Super tender Melt-In-Your-Mouth Frosted Pumpkin Cookies are frosted with rich vanilla buttercream. This easy recipe can be whipped up in about 20 minutes!
Any time something is called “melt-in-your-mouth”, it instantly kicks the yum factor up. And these Melt-In-Your-Mouth Frosted Pumpkin Cookies have plenty of yum!
The Melt-In-Your-Mouth Frosted Pumpkin Cookies are tender, cake-like pumpkin spice cookies. I like a good amount of spice in my pumpkin spice cookies, so I add a fair amount of pumpkin pie spice.
The cookies are topped with a super rich and creamy vanilla buttercream frosting. It is sweet and buttery with plenty of vanilla flavor.
This pumpkin cookie recipe makes just over 3 dozen cookies, but it you need to make a double batch, this recipe does double well.
Ingredients
- Butter: I use salted butter in both the cookies and the frosting. If using unsalted butter, increase the salt in the cookies to 3/4 teaspoon and add a couple of pinches of salt to the frosting.
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Pumpkin pie spice: Store-bought or make your own with this recipe.
- Egg
- Vanilla
- Pumpkin puree: Be sure to use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix.
- Flour: To properly measure the flour, either weight it or sift/stir to break it up, lightly spoon into the measuring cup, and level.
- Milk: Any milk, from skim to whole, will work. Cream will also work.
- Powdered sugar: If your powdered sugar is lumpy, sift to break it up before using. This will help it to incorporate into the frosting better.
How to make melt-in-your-mouth pumpkin cookies
In a large bowl beat the butter on medium speed for 30 seconds.
Add sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Beat until combined.
Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined.
Mix in pumpkin. Stir in flour until incorporated.
Drop 1.5 tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until tops are set. Transfer to wire racks to cool.
For frosting, beat butter until smooth. Add 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract. Beat until combined.
Continue beating, and add powdered sugar ½ cup at a time. Add in additional milk to make desired consistency.
Spread frosting on the tops of the cooled cookies. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon if desired.
Storage
Since the cookies are frosted with a buttercream frosting, I recommend storing them in an airtight container in the fridge. When properly stored, the cookies should last for up to 5 days in the fridge.
More pumpkin recipes!
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Melt-In-Your-Mouth Pumpkin Cookies
Equipment
- Cookie scoop
- Cookie sheets
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cookies
- 1 cup butter at cool room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 cup all-purpose flour properly measured
Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter at cool room temperature
- 2-4 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ground cinnamon sprinkled on top optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In a large bowl beat the butter on medium speed for 30 seconds.
- Add sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Beat until combined.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined.
- Mix in pumpkin.
- Stir in flour until incorporated.
- Drop 1.5 tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until tops are set.
- Transfer to wire racks to cool.
- For frosting, beat butter until smooth.
- Add 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract. Beat until combined.
- Continue beating, and add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time.
- Add in additional milk to make desired consistency.
- Spread frosting on the tops of the cooled cookies.
- Sprinkle with additional cinnamon if desired.
Notes
- Butter: I use salted butter in both the cookies and the frosting. If using unsalted butter, increase the salt in the cookies to 3/4 teaspoon and add a couple of pinches of salt to the frosting.Â
- Pumpkin pie spice: Store-bought or make your own with this recipe.Â
- Pumpkin puree: Be sure to use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix.Â
- Flour: To properly measure the flour, either weight it or sift/stir to break it up, lightly spoon into the measuring cup, and level.Â
- Milk: Any milk, from skim to whole, will work. Cream will also work.Â
- Powdered sugar: If your powdered sugar is lumpy, sift to break it up before using. This will help it to incorporate into the frosting better.Â
- Nutrition values are estimates.Â
Nutrition
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Originally published 9/12/16. Updated with new photos and additional tips and information on 9/21/21.
Cookies adapted from BHG.com.
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Comments & Reviews
Jordan says
The flavor of these cookies is excellent! I go to your website anytime I am looking to make cookies because I have loved every one I have ever made (chocolate chip, chocolate chocolate chip, Grinch, confetti.. to name a few lol), anyway these turned out very cakey. I did substitute 1/2 tsp cream of tartar and 1/4 tsp baking soda for the tsp of baking powder. Could that be why? TIA!
Jordan says
Oh nvm just read “cake-like” in the description!!
Ronnie says
Awesome pumpkin cookies!
Kate says
Thank you!
Gail says
I’m not a big fan of pumpkin cookies, but these were great. I’m making them again.
Kate says
Thank you! So glad you liked them!
Leigh says
Easy and delicious!
Kate says
Thank you so much!
Em says
I followed the recipe exactly and got lovely cookies. The frosting is really fantastic.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you liked it. =) Thanks for commenting!
Lyndal Christophersen says
I am wondering whether the flour amount is incorrect. Although the flavour was delicious my cookies lacked form as seen in the photos.
Kate says
No, it should have been 2 cups of flour, not 1. I sincerely apologize that there was a typo in the recipe.