe accordingly.
For Cookies
- 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
- ½ Teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 1 Cup Unsalted Butter, softened
- ¾ Cup White Sugar
- ¾ Cup Brown Sugar
- 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 (15-ounce) Can Pumpkin Puree
For Frosting
- 1 (3-ounce) package Cream Cheese, softened
- ¼ cup Unsalted Butter, softened
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 Cups Powdered Sugar
Preparation And Cooking Time
| Preparation Time | Cooking Time | Total Time |
|---|---|---|
| 15 Minutes | 12 Minutes | 27 Minutes |
How To Make Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cookies At Home
Step 1
Beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
Step 2
Mix in the pumpkin puree until well incorporated. Gradually add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and ground nutmeg to the pumpkin mixture, stirring just until everything is combined.
Step 3
Further, add ground ginger and mix it well.
Step 4
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop teaspoon-sized portions of the batter onto the baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, switching the baking sheets halfway through, until the cookies are lightly browned.
Step 5
Remove from the oven and cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing until smooth and spreadable.
Step 6
Top the cooled cookies with a generous layer of frosting, then serve and enjoy!
Expert Tips That I Recommend
- Canned pumpkin puree works well and gives the cookies a consistent texture. If using homemade pumpkin puree, make sure it isn’t too watery.
- The combination of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg gives these cookies their warm, seasonal flavor.
- Use good-quality cream cheese for the frosting; it makes a noticeable difference in flavor and texture.
- Be careful not to overbake the cookies; they should be just lightly browned on the edges.
FAQs About Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cookies
Nutritional Information Per Serving
These Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cookies are a delicious dessert rather than a particularly healthy snack. They contain pumpkin, which provides some nutrients and fiber, but the butter, sugar, and cream cheese frosting make them fairly high in calories, sugar, and fat. That said, there is no need to avoid them completely. They can be enjoyed in moderation as an occasional treat, especially when served as part of a balanced diet.
| Calories | 395 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 56 g |
| Protein | 9 g |
| Fat | 15 g |
| Saturated Fat | 9 g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1 g |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 4 g |
| Cholesterol | 43 mg |
| Sodium | 100 mg |
| Potassium | 179 mg |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 12 g |
| Vitamin A | 5338 IU |
| Vitamin C | 1 mg |
| Calcium | 87 mg |
| Iron | 3 mg |
At the same time, the recipe is relatively easy to adapt to different dietary preferences. You can experiment with gluten-free flour blends, dairy-free butter and cream cheese alternatives, or adjust the frosting’s sweetness.
Recipe Variation For Different Diets
- Gluten-free: For a gluten-free version, use a gluten-free baking flour blend. Avoid substituting almond flour at a 1:1 ratio unless the recipe has been specifically tested with it.
- Dairy-free: Replace the butter and cream cheese with plant-based alternatives.
- Lower-sugar: Reduce the frosting’s sweetness rather than making large reductions to the cookie dough, since sugar also affects texture.
Storing This Recipe
- Store frosted cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Let them sit at room temperature briefly before serving for the best texture.
What To Serve With This Recipe
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cookies pair wonderfully with warm beverages such as Coffee, chai, black tea, Hot Chocolate, or a cup of Apple Cider.
For a simple dessert, you can serve them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of Whipped Cream. They also make a lovely addition to an autumn dessert table alongside Apple Pie, Pumpkin Bread, or other seasonal treats.
Printable Version
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
For Cookies
- 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
- ½ Teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 1 Cup Unsalted Butter softened
- ¾ Cup White Sugar
- ¾ Cup Brown Sugar
- 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 15-ounce Can Pumpkin Puree
For Frosting
- 1 3-ounce package Cream Cheese, softened
- ¼ cup Unsalted Butter softened
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 Cups Powdered Sugar
Equipment
- Oven
- Electric Mixer
- Baking Tray
- Bowl
- Wire Rack
- Parchment Paper
Instructions
- Beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
- Mix in the pumpkin puree until well incorporated. Gradually add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and ground nutmeg to the pumpkin mixture, stirring just until everything is combined.
- Further, add ground ginger and mix it well.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop teaspoon-sized portions of the batter onto the baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, switching the baking sheets halfway through, until the cookies are lightly browned.
- Remove from the oven and cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing until smooth and spreadable.
- Top the cooled cookies with a generous layer of frosting, then serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Canned pumpkin puree works well and gives the cookies a consistent texture. If using homemade pumpkin puree, make sure it isn’t too watery.
- The combination of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg gives these cookies their warm, seasonal flavor.
- Use good-quality cream cheese for the frosting; it makes a noticeable difference in flavor and texture.
- Be careful not to overbake the cookies; they should be just lightly browned on the edges.
Nutrition
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Conclusion
Fall is a great time of year to bake pumpkin cookies with your family! These Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cookies are a perfect companion when reading scary stories around Halloween.
With just a few simple ingredients, you can have these cookies ready in no time. So what are you waiting for? Get started to make these delicious cookies right in your kitchen.
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