Go Back

Iced Pumpkin Cookies

Iced pumpkin cookies with a soft, pillowy cake-like crumb and a thick maple cream cheese icing. Baked until just set at 350°F, then cooled completely before frosting and finishing with cinnamon and sprinkles.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Servings: 30 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 210
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For cookies
  • 2.5 cup flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup butter
  • 1.5 cup sugar
  • 1 cup pumpkin
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
For icing
  • 4 oz cream cheese
  • 0.25 cup butter
  • 2 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp milk
  • 1 orange food coloring (optional)
  • 1 cinnamon
  • 1 sprinkles

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the pumpkin cookies
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment or a silicone mat for nonstick release.
  2. Beat the butter and sugar until creamy, then add the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla and mix until smooth.
  3. Fold in the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt) just until no dry streaks remain.
  4. Drop 2-tablespoon rounds onto the lined baking sheets, leaving space for spreading.
  5. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350°F until the cookies look set around the edges but still tender in the center, then remove and cool completely.
Make and ice the maple cream cheese icing
  1. Beat the cream cheese and softened butter until smooth, then add powdered sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon and continue mixing until thick and spreadable.
  2. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time only as needed to loosen the icing to a thick, pourable-spread consistency, adding orange food coloring if using.
  3. Spread a generous layer of icing over each cooled cookie.
  4. Decorate the tops with cinnamon and sprinkles, then let the icing set briefly before serving.

Notes

For the thick “cake-like” texture, keep the cookie bake window to 10-12 minutes—pull them when they’re set but not browned heavily. Store iced cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days (best texture). Freeze uniced cookies up to 2 months; thaw and ice after fully thawed. For a lighter swap, use low-fat cream cheese in the icing (texture remains creamy but slightly less rich).