Pumpkin Cookies (Cream Cheese Icing)
Soft and chewy pumpkin cookies made with oats, pumpkin puree, warm spices, pecans, and raisins, then finished with a simple cream cheese frosting. This recipe is easily customizable & makes 36 cookies! Perfect for fall gatherings and potlucks.
Try this Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake and Old Fashioned Pumpkin Pie next!
🍂 🍁 🌾 🎃 🧺 🪵 🕯️ ☕ 🥧 🍎 🤎 🧡🍂 🍁
Soft and chewy pumpkin cookies made with oats, pumpkin puree, warm spices, and your choice of pecans and raisins, then finished with a simple cream cheese frosting. Yummmmmmmm 🙂
If you saw my Pumpkin Cranberry Bread post, then you already know where these cookies are coming from.
I promised you this recipe was coming soon, and here it is!
I made both the pumpkin cranberry bread and these pumpkin cookies for a potluck at church, and I was so happy to see people enjoying both of them. There is something especially satisfying about bringing a homemade recipe to a gathering and watching an empty serving plate make its way back home.
And these cookies disappeared pretty quickly!
I Made Three Different Kinds for the Potluck
Since I was taking these to a potluck, I decided not to make every cookie exactly the same.
I made three batches of 12 cookies:
- The first batch was completely plain, with no nuts.
- The second batch had chopped pecans & raisins mixed right into the cookie dough.
- The third batch had raisins, chopped pecans in the dough with an extra pecan placed right on top of each cookie.
I wanted to make sure there was something for everyone. If someone didn’t care for the nuts, they could grab one of the plain pumpkin cookies.
And if you love pecans? Well, that third batch was made with you in mind!
I actually think this would be a fun way to serve these cookies for Thanksgiving or another fall gathering. You can make the dough once and customize the cookies depending on what your family or guests prefer. Whoo, I bet chocolate chips would be good!
Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Cookies
These aren’t complicated cookies, and that’s part of why I like them.
The pumpkin puree keeps them soft, while the oats give them a little chew. Pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon give them plenty of warm fall flavor without making the cookies overly spicy.
Then you have the choice of adding pecans and raisins, or leaving them out.
And the cream cheese frosting?
That’s the finishing touch that really brings everything together.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the cookies, you’ll need:
- All-purpose flour
- Quick or old-fashioned oats
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Cinnamon
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Butter
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Pumpkin puree
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
Optional add-ins, you can use chopped pecans and raisins.
For the cream cheese frosting, you’ll need cream cheese, butter, vanilla, powdered sugar, and a little milk or half-and-half if needed to thin the frosting.
How to Make Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
This recipe comes together pretty easily, but I’ve broken the process down step by step so you can follow along.
Step 1: Prepare Your Baking Sheets
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease them.
I like using parchment paper because it makes cleanup easy and helps the cookies release from the baking sheet without any trouble.
Step 2: Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1⅓ cups quick or old-fashioned oats
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
Give everything a good whisk so the spices and baking soda are evenly distributed throughout the flour and oats.
Set the bowl aside for now.
Step 3: Cream the Butter and Sugars
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and creamy.
Step 4: Add the Pumpkin, Egg, and Vanilla
Add the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture.
Beat until everything is well combined.
The mixture will become soft and creamy, and you’ll start to see that beautiful pumpkin color.
Step 5: Add the Dry Ingredients
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
Mix just until everything is combined.
Try not to overmix the dough. Once you no longer see dry flour, you’re ready for the next step.
Step 6: Add Your Mix-Ins
This is where you can make these cookies your own.
For my church potluck, I divided my dough into three portions.
The first portion stayed plain with no nuts.
For the second portion, I folded chopped pecans into the dough and raisins.
For the third portion, I also folded chopped pecans into the dough and raisins, but planned to add an extra pecan to the top of each cookie before baking. I have pictures below to show this!
Step 7: Scoop the Cookies
Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto your prepared baking sheets, leaving some space between each cookie.
I made three batches of 12 cookies, for a total of about 36 cookies.
If you are making different varieties like I did, this is a good time to keep your batches separated.
Step 8: Add the Pecans on Top
If you’re making the pecan-topped version, gently press a pecan onto the top of each cookie before baking.
You don’t need to push it down very far, just enough to keep it in place.
This is also a nice way to tell the different varieties apart once they’re baked.
Step 9: Bake
Bake the cookies at 350°F for 12–15 minutes, or until they are set and lightly golden around the edges.
Keep an eye on them toward the end of the baking time because ovens can vary.
You don’t want to overbake these. The goal is a soft, chewy pumpkin cookie. I over baked the third batch, ooopsy!
Step 10: Let the Cookies Cool
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
Let them cool completely before frosting.
I know it’s tempting to start frosting them while they’re still warm, but warm cookies will make the cream cheese frosting soft and melty.
Frosting the Pumpkin Cookies
Once the cookies are completely cool, spread the cream cheese frosting over the tops.
You can use a knife or small spatula if you want an easy, rustic look.
Or, if you want them to look a little prettier, you can pipe the frosting onto the cookies.
And you don’t need a piping bag!
Simply spoon the frosting into a sandwich bag, snip a small hole in one corner, and pipe the frosting right onto the cookies.
I actually love how simple this method is, especially when you’re making cookies for a gathering. No special decorating equipment necessary.
Make Them Your Own
One of the things I really like about this recipe is how easy it is to customize.
You can make them:
Plain: Leave out the nuts and raisins.
Pecan: Fold chopped pecans into the dough.
Extra Pecan: Fold chopped pecans into the dough and add a whole pecan to the top before baking.
Pecan & Raisin: Add both chopped pecans and raisins for a little extra texture and sweetness.
This is exactly what I did for the church potluck. I wanted people to have choices, especially because I knew there would be people who either loved nuts or preferred their cookies without them.
Sometimes making something for a crowd means thinking about those little details.
How to Store Pumpkin Cookies
Because these cookies are topped with cream cheese frosting, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
For the best texture, let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.
A Fall Cookie Worth Sharing
I think one of the best tests for a recipe is putting it in front of a group of people and seeing what happens.
These pumpkin cookies went to church with me along with my pumpkin cranberry bread, and I’m happy to say that both recipes were well received.
🍂 Try These Fall Recipes Next! 🍂
🍂 🍁 🌾 🎃 🧺 🪵 🕯️ ☕ 🥧 🍎 🤎 🧡🍂 🍁
Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ⅓ cups quick or old-fashioned oats
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup 2 sticks butter, softened
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional add ins
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup raisins
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- Milk or half-and-half as needed to thin
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease them.
- Combine the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Cream the butter and sugars. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and creamy.
- Add the wet ingredients. Beat in the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla until well combined.
- Combine the dough. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined.
- Add the pecans and raisins. Gently fold them into the cookie dough.
- Scoop the cookies. Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between each cookie.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the cookies are set and lightly golden around the edges. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy.
- Add the vanilla and powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
- Add a small amount of milk or half-and-half, a little at a time, until the frosting reaches your desired consistency.
- Once the cookies have cooled completely, spread or pipe the frosting over the tops.
- For an easy piping method, spoon the frosting into a sandwich bag, snip a small hole in one corner, and pipe the frosting onto the cookies.
Notes
- Nuts: Walnuts can be substituted for the pecans.
- You can use up to ¾ cup chopped nuts and ¾ cup raisins in the cookie dough.
- This recipe makes 3 batches of 12 cookies, for a total of 36 cookies.
- For a potluck or gathering, make all three batches a little different. One batch can be left plain, one can have pecans and raisins, and the third can have pecans and raisins with an additional pecan pressed into the top of each cookie before baking.
- If making the cookies in different variations, divide the dough into three equal portions before adding the desired mix-ins.
