Can you believe its pumpkin season?! Last year I stocked up on pumpkin so I could make pumpkin everything in the summer to test recipes for the blog but most of all because, well, pumpkin – I love everything pumpkin! If you have a pumpkin loving heart like me, then be sure to check out my other pumpkin recipes, especially Mom’s Famous Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread, Double Layer Pumpkin Oreo Cheesecake (with Video!), Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Pound Cake, (Nutella) Pumpkin Crepes, Pumpkin Dip and Pumpkin Bars with Nutella Cream Cheese Frosting (see more Fall/Thanksgiving recipes HERE).
Pumpkin Cookies
And now my latest obsession, these Pumpkin Cookies! Seriously the perfect Fall dessert recipe that’s easy, make ahead, finger food and absolutely can’t-stop-inhaling-delicious. In fact, I dropped these cookies off to a neighbor friend of mine and she texted me a photo of her three adorable boys mid bite with three thumbs up and the caption, “They approve!!! Thumbs up and an empty plate…” And of course they talk about the “best” Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting every time I see them. The have great taste.
How to Make Soft Pumpkin Cookies from Scratch
In researching pumpkin recipes to create my own version, they are all almost exactly the same so I started with the version I see everywhere but it was bland and not nearly pumpkiny enough. To create the perfect soft pumpkin cookie, I replaced half of the butter with pumpkin, added loads of flavor with our fragrant, earthy Fall spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger, swapped some of the granulated sugar for brown sugar and played with the flour, sugar baking soda, baking powder proportions. The resulting Pumpkin Cookies are gloriously soft, light, fluffy, flavorful cake-like cookies that melt in your mouth cookie after cookie after cookie…
Pumpkin Cookies with Chocolate Chips
You might have noticed all of my aforementioned pumpkin dessert recipes are paired with chocolate in some form because Pumpkin + Chocolate = heaven and these Pumpkin Cookies are no exception. So if you don’t have all the ingredients for the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting or don’t have time or patience to wait for these pumpkin cookies to cool to frost them so you can inhale them, then try adding chocolate chips instead, but just promise me you’ll try the amazing Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting one of these days? mmmm, k? So basically these cookies are two recipes in one. Can’t wait to hear which one you like best!
Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
In my personal opinion, the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting takes these cookies to a whole new level. Its gloriously silky and boasts all our warm Fall spices because we first make a Spice Mix then add 1 teaspoon to our Frosting to make tangy spiced Cream Cheese Frosting for the perfect accompaniment to the perfect Pumpkin Cookies.
How Do I Store Pumpkin Cookies?
Pumpkin Cookies without Frosting: can be stored in a airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days (if they last that long!). Pumpkin Cookies with Frosting: should be stored in an airtight container in a single layer in the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature before serving or microwave for a few seconds (they are so much better warmed!).
CAN PUMPKIN COOKIES BE FROZEN?
HOW TO FREEZE COOKIE DOUGH:
Roll balls per instructions and fit as many as you can on a parchment/nonstick lined baking sheet without touching. Place the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze the balls until outsides are hard (about 1-2 hours). Transfer to a freezer size plastic bag and freeze. Cookie dough should freeze well for up to 3 months. To BAKE: Place frozen cookie dough balls on a lined baking sheet and bake according to instructions, adding a couple extra minutes to cook time.
HOW TO FREEZE BAKED COOKIES WITHOUT FROSTING
Fit as many COOLED baked Pumpkin Cookies on a parchment/nonstick mat lined baking sheet without touching. Place the baking sheet(s) in the freezer and freeze until solid (about 1 hour). Transfer to a freezer size plastic bag and freeze. To EAT: When you want to enjoy a Pumpkin Cookie, take it out and let it sit at room temperature, warm in the microwave at 10 second intervals or warm it in the oven for a few minutes.
HOW TO FREEZE BAKED COOKIES WITH FROSTING
Fit as many baked Pumpkin Cookies on a parchment/nonstick mat lined baking sheet without touching. Place the baking sheet(s) in the freezer and freeze until solid (about 1 hour). You can now freeze individual cookies by placing them each in sandwich bags, OR to freeze a batch of cookies: Top frozen cookies on baking sheet with a layer of parchment paper and layer with another layer of frozen cookies (that you have frozen on a separate sheet). Continue to layer and stack as needed. Wrap entire baking sheet securely in layers of plastic wrap. To THAW TRAY: Take cookie tray out of refrigerator and unwrap so that the condensation doesn’t form and make them soggy. Let sit at room temperature for several hours. TO THAW INDIVIDUAL COOKIE: Take cookie out of the sandwich bag and let sit at room temperature, warm in the microwave at 10 second intervals or warm it in the oven for a few minutes.
LOOKING FOR MORE COOKIE RECIPES?
Carrot Cake Cake Cookies Nutella Cookies S’more Cookies Turtle Cookies Apple Cookies Caramel Brown Sugar Cookies Little Debbie’s Oatmeal Cookies
You might also like these pumpkin recipes:
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Pound Cake Pumpkin Angel Food Cake French Toast Mom’s Famous Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread: Pumpkin Crepes
WANT TO TRY THESE PUMPKIN COOKIES?
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