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Soft Pumpkin Cookies Recipe

Soft Pumpkin Cookies Recipe
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★★★★★

5 from 21 reviews

These Soft Pumpkin Cookies are a delightful fall treat featuring a tender, spiced pumpkin cookie base topped with a rich and creamy cream cheese frosting. Perfectly balanced with warming cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, these cookies are moist, flavorful, and ideal for holiday gatherings or cozy moments at home.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Cookie Wet Ingredients

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2–4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream, for desired consistency

Instructions

  1. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt until well combined. Set this mixture aside.
  2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl or using a stand mixer, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium speed until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.
  3. Add Pumpkin Puree, Egg, and Vanilla: Mix in the pumpkin puree until fully incorporated. Then add the egg and vanilla extract, beating until the mixture is smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
  4. Gradually Add Dry Ingredients: Slowly add your flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed just until combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
  5. Chill the Dough: Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour to firm up, which helps with shaping the cookies. You can chill it for up to 24 hours.
  6. Preheat Oven: Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent sticking.
  7. Scoop and Shape the Dough: Using a cookie scoop or spoon, drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Leave approximately 2 inches of space between each cookie to allow for spreading.
  8. Bake the Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. The edges should be lightly golden brown, and the centers set but still soft.
  9. Cool the Cookies: Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the cookies cool for several minutes on the sheets before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  10. Cream Butter and Cream Cheese (Frosting): In a clean large bowl or stand mixer, beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
  11. Gradually Add Powdered Sugar (Frosting): Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, mixing on low speed until the sugar is fully incorporated with the cream cheese mixture.
  12. Add Vanilla Extract and Milk (Frosting): Mix in the vanilla extract. Then add milk or heavy cream one tablespoon at a time until the frosting reaches your preferred spreading consistency.
  13. Frost the Cookies: Once the cookies have completely cooled, spread an even layer of cream cheese frosting on top of each cookie.
  14. Optional Decorations: Decorate the frosted cookies with sprinkles, chopped nuts, or a light dusting of cinnamon if desired for added texture and appearance.
  15. Serve and Enjoy: Enjoy the cookies right away, or store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days to keep the frosting fresh.

Notes

  • Make sure to use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, to avoid extra sugars and spices in the cookie dough.
  • Chilling the dough helps prevent spreading and improves cookie texture.
  • Do not overmix the dough to keep cookies soft and tender.
  • Adjust the amount of milk or cream in the frosting to achieve your preferred thickness.
  • Store frosted cookies in the refrigerator to maintain freshness, especially because of the cream cheese frosting.
  • These cookies can be frozen before or after frosting for longer storage.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin cookies, soft pumpkin cookies, cream cheese frosting, fall cookies, autumn dessert

Find it online: https://chefmilacook.com/soft-pumpkin-cookies-recipe/