Description
Bake a soft Pumpkin Pie Cookie that tastes like autumn. My easy recipe blends classic pie flavors into a delightful, chewy treat.
Ingredients
Scale
- Cookie Essentials:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- Pumpkin Pie Spices:
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prep Your Dough:: First things first, let’s get that oven preheating to 375°F (190°C) and line your baking sheets with parchment paper. This is where I always forget to do that, then scramble later! In a medium bowl, whisk together your flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. It should smell like a spice shop exploded, in the best way possible. Set that aside; we’ll come back to it, promise.
- Cream the Wet Ingredients:: Now for the good stuff! In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together your softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until it’s light and fluffy. This usually takes me about 2-3 minutes. Don’t rush this step; it’s crucial for the texture of our Pumpkin Pie Cookie. Then, beat in the pumpkin puree and the egg until everything is well combined and looks wonderfully orange and smooth. I once added the egg straight from the fridge and it just didn’t incorporate right, so room temp is key!
- Combine and Chill:: Gradually add your dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix here; we want tender Pumpkin Pie Cookies, not tough ones! The dough will be soft and a bit sticky, that’s normal. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and pop it into the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This chilling time helps prevent spreading and deepens the flavors, honestly, it’s worth the wait!
- Scoop and Bake Your Pumpkin Pie Cookie:: Once chilled, scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto your prepared baking sheets, leaving a couple of inches between each cookie. I use a cookie scoop for consistency, but a couple of spoons work fine too. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are just set and the centers look slightly puffed. Don’t overbake, or they’ll lose that lovely soft chew! I pulled a batch too late once and they were sadly dry.
- Cool Down:: Let the Pumpkin Pie Cookies cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps them firm up a bit so they don’t break when you move them. Trust me on this, I’ve had many a warm cookie tragedy trying to rush this step!
- Whip Up the Frosting:: While your cookies are cooling, it’s frosting time! In a medium bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing until smooth and creamy. Stir in the vanilla extract. Once your Pumpkin Pie Cookies are completely cool, frost them generously. They should look irresistible, like little pillows of fall joy!