Cream Cheese Frosted Pumpkin Cookies: Cozy Fall Baking in the Alaskan Mountains
As the days get shorter and the mountains start to take on their winter blanket, there’s something so comforting about baking up a storm in the kitchen. Here in the mountains of Alaska, fall means more time spent indoors, warm cups of tea, and cozy sweaters. And nothing quite captures that warm fall feeling like a batch of soft, spiced cream cheese frosted pumpkin cookies.
These pumpkin cookies are a family favorite, and they always bring us a sense of warmth and home. With simple ingredients and a dash of seasonal spices, they’re easy to make and perfect for sharing. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve whipped these up to fill the house with that delicious pumpkin spice aroma! These cookies are soft, just the right amount of sweet, and the cream cheese icing takes them to a whole new level.
Why We Love These Pumpkin Cookies
Here in Alaska, the seasons are short, and when fall hits, we’re all in on pumpkin! These cookies are the perfect combination of cozy pumpkin flavor and rich, creamy icing. They’re soft, pillowy, and have just the right hint of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to make them feel festive. The cream cheese icing adds a sweet and tangy balance, making each bite melt in your mouth. Plus, it’s a fun recipe to make with the kids—they love icing the cookies (and sneaking tastes of that cream cheese goodness)!
Ingredients:
- For the cookies:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 1/3 cups flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- For the Icing:
- 6 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
Cream the Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy—about 2-3 minutes.
Add the Wet Ingredients: Add the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract, and mix until smooth. The batter will look slightly fluffy and rich with pumpkin color.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
Mix It All Together: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until everything is just combined. Be careful not to over-mix—this keeps the cookies soft and tender.
Scoop and Bake: Use a cookie scoop or spoon to drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving a couple of inches between each cookie. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are just set and the tops are soft but no longer shiny.
Cool Completely: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
Make the Cream Cheese Icing: In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
Frost the Cookies: Once the cookies are cool, spread a generous dollop of cream cheese icing on each one, or use a piping bag if you’re feeling fancy! Let the icing set for a few minutes (if you can wait that long!).
A Few Homestead Tips
- Homemade Pumpkin Puree: If you’ve got some extra pumpkins from the garden, try making your own pumpkin puree. Just roast the pumpkin, scoop out the insides, and blend it until smooth. It’s fresher, and you get that true pumpkin flavor that makes all the difference in recipes like these.
- Getting the Perfect Texture: Don’t overbake these cookies. Pumpkin cookies are meant to be soft and a bit cake-like, and they’ll stay moist if you pull them out of the oven right when the edges start to look golden.
- Freeze for Later: If you’re like me and love having treats on hand, these cookies freeze well! Just freeze them without the icing, then add it fresh when you’re ready to serve.
These pumpkin cookies are a little taste of fall in every bite. We enjoy them as an after-school treat or a cozy dessert in front of the fire after a long day outdoors. They’re easy, delicious, and bring a little bit of sweetness to our Alaskan homestead each fall season. Whether you live in the mountains or the city, these pumpkin cookies are sure to fill your home with a sense of comfort and joy. Enjoy!
Cream Cheese Frosted Pumpkin Cookies
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy10
minutes15
minutes20
CookiesSoft, spiced pumpkin cookies topped with creamy icing make for the perfect fall treat! These fluffy, cake-like cookies capture the cozy flavors of autumn in every bite.
Ingredients
For the cookies:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 1/3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
For the Icing:
6 oz cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2- 2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream the Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy—about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the Wet Ingredients: Add the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract, and mix until smooth. The batter will look slightly fluffy and rich with pumpkin color.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
- Mix It All Together: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until everything is just combined. Be careful not to over-mix—this keeps the cookies soft and tender.
- Scoop and Bake: Use a cookie scoop or spoon to drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving a couple of inches between each cookie. Slightly press down the dough with your fingers. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are just set and the tops are soft and no longer shiny.
- Cool Completely: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
- Make the Cream Cheese Icing: In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
- Frost the Cookies: Once the cookies are cool, spread a generous dollop of cream cheese icing on each one, or use a piping bag if you’re feeling fancy! Let the icing set for a few minutes (if you can wait that long!).
Notes
- Homemade Pumpkin Puree: If you’ve got some extra pumpkins from the garden, try making your own pumpkin puree. Just roast the pumpkin, scoop out the insides, and blend it until smooth. It’s fresher, and you get that true pumpkin flavor that makes all the difference in recipes like these.
- Getting the Perfect Texture: Don’t overbake these cookies. Pumpkin cookies are meant to be soft and a bit cake-like, and they’ll stay moist if you pull them out of the oven right when the edges start to look golden.
- Freeze for Later: If you’re like me and love having treats on hand, these cookies freeze well! Just freeze them without the icing, then add it fresh when you’re ready to serve.
