🍪 Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting 🧁
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Cookies
2½ cups (312 g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice (see tip below for homemade blend)
½ tsp fine sea salt
¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed
1¼ cups (305 g) canned pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz (226 g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened but still cool
¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1¾ cups (210 g) powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
Prep & Preheat: Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Set aside.
Cream Wet Base: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high until light and fluffy (about 2–3 minutes).
Incorporate Pumpkin Mixture: Add the pumpkin purée, egg, and vanilla. Mix on medium until fully blended, scraping down the bowl as needed.
Combine Wet & Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low just until no flour streaks remain. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky—that’s normal.
Portion & Bake: Scoop dough using a #20 cookie scoop (or a heaping tablespoon) and place mounds 2 inches apart on prepared sheets. Bake for 13–15 minutes, or until edges are lightly set and centers spring back when gently touched.
Cool Completely: Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool fully.
Make Frosting: In a clean bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy (about 30 seconds). Add vanilla and sifted powdered sugar; mix on low until just combined, then briefly on medium for a silky finish. Avoid overmixing to prevent thinning.
Frost & Finish: Once cookies are completely cool, spread or swirl frosting on top using an offset spatula or butter knife. Optional: dust lightly with extra pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon for garnish.
#fblifestyle