These Soft Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Buttercream Frosting are a fall favorite! Thick and cakey and loaded with raisins and pecans, these one of a kind cookies are topped with a rich buttercream frosting and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.
the inspiration for these pumpkin cookies
I have loved to bake and cook for as long as I can remember. So much so that I began my personal chef business to cook for hungry families every week.
My Mom was always an inspiration in the kitchen. She made delicious dinners every evening. And an unforgettable baked good like Great Aunt Rose’s Pound Cake or these soft and pumpkin spiced cookies were frequent desserts displayed on the kitchen counter.
About 40 years ago, she convinced a local gourmet shop to give her the recipe for these quintessential fall cookie. After a few tweaks, I struck upon the perfect recipe for Soft Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Buttercream Frosting. In my Mom’s own words, they are “Very Very Yummy!“
the ingredients for soft pumpkin spice cookies
- all purpose flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
- ginger
- allspice
- cloves
- kosher salt
- salted butter
- granulated sugar
- dark brown sugar
- large eggs
- canned pumpkin puree
- raisins
- pecans
steps for making perfect pumpkin spice cookies
This Soft Pumpkin Spice Cookie recipe is EASY and foolproof to make! The cookies are a combo of a spiced pumpkin quick bread, muffin and cookie. They are moist and loaded with pumpkin puree, raisins and pecans. A buttery frosting with cinnamony sugar sprinkle finishes this fall favorite cookies.
Whisk together the dry ingredients ~ all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and kosher salt ~ and set aside.
Beat softened salted butter with granulated sugar and dark brown sugar until well combined. One at a time, add the large eggs and beat well. Add the pumpkin puree beat until combined.
Add the dry ingredients with the mixer on low speed. Mix in the raisins and chopped pecans.
Scoop the cookie dough on to parchment paper lined baking sheets. Bake for about 15 minutes. The cookies should be set when lightly touched on top.
Remove the cookies to a cooling rack and cool completely.
Whip the butter and powdered sugar for the frosting. Add the milk and beat until the frosting is creamy. In a separate small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon and set aside.
Spread the frosting on the cooled cookies. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.
chef tips for making THE BEST pumpkin spice cookies
- Have all the ingredients at room temperature before starting the recipe. They will combine more easily when at room temperature.
- Crack the eggs into a separate bowl to ensure no shells get in the batter.
- Be sure to use canned pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling in the recipe.
- Use a large cookie scoop to easily portion out the perfect sized cookies.
- Make sure the cookies are completely cool before topping with the creamy frosting.
If you make these delicious Soft Pumpkin Spice Cookies, I’d love hearing from you all. Be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating ~ I do my best to reply to all your comments. And snap a photo to post to Instagram. I’ll add the photos to my Insta stories as I love seeing all your creations.
Also check out my Facebook and Pinterest pages for lots of fabulous foodie stories, videos, cooking tips, and recipes.
more cookie recipes to try
- The Perfect Sugar Cookie Recipe
- Snickerdoodle Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Crispy and Chewy Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Sugared Shortbread ~ Featured in the New York Times!
- Healthy Granola Cookies with Chocolate Chips and Coconut
Soft Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Buttercream Frosting
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
Description
These Soft Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Buttercream Frosting are a fall favorite! Thick and cakey and loaded with raisins and pecans, these one of a kind cookies are topped with a rich buttercream frosting and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.
Ingredients
- for the cookies ~~
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup salted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- for the frosting ~~
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, cloves, and kosher salt. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer or a standing mixer with a paddle attachment on medium low speed beat the butter, sugar, and dark brown sugar until creamy.
- Add the eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition.
- Add the pumpkin puree and mix well. The batter may look a little curdled; that is okay.
- On low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients until combined with the wet ingredients.
- Add the raisins and pecans and mix until just combined.
- Using a large cookie scoop, drop 2 tablespoons of cookie dough on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for about 14 to 16 minutes or until the cookies are set.
- Remove the the cookies from the oven and cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes. Remove the cookies to a cooling rack.
- Meanwhile, prepare the frosting. Using a hand mixer or a standing mixer with a whisk attachment beat the butter. Add the powdered sugar and beat until combined. Add the milk and beat until the frosting is combined. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Set aside.
- When the cookies are completely cool, top with the frosting and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.
- Cover cookies and store for 3 to 4 days ~ if they last that long!
Notes
- Have all the ingredients at room temperature before starting the recipe. They will combine more easily when at room temperature.
- Crack the eggs into a separate bowl to ensure no shells get in the batter.
- Use a large cookie scoop to easily portion out the perfect sized cookies.
- Make sure the cookies are completely cool before topping with the creamy frosting.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: dessert
- Method: bake in oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 19 g
- Sodium: 132 mg
- Fat: 5.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 31.6 g
- Fiber: 1.3 g
- Protein: 2.4 g
- Cholesterol: 26 mg
Keywords: pumpkin cookies, pumpkin spice cookies, cookies, pumpkin, dessert, pumpkin spice
How much sugar and brown sugar do you use. You do not have it listed
Thanks for catching that! 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup dark brown sugar 🙂
These are a fun, and delicious, alternative to the usual pumpkin pie or bread recipes. They were super moist with just the right amount of pumpkin flavor. Can’t wait to serves these on Thanksgiving! Thanks!
★★★★★
Awesome Matt! I am so glad you enjoyed my cookie recipe. They are perfect for Thanksgiving.
Yesterday was the second time in as many weeks that I have made a batch of these cookies. They are awesome. Growing up my mom and sister made similar cookies, but TBH I don’t remember being that enamored with them as I am with these. Sorry, Mom. You did great raising six kids and I loved your cooking but these cookies really are a winner!
The balance of the baking soda and powder is spot on as is the combination of the two different sugars.
I like the blend of the spices. As it turned out I only had whole cloves and so I smashed some of them up but apparently a few tiny specks were not ground up and were a delight to the mouth. Two eggs give a nice lift and texture.
Upon making the icing I happened to have an open container of egg nog on the counter and thought, “Why not?” So there is a subtle eggnog flavor in the icing but not so much that the untrained taste bud would detect it. I also added a bit of vanilla and lemon zest and I really really like these cookies.
I’ve told a few friends and family members about the link to these cookies. They must think I’m obsessed with my insistence that they just have to be made for the fall and Thanksgiving seasons; but they really are something which should be on your dessert list soon.
★★★★★