Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookie – soft, cakey pumpkin cookies topped with rich brown butter cream cheese frosting, dusted with cinnamon.
If you know your favorite loft house style sugar cookie, I am taking those cookies and turning them into your favorite fall treat Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookie! Soft and chewy pumpkin cookie with a twist of a brown butter cream cheese buttercream.
Why you should bake these cookies?
What is in these pumpkin sugar cookie? Let’s do a break of it down, so you can also fall in love with this!
- Easy to make: easy instructions and easy to make and even better, they taste GREAT
- Simple ingredients: with not a lot of ingredients, and you will have most things on hand!
- Soft cookie texture: extremely soft cookie base, that has a tangy cream cheese swirl!
Grocery check list – Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookie
I have provided som key ingredients for Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookie that you might not have on hand. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below!
- Pumpkin puree – Make sure you use canned or homemade pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling
- Brown sugar – Pack the brown sugar firmly into your measuring cup!
- Butter – Cold and cubed butter helps create a tender, flaky texture. Keep it cold until ready to use.
- All-purpose flour – Measure your flour by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off for accurate results.
- Egg – Make sure the egg is at room temperature; this promotes even mixing and a smoother dough.
- Cream cheese – Ensure your cream cheese is at room temperature for easy blending with the browned butter, resulting in a creamy frosting.
- Baking powder – Use fresh, active baking powder to achieve a good rise and softness in the cookies. Check the expiration date!
How to make Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookie
Here, I have given you some tips on how to successfully make this recipe! For the full instructions, check out the recipe card below!
- Butter: Keep your butter cold and cubed. This will help keep the structure of the cookie! Don’t let the butter get too soft before using it.
- Creaming method: Use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment for even mixing. Cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy!
- Dough Scooping: Use a large cookie scoop to portion out equally sized dough balls. This ensures uniform baking times and consistent cookies.
- Flatten the cookie: After scooping the dough onto the baking sheet, gently flatten the cookie balls to about ½ inch thickness using a flat surface, such as a metal spatula. This helps them bake evenly.
- Correct Oven Temperature: Preheat your oven to the specified temperature (350°F or 175°C) I used an oven thermometer to make sure my oven temp is accurate.
Expert baking tips
Here are some questions that I have been asked regarding this recipe!
- Read the Recipe First: Always start by reading the entire recipe to understand the steps and gather all the ingredients before you begin.
- Prepare Ingredients: Get those ingredients to room-temperature!!! Eggs and softened cream cheese!!!! Brown Butter: Be patient when browning the butter for the frosting. It should have a rich, nutty aroma and a deep golden-brown color. Don’t rush this step.
- Don’t Overmix: When making the cookie dough, avoid overmixing after adding the dry ingredients. Mix just until they are incorporated to maintain a soft, tender texture.
- Even Cookie Sizes: Use a cookie scoop to portion out the dough for consistent cookie sizes. This ensures even baking.
- Flatten Cookies: After scooping the dough onto the baking sheet, gently flatten the cookie balls slightly with a flat surface, like a metal spatula, for uniform thickness.
- Cool Completely: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack. This prevents them from becoming too fragile.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat the cream cheese frosting until it’s light and fluffy to achieve the best texture for spreading or piping.
- Dust with Cinnamon: The final touch of dusting the frosted cookies with ground cinnamon not only adds flavor but also enhances their visual appeal.
What’s in molly’s kitchen?
- Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer: A stand mixer with a paddle attachment is ideal for creaming the butter and mixing the dough. Alternatively, you can use a hand mixer.
- Mixing Bowls: You’ll need mixing bowls for various purposes, such as preparing the cookie dough and the frosting.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons: Accurate measurement of ingredients is crucial, so have a set of measuring cups and spoons on hand.
- Spatula: A spatula is useful for scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl and for folding in ingredients when necessary.
- Baking Sheets: Use baking sheets lined with parchment paper to bake the cookies.
- Cookie Scoop: A large cookie scoop helps portion out the dough evenly and ensures consistent cookie sizes.
- Flat Surface (Metal Spatula): You’ll need a flat surface, like a metal spatula, to gently flatten the cookie dough balls before baking.
- Cooling Rack: A cooling rack allows the cookies to cool evenly after baking.
FAQ – Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookie
Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned pumpkin puree?Yes, you can use fresh pumpkin puree, but make sure it’s well-drained and not too watery. Canned pumpkin puree is convenient and consistent in texture.
Do I have to brown the butter for the frosting?
Browning the butter adds a rich, nutty flavor to the frosting, but you can skip this step if you prefer a traditional cream cheese frosting.
Can I make the cookie dough in advance and refrigerate it?
Yes, you can refrigerate the cookie dough for a few hours or overnight. Just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container.
Storing and freezing
To store Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookies, place them in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. Keep them in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days for the best freshness, or freeze them for longer storage by placing them in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag.
Freezing – Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookie
To freeze Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookies, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until firm. Once firm, transfer the cookies to an airtight container or freezer bag, placing parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. They can be frozen for up to several months, and you can thaw them at room temperature or in the refrigerator before serving.
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Recipe
Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookie
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- ½ cup unsalted butter cold and cubed
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 egg at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon salt
For the brown butter frosting:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 3 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Brown Butter Frosting (do this step first):
- In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir continuously until it foams and the milk deposits separate at the bottom. Continue stirring until the butter turns brown and crackling noises are heard. Remove from heat.
- Pour the browned butter into a glass bowl and allow it to cool completely to room temperature. While it’s cooling, you can prepare the cookie dough.
For the Cookies:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set it aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the cold, cubed butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed until the mixture becomes light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add the pumpkin puree and mix just until combined.
- Add the egg and vanilla, and beat until the mixture is smooth (about 30 seconds).
- Add the flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt, and mix on low speed just until combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Use a large cookie scoop (I used a 3 tablespoon scoop) to portion out 12-14 equally sized cookie dough balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Lightly spray the tops of the cookie dough balls and flatten them slightly to about ½ inch in thickness using a flat surface, such as a metal spatula.
- Bake for 15-16 minutes, then allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack.
Continuing with Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In a bowl of a standard mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the room temperature browned butter and cream cheese. Beat on medium-high speed for 2-4 minutes until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
- After beating the butter and cream cheese, add the powdered sugar, vanilla, cream, and salt. Mix on low speed until just combined, then increase the speed to high and beat for at least 2 minutes.
- Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to eliminate any air pockets in the frosting.
Assembling the Cookies:
- Once the cookies have completely cooled and are no longer warm, frost the tops.
- Using a plastic bag or a piping bag, cut a medium-sized hole and frost the tops of the cookies.
- Dust the frosted cookies with ground cinnamon for the finishing touch.
marissa says
seriously the yummiest pumpkin cookies out there!! the dough is definitely a bit stickier but that’s how it’s supposed to be. so so good!!
Hannah says
Super delicious! As someone who doesn’t love the taste of pumpkin, but wanted a yummy fall recipe, these were perfect! Also, brown butter anything 😍😍
Anonymous says
My family loved this!