Pumpkin Cinnamon Cookies from the kitchen
These bakery-style Pumpkin Cinnamon Cookies are a flavorful way to enjoy the fall season! Each bite gives you an especially soft, cake-like pumpkin, cinnamon-flavored cookie topped with a vanilla cream cheese frosting. They're so good; they'll be gone in no time!
Why this bake works
- Clear to follow recipe
- No chilling of cookie dough
- Super soft, cake-like cookies
- Pumpkin and cinnamon flavors in each bite
- Frosted with a smooth cream cheese frosting
- Yields roughly 36 pumpkin cinnamon cookies—a strong match for sharing with friends, family, or neighbors
What goes in
The following ingredients are needed to make these soft and chewy pumpkin cinnamon cookies with cream cheese frosting. Items noted in the bulleted list are key ingredients that need a bit more explanation.
Pumpkin Cinnamon Cookies
- All-Purpose Flour. I used the King Arthur brand, but use what you like best. I did not make this with any other type of flour.
- Cinnamon. It gives the pumpkin a nice added bit of flavor!
- Vegetable Shortening. Room temperature is best. I did not test this with butter, but it could be used as a substitute if you don't have access to shortening.
- Canned Pumpkin. We're using pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling or pumpkin butter. Be careful not to mix them up. I used Libby's Organic Canned Pumpkin.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream Cheese. Use the Philadelphia original cream cheese, but any brand will be fine as long as it's the full-fat kind.
- Unsalted Butter. I don't recommend using salted butter for this, as it will alter the taste.
- Powdered Sugar. Make sure it's sifted prior to adding it to the frosting mixture.
For quantities and instructions, please see the method card below.
How it comes together
Below is a brief overview of how to make this easy pumpkin cinnamon cookies recipe with cream cheese frosting. For the full printable recipe, which can be made using US customary or metric measurements using the toggle switch, visit the method card below.
Pumpkin Cinnamon Cookies
Step 1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set to the side.
Step 2. Beat the shortening and sugar together until light and airy.
Step 3. Add in the egg, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract. Mix until well blended.
Step 4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until the cookie dough is just combined.
Step 5. Scoop the cookie dough onto the baking sheet. Space 1 1/2-2 inches apart. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 350ºF.
Step 6. Remove from oven, then transfer cookies to a cooling rack. Cookies should be completely cooled before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Step 1. Beat the cream cheese and unsalted butter together until smooth and well blended. Add in the vanilla extract.
Step 2. Add in the sifted powdered sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Step 3. Frost the cooled pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting.
Step 4. Sprinkle the tops of each cookie with a little cinnamon sugar or pumpkin pie spice for garnish. This is an optional step.
Storage
These pumpkin cinnamon cookies should be stored in an airtight food container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months, separated with layers of wax paper to prevent the cookies from sticking together.
Baker notes
- Use a cookie scoop. You can use a spoon, but a cookie scoop is much nicer! I used a 1 1/2 tablespoon-size cookie scoop.
- Use vegetable shortening. I know some do not care for using vegetable shortening in their recipes, but I do recommend it for this, as it gives the cookies a nice dome-like shape and keeps them from spreading much during baking.
- Frosting cookies. You can use an offset spatula or a butter knife to frost the pumpkin cookies, or get a little fancy and pipe the frosting with a decorative piping tip.
Questions on this bake
Can I substitute the vegetable shortening with butter?Yes. This is a 1:1 ratio. Substitute 1 cup of butter for 1 cup of shortening. One thing to note about this substitution is that because butter isn't 100% fat like shortening (it's made of butter and water), the cookies may spread more.
What size cookie scoop should Use for these pumpkin cookies?Try using a 1 1/2 tablespoon-size cookie scoop.
- Yield 36 cookies
- Prep 20 minutes
- Cook 15 minutes
- Total 35 minutes
- Calories 185
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cinnamon Cookies
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 1 cup Vegetable Shortening, room temperature
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Large Egg, room temperature
- 1 cup Canned Pumpkin Puree
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz Cream Cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 3 cups Sifted Powdered Sugar
Garnish
- Cinnamon Sugar
- Pumpkin Pie Spice
Method
Pumpkin Cinnamon Cookies
- Adjust the oven rack to 2nd level position (just above center) and heat the oven to 350ºF.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and hold to the side.
- In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set to the side.
- Using your hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the vegetable shortening and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and airy.
- Add in the egg, canned pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract mixing until completely blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Switch the mixer speed to low gradually adding in the dry ingredients until the cookie dough is just combined.
- Using a 1 1/2 tablespoon size cookie scoop or spoon, placing the cookie dough roughly 1 1/2 - 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 350ºF.
- Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack. Cookies should be completely cooled before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Using your hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and unsalted butter on medium-high speed until smooth and well blended. Add in the vanilla extract.
- Switch the mixer speed to low and add in the sifted powdered sugar a little at a time making sure it's blended before adding more. Scrap down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Frost the cooled cookies using an offset spatula.
- Sprinkle with a little cinnamon sugar or pumpkin pie spice for garnish. This is an optional step.
- Cookies should be kept stored in an airtight food container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months, separated with layers of wax paper to prevent the cookies from sticking together.
Baker notes
Cookies should be kept stored in an airtight food container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months, separated with layers of wax paper to prevent the cookies from sticking together.
For a more uniformed look, use a cookie scoop (Try a 1 1/2 tablespoon-size cookie scoop) or you can use a spoon.
I know some do not care for using vegetable shortening in their recipes, but I do recommend it for this as it gives the cookies a nice dome-like shape and keeps them from spreading.
To frost the pumpkin cinnamon cookies, you can use an offset spatula or a butter knife to frost the pumpkin cookies, or get a little fancy and pipe the frosting with a decorative piping tip.
Recipe adapted from A Taste of Bedminster Elementary cookbook.
