These pumpkin cookies are soft, thick and gently spiced, finished with a swirl of tangy cream cheese frosting on top. The batch makes eight cookies, which is just right for two people: a couple each tonight and a few more to look forward to tomorrow. The dough is sized so it needs exactly one egg yolk and bakes on a single sheet, so there is no half egg to measure and no second tray to juggle. If you have been wanting pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting without three dozen of them filling the kitchen, this small batch was made for you.
Why you’ll like them
- Eight cookies, not three dozen: a realistic amount for two, with nothing going stale on the counter.
- One egg yolk: the small batch divides cleanly, so there is no awkward fraction of an egg.
- One baking sheet: all eight cookies bake together in about 12 minutes.
- Soft and thick: a short chill and a little cornstarch keep them plump and tender instead of flat or cakey.
- Tangy frosting: a small bowl of cream cheese frosting balances the warm pumpkin spice.
What makes them work
An egg yolk instead of a whole egg. A yolk adds richness and tenderness without the extra water from the white, so the cookies stay soft and chewy rather than puffy and cake-like. It also happens to be the exact amount of egg this small batch needs.
A spoonful of cornstarch and a short chill. Cornstarch keeps the crumb soft, and an hour in the refrigerator firms the butter so the cookies hold their shape in the oven. The result is a thick, bakery-style cookie with a flat top that is easy to frost.
A gentle press after baking. Pressing each warm cookie with the bottom of a glass right out of the oven gives it an even, slightly flat surface. That smooth top is what lets the frosting sit neatly instead of sliding down the sides.
How the batch is sized for two
Most frosted pumpkin cookie recipes make two to three dozen cookies. This one is a third of a full batch, which brings it down to eight cookies of the same size, so the bake time stays the same and you do not have to guess.
Scaling cookies is mostly about the egg. A third of a full batch would normally call for a fraction of a whole egg plus a fraction of a yolk, which is impossible to measure neatly. Together, those fractions come to about one egg yolk, so the small batch uses exactly that. The pumpkin is rounded down very slightly to keep the dough from getting too wet, since a small batch has less room for error.
The frosting is scaled the same way, so you get enough for a generous layer on each cookie without a bowl of leftovers.
Ingredients for pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting
The full amounts are in the recipe card below. Here is what to know about the ingredients that shape the cookie.
- Pure pumpkin puree: use plain canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced. The recipe uses only a few tablespoons, so cover and refrigerate the rest of the can for oatmeal, soup or another bake.
- Softened butter: unsalted butter that gives a little when pressed creams smoothly with the sugar. Very soft or melted butter will make the cookies spread.
- Two sugars: granulated sugar keeps the cookies light, while light brown sugar adds moisture and a gentle caramel note.
- Pumpkin pie spice: one blend brings cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove. Use a fresh jar for the warmest flavor.
- Cornstarch: a small amount keeps the cookies soft. Measure it level.
- Cream cheese: full-fat block cream cheese, softened, makes the smoothest frosting. Tub cream cheese is softer and makes a looser frosting.
- Powdered sugar: add it gradually so the frosting stays smooth and you can stop once it is spreadable.
How to make pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting
- Cream the butter, both sugars and pumpkin pie spice.
- Beat in the pumpkin, egg yolk and vanilla.
- Mix in the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt.
- Chill the dough for 60 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet.
- Roll eight balls and bake for about 12 minutes.
- Flatten, cool on the sheet, then cool completely on a rack.
- Beat the cream cheese frosting.
- Frost the cooled cookies.
Step-by-step notes
Creaming. Beat the butter, sugars and spice until the mixture looks well combined and a little lighter in color. The pumpkin and yolk go in on low speed, just until blended.
Mixing in the flour. Add the dry ingredients on medium-low speed and stop as soon as no dry flour remains. Scrape the bowl once so nothing hides at the bottom. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky, which is normal.
Chilling. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 60 minutes. Chilled dough is easier to roll and keeps the cookies thick.
Baking. Roll eight even balls, each about 2 tablespoons of dough, and space them about two inches apart. Bake for 12 minutes and check: the edges should be set and the tops should look dry rather than shiny, while the cookies are still pale and soft. Give them up to 13 minutes if the tops still look wet. They firm up as they cool, so take them out while they still look a little underdone.
Cooling. Press each cookie gently with the bottom of a glass right away, leave them on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack for about 25 minutes, until they are completely cool to the touch.
Frosting. Beat the softened cream cheese, butter and brown sugar until smooth, then the vanilla and pinch of salt. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time on low speed until the frosting is smooth and spreadable.
Tips for the best frosted pumpkin cookies
- Set the butter and cream cheese out early. Soft, room-temperature dairy creams smoothly and avoids lumps in the frosting.
- Pull the cookies while they look soft. Pale, set edges and a dry top are the cue; they finish setting on the sheet and stay tender.
- Make the frosting while the cookies cool. The timing lines up, and the frosting is ready the moment the cookies are.
- Frost only fully cooled cookies. Warm cookies melt cream cheese frosting, so give them the full cooling time.
- Keep the egg white. Cover it and refrigerate it for scrambled eggs or another bake.
Variations
- Your own spice mix: instead of pumpkin pie spice, use a mix of cinnamon with a little nutmeg and ginger. The flavor will be slightly milder.
- Dark brown sugar: swap it for light brown sugar for a deeper molasses note; nothing else changes.
- A dusting on top: finish the frosted cookies with a pinch of cinnamon or a little extra pumpkin pie spice for color.
- Make the dough ahead: the dough can rest in the refrigerator longer than an hour, as long as it is covered; let it soften a few minutes if it is too firm to roll.
How to serve them
Frosted pumpkin cookies feel like an easy little celebration, the kind of dessert that turns an ordinary fall evening at home into something a bit sweeter.
- Serve them with hot coffee, tea or a glass of cold milk.
- Finish a cozy autumn dinner, such as a bowl of creamy pumpkin tortellini soup, with a cookie each.
- Pack one each in a lunch bag; keep them chilled until it is time to eat.
- Stack two on a small plate for an afternoon snack to share.
Storage and freezing
Because the frosting is made with cream cheese, frosted cookies belong in the refrigerator. Refrigerate them within 2 hours, and keep them in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Let them sit out for a few minutes before eating if you prefer them softer.
To freeze, freeze the cookies before frosting them. Unfrosted cookies keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight, then make a fresh batch of frosting and spread it on once they are fully thawed.
Eight soft pumpkin cookies and a little bowl of tangy frosting are all it takes to make a fall evening feel special for two. Put the kettle on and enjoy them while they are fresh.
Frequently asked questions
Do pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting need to be refrigerated?
Yes. Cream cheese frosting is perishable, so refrigerate frosted cookies within 2 hours and keep them in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Can I freeze frosted pumpkin cookies?
It is better to freeze them before frosting. Freeze the plain cookies for up to 2 months, thaw them in the refrigerator, and frost them once they are fully thawed.
Why are my pumpkin cookies cakey?
Extra moisture from too much pumpkin or a whole egg makes pumpkin cookies puffy and cake-like. Measuring the pumpkin carefully and using one egg yolk keeps these soft and chewy instead.
Can I make the dough ahead?
Yes. Cover the dough and keep it in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake; if it is very firm, let it sit for a few minutes before rolling.
Print
Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting for Two
- Total Time: 2 hours 2 minutes
- Yield: 8 cookies
Description
Eight soft, thick pumpkin spice cookies topped with tangy cream cheese frosting, sized for two.
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 1/2 tablespoons pure pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, for the frosting
- 2 teaspoons light brown sugar, packed, for the frosting
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, for the frosting
- 1 pinch salt, for the frosting
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Beat the 5 tablespoons butter, the granulated sugar, the 3 tablespoons brown sugar and the pumpkin pie spice with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until well combined.
- Add the pumpkin, egg yolk and the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and beat on low speed until combined.
- In another bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and the 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix them into the pumpkin mixture on medium-low speed just until combined, scraping down the bowl.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate for 60 minutes.
- Near the end of the chilling time, heat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll the dough into eight balls of about 2 tablespoons each and set them about two inches apart on the sheet. Bake for 12 minutes, up to 13, until the edges are set and the tops look dry but the cookies are still pale and soft.
- Right after baking, gently flatten each cookie with the bottom of a glass. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack and cool completely, about 25 minutes.
- For the frosting, beat the cream cheese, the 2 tablespoons butter and the 2 teaspoons brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the 1/4 teaspoon vanilla and the pinch of salt, then add the powdered sugar a little at a time on low speed until smooth and spreadable.
- Spread the frosting over the completely cooled cookies.
Notes
Equipment: electric hand mixer, two mixing bowls, baking sheet, parchment paper, drinking glass with a flat bottom, wire rack, offset spatula or butter knife
- Bake just until set; overbaking makes the cookies dry.
- Chilling the dough keeps the cookies thick and soft.
- Save the leftover egg white, covered, in the refrigerator for another recipe.
- Doneness: The cookies are done when the edges are set and the tops look dry instead of shiny, while the cookies are still pale and soft; they firm up as they cool.
- Doneness: Frost only when the cookies are completely cool to the touch.
- Keep frosted cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Unfrosted cookies can be frozen for up to 2 months; thaw in the refrigerator overnight and frost after thawing.
- Refrigerate frosted cookies within 2 hours, because the frosting is made with cream cheese.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Rest Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
