So, I am not the type that likes pumpkin pie. Weird right? I like other pumpkin things, like these cookies, but not pie. My husband is the same way. I thought that since we are not big pumpkin pie lovers, there might be others out there with similar feelings. These cookies are a great alternative pumpkin dessert for Thanksgiving day. And who doesn’t love the simplicity of a cookie? They are virtually mess free and easy to grab!
These cookies are bursting with flavor. They are soft and cake-like with a smear of cream cheese frosting over the top. I made my cookies large, but you can definitely make them smaller with a shorter baking time. These would be a welcome addition at any Thanksgiving table!
Recipe adapted from Joy of Baking
Pumpkin Cookies
Soft pumpkin spiced cookies with a cream cheese frosting are perfect for a fall treat.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup canola oil or vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
For the cream cheese frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs and brown sugar until light and smooth (about 2 minutes). Beat in the oil, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree. On low speed, add the flour mixture and beat just until incorporated. Using a large cookie dough scoop (for smaller cookies, use a small scoop), place mounds of batter onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake in the preheated oven for about 18 minutes (shorter cooking time for smaller cookies), or until springy to the touch. Let cool for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack. Let cool completely before frosting.
- For the cream cheese frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter until soft and creamy in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla until the frosting is soft and creamy, about 4 minutes. Spread small dollops over each cookie.
Notes
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days.
Hi Lydia,
I work for Twin Pines Landscaping, and we are putting together a bunch of our favorite Thanksgiving recipes featuring veggies to share on our social media accounts! With your permission, we’d love to share your picture and link to the recipe here on your blog! Let us know what you think!
Thanks, and Happy Almost Thanksgiving!
Ashley DiFranza and The Twin Pines Landscaping Team
Absolutely, I would be honored! Thank you very much! 🙂
Thank you so much for your contribution! You can see the final post on our Facebook page here https://www.facebook.com/pages/Twin-Pines-Landscaping/503170076416977?ref=hl. Please feel free to “Like” our page and share the post/album with your friends! Then check back next week to see how we tie all these recipes in with landscaping! Thanks again!
Twin Pines Landscaping
http://twinpineslandscaping.wordpress.com/
Good afternoon! We at Twin Pines just wanted to thank you again for contributing to our Twin Pines Thanksgiving Recipe Book! (You can see the final album here http://on.fb.me/1Fk8MLa!) We also wanted to let you know that we’ve posted an article on our blog that explains how we’ve tied your recipe and all the others we’ve collected in with landscaping! Check out the final article here http://bit.ly/1FUyBn5 and the ones that link to it! We promise it’s worth a read!