Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Frosting

Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Frosting taste like little pumpkin clouds with a cozy cinnamon roll vibe, and they disappear faster than I can “taste test” a third one. They work well for busy bakers who want a fall dessert in about 45 minutes total, start to finish. I baked a batch on a Tuesday “just to test” and my family wiped them out before dinner like it was a competitive sport.

Why Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Frosting Is Worth It

These cookies stay soft and cakey, almost like muffin tops with frosting, which means they taste great even on day three. The cinnamon frosting adds a warm, spiced sweetness that feels like a hug in dessert form.

You mix everything in basic bowls with a hand mixer, no chilling, no fancy equipment, and no drama. The recipe uses pantry staples plus canned pumpkin, so you can bake them whenever the craving hits.

“These Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Frosting taste like frosted pumpkin pillows and vanish from the cookie plate in minutes. ★★★★★”

Ingredients You Need

Dry ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups (270 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (optional, but it adds that classic pumpkin spice kick)

You can use a pre-mixed pumpkin pie spice instead of the individual spices. Use 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice and skip the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.

Wet ingredients

• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup (240 g) canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

Use real pumpkin puree, not the sweetened pie filling. I like Libby’s or store-brand pumpkin that lists only “pumpkin” on the label.

Cinnamon frosting

• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar, sifted for the smoothest frosting
• 1–2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1–1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt, to balance the sweetness

You can use half-and-half or even oat milk in place of heavy cream if that fits your fridge better. Add more powdered sugar to thicken or more milk to loosen the frosting.

Optional add-ins

• 1/2–3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• Extra cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice for sprinkling over the frosted cookies

Equipment list

• Large mixing bowl
• Medium mixing bowl
• Hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment
• Rubber spatula
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Kitchen scale (optional, but it keeps things consistent)
• Baking sheets
• Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
• Cookie scoop (1 1/2 tablespoons size works well) or two spoons
• Cooling racks
• Small offset spatula or butter knife for frosting

Quick Tips & substitutions

• Use canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, since pie filling already includes sugar and spices.
• Blot very wet pumpkin with paper towels if it looks watery, so the cookies stay fluffy, not gummy.
• Use room-temperature butter and egg so the batter mixes smoothly and bakes evenly.
• Chill the dough for 20–30 minutes if it feels very sticky or if your kitchen runs warm.
• Swap 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (with xanthan gum) for regular flour for a gluten-free batch.
• Use vegan butter and a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoons water) to make dairy-free and egg-free cookies.
• Replace heavy cream in the frosting with milk, half-and-half, or a non-dairy milk.
• Add mini chocolate chips or chopped nuts to the dough for extra texture.
• Use pumpkin pie spice instead of individual spices to save time.
• Frost only cooled cookies, or the frosting will melt and slide off.

How to Make Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Frosting

Mix the dry ingredients

1. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves until everything looks evenly combined.
3. Set the bowl aside so you can reach it easily when you mix the wet ingredients.

Cream butter and sugars

1. In a large bowl, beat softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed for 2–3 minutes.
2. Mix until the mixture looks light, fluffy, and slightly paler in color.
3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula so no butter hides at the bottom.

Add egg, vanilla, and pumpkin

1. Add the egg and vanilla to the butter mixture and beat until smooth.
2. Add the pumpkin puree and mix on low speed until the batter looks uniform and creamy.
3. The mixture may look slightly curdled at this point, and that still works fine once you add the dry ingredients.

Combine wet and dry

1. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture in two additions.
2. Mix on low speed just until the flour disappears, and stop as soon as the batter looks combined.
3. Scrape the bowl and fold the batter a few times by hand to catch any dry pockets, but avoid overmixing so the cookies stay tender.

Scoop and bake

1. Use a cookie scoop or two spoons to drop about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough per cookie onto the lined baking sheets.
2. Space them about 2 inches apart since they puff more than they spread.
3. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 11–13 minutes, until the tops look set and spring back lightly when you touch them.
4. Pull the cookies from the oven and let them sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Make the cinnamon frosting

1. While the cookies cool, beat the softened butter for the frosting in a medium bowl until creamy and smooth.
2. Add powdered sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and a pinch of salt.
3. Start mixing on low speed so the sugar stays in the bowl, then increase to medium.
4. Add 1 tablespoon of cream or milk, then beat until the frosting looks fluffy; add a little more liquid if you want a softer, more spreadable texture.

Frost the cookies

1. Make sure the cookies feel completely cool to the touch.
2. Use a small offset spatula or butter knife to spread a generous layer of cinnamon frosting over each cookie.
3. Sprinkle a tiny pinch of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice on top if you want a bakery-style look.
4. Let the frosting set for 20–30 minutes at room temperature before you stack or store the cookies.

Recipe Variations

• Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend that includes xanthan gum.
• Vegan: Use vegan butter, a flax egg, and plant-based milk in the frosting.
• Lower sugar: Reduce the granulated sugar in the cookies by 2–3 tablespoons and use a slightly thinner layer of frosting.
• Low carb-ish: Use a low-carb sweetener blend in place of sugar and an almond flour–based baking mix, and expect a slightly different texture.
• Chocolate chip pumpkin cookies: Fold in 1/2–3/4 cup mini chocolate chips into the dough before baking.
• Nutty pumpkin cookies: Add 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts for crunch.
• Spice lovers: Increase cinnamon to 2 teaspoons in the dough and 1 1/2 teaspoons in the frosting.
• Maple twist: Replace 1–2 tablespoons of the milk in the frosting with pure maple syrup and reduce the milk slightly.

Ways to Serve Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Frosting

• Pack them in lunchboxes as a sweet fall surprise.
• Serve them on a dessert platter with sliced apples and caramel dip.
• Pair them with hot coffee, chai, or cocoa for an afternoon snack.
• Stack three cookies, add frosting between layers, and build a mini cookie “cake.”
• Crumble one cookie over vanilla yogurt for a quick pumpkin parfait.

Storage Success

Store frosted Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Frosting in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Place parchment between layers so the frosting stays neat and the cookies do not stick together. Move them to the fridge after day two, where they keep well for another 3–4 days and taste extra soft and cakey. Freeze unfrosted cookies for up to 2 months, then thaw at room temperature and frost fresh when you want that just-baked taste.

Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Frosting

Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Frosting are tender, cakey pumpkin cookies topped with a warm cinnamon frosting, perfect for a cozy fall dessert made in about 45 minutes.

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 13 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings: 24

Course: Dessert

Ingredients

  

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream or milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch salt

• 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 pinch extra cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice for sprinkling

Instructions

 

1. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves until evenly combined. Set aside.

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed for 2–3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
2. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula to make sure everything is evenly mixed.

1. Add the egg and vanilla to the creamed butter and sugar and beat until smooth.
2. Add the pumpkin puree and mix on low speed until the batter looks uniform and creamy. It may look slightly curdled but will smooth out once the dry ingredients are added.

1. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture in two additions, mixing on low speed just until the flour disappears.
2. Scrape the bowl and gently fold the batter a few times by hand to catch any dry pockets, being careful not to overmix so the cookies stay tender.
3. If using, fold in any optional add-ins like nuts or chocolate chips.

1. Use a cookie scoop or two spoons to drop about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough per cookie onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
2. Bake for 11–13 minutes, or until the tops look set and spring back lightly when touched.
3. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks to cool completely before frosting.

1. While the cookies cool, beat the softened butter for the frosting in a medium bowl until creamy and smooth.
2. Add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Start mixing on low speed, then increase to medium until combined.
3. Add just enough cream or milk to reach a fluffy, spreadable consistency, beating until the frosting is smooth.

1. Make sure the cookies are completely cool to the touch.
2. Use a small offset spatula or butter knife to spread a generous layer of cinnamon frosting over each cookie.
3. If desired, sprinkle a tiny pinch of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice on top for a bakery-style finish, then let the frosting set for 20–30 minutes before stacking or storing.

Notes

Nutrition Information
Approximate per cookie (1 of 24): 190 calories; fat 9 g; saturated fat 5 g; carbohydrates 26 g; fiber 1 g; sugars 17 g; protein 2 g; sodium 90 mg. Values are estimates and will vary based on specific ingredients, add-ins, and portion size.