Pumpkin Cookies with Naturally Sweetened Cream Cheese Frosting

October 19, 2022

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Simple recipe for tender & chewy pumpkin cookies made with wholesome substances, like contemporary pumpkin puree! Iced with naturally sweetened cream cheese frosting. You’ll be able to even add chocolate chips! I’ll even admit they’re higher than pumpkin swirl black bean brownies!

Easy recipe for soft & chewy pumpkin cookies made with healthy ingredients, like fresh pumpkin puree. Iced with naturally sweetened cream cheese frosting!

Do you ever really feel such as you want a traditional go-to recipe for fall?

One thing that tastes like fall, smells like fall (like stove-top potpourri), and makes you want summer season would finish early.

Oh yeah, and one thing that’s fairly straightforward and simple too can be good. How about pumpkin cookies with naturally sweetened cream cheese frosting?

Oh sure, I feel that may do the trick.

Confession – I LOVE cookies… like oatmeal chocolate chip and molasses breakfast cookies. And I LOVE pumpkin… particularly in pumpkin donuts, pumpkin Larabar bites, and in a single day pumpkin French toast.

However I’ve by no means truly made PUMPKIN COOKIES earlier than.

This pumpkin cookie recipe is critically superb! Actually, my pumpkin-hating husband ate three cookies contemporary from the oven. After which couldn’t cease consuming them the remainder of the evening.

Plus with quite a bit much less sugar, you’ll really feel higher saying “sure” if the children ask to have cookies for breakfast.

Pumpkin Cookies

It ought to have been a no brainer, however my husband isn’t an enormous fan of pumpkin taste. So I sort of put pumpkin on the again burner yearly till it’s time to make pumpkin pie.

Disgrace on me although – that’s not honest to my fellow pumpkin lovers on the market (or me!).

Properly, pals, I’m making amends. This yr, I’ve ALL SORTS of pumpkin recipes deliberate…

However first, we make cookies.

This straightforward pumpkin cookie recipe is DELISH. My non-pumpkin-loving hubby couldn’t hold his arms off them. He didn’t even discover that they use LESS sugar than most cookie recipes!

Are Pumpkin Cookies Wholesome?

Pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting. All laid out on a baking sheet with parchment paper.

One factor it is best to find out about these cookies is that they’ve SIGNIFICANTLY much less sugar than most different cookies.

(Not like zucchini muffins, I haven’t mastered honey and/or maple syrup solely in cookies… but!)

My recipe was impressed by this recipe, which requires 1 cup of white sugar and ½ cup of brown sugar. After which one other 2 cups of powdered sugar within the icing. YIKES!

It’s no secret round right here – I really like dessert. My pals even know that it’s “my factor” to eat dessert for breakfast.

HOWEVER, my household and I give up processed sugar. We’re now tremendous acutely aware about how a lot sugar we feed ourselves and the children.

It’s not that each one sugar is unhealthy, however we do imagine in utilizing pure sugar each time attainable. And even then, carefully.

Mates, 3 ½ cups of processed sugar IN ONE RECIPE will not be moderation.

Fascinated about meals priorities is one thing I educate in Grocery Price range Bootcamp. It will likely be totally different for each household and it’ll have an effect on what your grocery price range seems like. There’s no proper or fallacious means, however you could give it some thought to maintain your price range on observe. Study extra concerning the course HERE.

Substances for Delicate Pumpkin Cookies

This recipe for pumpkin cookies has a variety of typical cookie substances, butter, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and vanilla extract (strive my home made recipe). However, it is best to know these cookies style a bit of bit like pumpkin pie… and pumpkin cake… collectively.

Mixing bowl with homemade cream cheese frosting being mixed.

Sugar. As I stated, I enormously diminished the quantity of sugar on this recipe. I additionally use Turbinado sugar as an alternative of white desk sugar. It’s barely much less candy and likewise barely much less processed.
Maple Syrup. As a result of pumpkin + maple syrup = superior. This helps give the cookies a pumpkin pie taste.
Pumpkin Puree. Pumpkin cookies wouldn’t be full with out PUMPKIN! I take advantage of canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling), however you may make home made pumpkin puree for those who favor.
Pumpkin Pie Spice. My recipe requires a full TABLESPOON of home made pumpkin pie spice. Critically, don’t skimp on the spices. It provides you that scrumptious pumpkin taste!
Cornstarch. Give due to Sally’s Baking Dependancy for this tip. Including cornstarch to your cookies provides them a light-weight and fluffy cake-like texture. That is how these cookies style like pie and cake on the identical time!

Psst! For those who’re going so as to add salt, I extremely advocate Ava Jane’s Kitchen. You could suppose all salt is created equal, however sadly, 90% of the salt produced all over the world comprises microplastics (gross, proper?). Ava Jane’s Kitchen is an exception. Their salt is 100% microplastic free, and it’s SO GOOD! Plus, you will get a bag for simply 1¢!! (Get your penny bag of salt on this web page.)

Find out how to Make Pumpkin Cookies

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350 levels.

Step 2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat.

Step 3. In a giant bowl, or within the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and granulated sugar till the colour may be very mild, about 5-7 full minutes.

Step 4. Add 2 Tbsp maple syrup, molasses, pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla and blend effectively till mixed.

Step 5. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cornstarch, and pumpkin pie spice and blend till JUST mixed.

Step 6. Utilizing a cookie scoop, scoop dough onto the ready baking sheet. 1 scoop of dough will yield smaller, extra bite-sized cookies. 2 scoops of dough will yield barely larger, extra “regular” sized cookies.

Fresh homemade pumpkin cookies on parchment paper and a baking sheet. They just came out of the oven!

Step 7. Bake for quarter-hour, or till the cookies are golden to mild brown beneath.

Word: Enable the cookies to chill fully earlier than frosting.

Step 8. In the meantime, put together the frosting. In a stand mixer, blender, OR by hand, mix the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and maple syrup in a medium bowl. Add the salt and style, adjusting the sweetener as desired.

Step 9. Smear frosting on every cookie and sprinkle with further cinnamon for adornment, if desired.

FAQs

Do pumpkin cookies should be refrigerated?

These pumpkin cookies don’t should be refrigerated. They are going to maintain up effectively for a couple of days for those who hold them in a sealed container at room temperature. In any other case, they’re greatest the day they’re baked. Take a look at my Storing Pumpkin Cookies part for extra ideas.

Why are my pumpkin cookies sticky?

For those who discover that your pumpkin cookies are sticky, you may add extra flour to your combination.

Storing Pumpkin Cookies

Pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting on parchment paper and a baking sheet.

These are THE BEST the day they’re baked. However they maintain up effectively for a couple of days for those who hold them in a sealed container.
Until you have got oodles of fridge house, I like to recommend making the frosting and storing it in a separate container. Then frost the pumpkin cookies proper earlier than consuming or serving.
These cookies additionally freeze effectively unfrosted! Thaw to room temperature earlier than frosting and you’ve got an prompt dessert prepared for these vacation gatherings.

Extra Wholesome Cookie Recipes