Name: How to make pumpkin cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 57 min
Yield: 40
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups all purpose flour (9.4 oz); 2 tsp. baking powder; 1 tsp. baking soda; 1/2 tsp. sea salt; 1 tsp. ground cinnamon; 1 tsp. ground nutmeg; 2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup); 1 cup sugar; 1 egg; 1 tsp. vanilla extract; 1 cup pure pumpkin puree (not pie filling); 2 cups powdered (confectioners) sugar; 1 stick unsalted butter, softened; 2 tbsp. whole milk; 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon; 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

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How to make pumpkin cookies that practically melt in your mouth! Pillowy soft and filled with warm, seasonal spices.

Soft pumpkin cookies frosted with a buttery cinnamon icing are a perfect fall treat. Make a batch of these melt in your mouth cookies for Halloween and top with fun sprinkles. Try these Day of the Dead cupcakes for another delicious sweet.

Pumpkin lovers could also try this easy shortcut recipe for pumpkin empanadas made with store-bought empanada dough.

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How to make soft pumpkin cookies

I’ve been making these delicious cookies for almost 10 years, my apologies that it’s taken me so long to put the recipe here.

A very long time ago, I had a booth at our local farmer’s market and I used to sell these. They were the size of my palm when I made them for the market.

These are two to three bite size, which is a normal size for a cookie. If you want to make them bigger, just increase your baking time by a few minutes.

These are always a hit when I make them. They are super soft, cakey and honestly almost melt in your mouth.

The pumpkin cookies themselves aren’t terribly sweet, which is why I like them so much, but the frosting gives them just enough extra sweetness to take care of that sweet tooth craving.

They are very easy to make: Dry ingredients are whisked together in one bowl, butter and sugar are beaten together in another bowl. The rest of the wet ingredients are added to the butter mixture and mixed until incorporated.

Dry ingredients are added to wet and it gets a final mixing before being scooped and baked. I use a size 40 scoop for these cookies – it holds 1.5 tbsp.

I recommend baking them on pans lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat for best results.

I just made the pumpkin cookies. OMG – they are delicious! The recipe is so easy to follow and the cookies came out fluffy and soft.
– Elaine

Spiced pumpkin cookies with frosting

Once the cookies have completely cooled, spread a layer of frosting on them (I use an offset spatula) and top with these adorable sprinkles.

They are perfect for Halloween! They have a mix of sugar pumpkins, bats and ghosts, along with jimmies, nonpareils and sugar pearls.

frosted pumpkin cookies with sprinkles on plate

You’ll have a little pumpkin leftover from your can, so you can make a batch of these Halloween pumpkin cookies too.

If you have a furry member of the family, show them some love with homemade oatmeal pumpkin dog treats!

How to store cookies

These cookies are best the day they are made. They are good the next day, but by the third day, they start to dry out a little.

Freeze unfrosted cookies in an airtight container with layers of parchment between them, then remove a few cookies at a time to thaw and frost when the craving strikes.

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Yield: 40 cookies