Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

Name: Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Ingredients: ½ cup butter (softened); ½ cup vegetable oil; ½ cup canned pumpkin; 1 cup sugar; ½ cup powdered sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 2 eggs; 4 cups flour; ¼ teaspoon baking soda; ½ teaspoon cream of tartar; ½ teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; ½ teaspoon nutmeg; 4 ounces cream cheese (softened); ¼ cup butter (softened); 1 teaspoon vanilla; 3 cups powdered sugar; 1 tablespoons corn syrup (optional)

27 minutes

Jump to Recipe

By: Julie Blanner11 Comments
Posted: 9/26/18

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Soft and chewy Pumpkin Sugar Cookies that are melt-in-your mouth delicious. You’ll love this Pumpkin Sugar Cookie Recipe with a Cream Cheese Glaze for a little fall flavor you’ll want to savor all year!

Fastened with a ribbon, these pumpkin cookies make the perfect holiday treat!

pumpkin sugar cookies with cream cheese glaze on a cooling rack

I love all things fall – especially fall cookies!

I never really thought I was a pumpkin fan until I took a bite of these Pumpkin Sugar Cookies. I was happy to oblige since it’s the season of pumpkin everything, but once again, I was surprised.

The subtle pumpkin flavor paired with cream cheese makes these soft and chewy Pumpkin Sugar Cookies irresistible.

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love these Cookies

A cookie should look as good as it tastes and these certainly do.

All the best flavors of fall in one easy cookie recipe!
So easy to make
The perfect cookie to frosting ratio
Great for gifting to friends and family

If you love everything cinnamon, don’t miss my Snickerdoodle Cookies Without Cream of Tartar!

Pumpkin Sugar Cookies Ingredients

Butter – Make sure it is slightly softened.
Vegetable Oil – You need a neutral flavored fat for moisture and tenderness. It’s part of the reason why these pumpkin cookies are so soft & chewy.
Canned Pumpkin – Yes, canned pumpkin! It’s what makes this cookie recipe quick and easy.
Sugar – For sweetness, of course!
Powdered Sugar – Powdered sugar is made with a touch of cornstarch, which helps give the cookies a tender texture.
Vanilla – Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
Eggs – Fresh, organic eggs help bind the pumpkin cookie ingredients together.
Flour – I like Pillsbury unbleached, all-purpose flour. But whatever flour you have in your panty will work.
Baking Soda – A mere 1/4 tsp gives these pumpkin cookies their lift.
Cream of Tartar – A secret ingredient! The cream of tartar gives the cookies an extra lift!
Salt – I use fine sea salt for all my baking recipes.
Cinnamon & Nutmeg – These two warm spices make me think of all things Fall!

Cream Cheese Glaze Ingredients

Cream Cheese – Full-fat cream cheese is best since this is the main ingredient.
Butter – Softened, both for texture and flavor.
Vanilla – Again, make sure to use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
Powdered Sugar – The powdered sugar creates a smoother frosting.
Corn Syrup – Optional, but I find it adds that extra bit of shine.

How to Make Pumpkin Cookies

Prep – Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine Wet Ingredients and Sugars – In a large bowl, combine butter, vegetable oil, pumpkin, sugars, vanilla, and eggs until smooth.
Add Dry Ingredients – Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Make Cookies – With two tablespoons, drop dough balls onto parchment-lined baking sheet and flatten using the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar.
Bake – Bake 13 minutes, or until the cookies are a light golden brown.
Make Icing – Meanwhile, combine cream cheese, butter, vanilla, powdered sugar, and optional corn syrup until smooth.
Glaze – Once the pumpkin cookies are completely cool, top with cream cheese glaze by spooning on or smoothing on with a spatula. Allow to completely set.

If you’ve ever wanted pumpkin pie wrapped into a cookie you’ll love these Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies. There’s no need to purchase store-bought dough – these are so incredibly easy to make and have bakery-style quality that melts-in-your-mouth!

How to Frost Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

These pumpkin cookies are so easy to frost, too! Just warm the cream cheese glaze, add a dollop and smooth on with a spatula or icing spatula. No decorating required! The glaze will harden just enough to stack, but not enough to take away that soft, chewy flavor you’ll love.

These taste so totally decadent, and will instantly become one of your favorite fall cookies! And psst… if you love these, don’t skip my incredibly buttery Toffee Cookies.

Gifting Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

They’re stackable, making them great for gift-giving. Why limit cookie sharing to Christmas? ‘Tis the season of being thankful and takes the pressure off during the holidays.

You can stack them in a small cellophane bag and wrap them with a ribbon, or simply secure the bag with a piece of washi tape. Place them in a charming basket for a beautiful housewarming or hostess gift.

How Many Calories are in Pumpkin Sugar Cookies?

We’re not even going to begin to talk about how many calories are in one of these sugar cookies, but if you really want to know you can find it in the printable recipe card below!

I hope you love this recipe as much as we all do, please write a five star review and help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!

Get all the best tips, tricks and recipes for your fall pumpkin baking right here. My ultimate pumpkin baking guide is totally free and filled with delicious possibilities!