Easy Pumpkin Cookies Recipe with Maple Frosting

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This Easy Pumpkin Cookies Recipe is the perfect fall treat! Topped with creamy maple frosting and so delicious, you’re family will love them!

This Easy Pumpkin Cookies Recipe is the perfect fall treat! Topped with creamy maple frosting and so delicious, you're family will love them!

Easy Pumpkin Cookies

I don’t know about you, but as soon as September hits, I’m hunting for all things pumpkin. Pumpkin coffee drinks, pumpkin pie, pumpkin muffins, and pumpkin cookies. Pumpkins and apples are the official foods of Fall in my world.

Who cares that it may still feel like summer outside in some areas? I’m calling it Fall, and I’m getting busy in the kitchen whipping up delicious pumpkin treats!

These easy pumpkin cookies with maple frosting are one of those pumpkin treats I told you about. They are a simple, cake-like cookie that can be dressed up with a maple cream cheese icing or eaten independently. My son prefers them plain. My daughter prefers them with the icing. I personally like them both ways.

Tip: Looking for a healthier alternative your kids will love? Try these Fruit Filled Pumpkin Bites Recipe

pumpkin puree

Ingredients in the Easy Pumpkin Cookies Recipe

  • Butter. Salted or unsalted is fine. Just adjust the amount of salt if using salted butter.
  • Brown Sugar. We use brown sugar in this recipe instead of white sugar to help keep the cookies moist and to enhance the flavor.
  • Egg. This helps to bind the cookies together and keep them soft.
  • Pumpkin Puree. Make sure you are using pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling. You can also use Homemade Pumpkin Puree.
  • Vanilla. I use Homemade Vanilla Extract in my recipes, but you can also use store-bought if that’s what you have.
  • All Purpose Flour. You can also use gluten-free flour if you need these cookies to be gluten-free.
  • Baking Powder. This is our rising agent for the cookies. You don’t need much since we are just making cookies and not a cake.
  • Salt, Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg, and Ginger. These are the spices that you will need to bring out all of the fall flavors in these cookies.
  • Cream cheese, Butter, Vanilla, Maple syrup. These are the ingredients for the maple frosting. You can use another frosting recipe if you prefer but this one is really delicious with these cookies!

pumpkin cookies

Instructions for Making Pumpkin Cookies

Cream the butter and sugar. Add egg, pumpkin, and vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients and mix with wet ingredients.

Scoop by spoonfuls onto a baking stone. Flatten with your fingers. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Let cool.

Once cooled, you have the option of adding the cream cheese icing.

Cookies with filling

For the icing, beat together cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add vanilla and maple syrup. Taste, and if desired, add powdered sugar by the spoonfuls until you get the sweetness and stiffness you desire.

The icing is not super sweet, but that’s how I like it. If you desire a sweeter and stiffer cream cheese icing, add some powdered sugar to the cream cheese and butter after it has whipped.

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Print this Simple Pumpkin Cookie Recipe below!

Easy Pumpkin Cookies

These delicious cookies are perfect for the fall season. So soft with a delicious maple frosting.

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Easy Pumpkin Cookies
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 24 cookies
Calories 158 kcal
Creator Merissa

Ingredients

Cookies

  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/3 - 1/2 cup maple syrup

Instructions

  1. Cream butter and sugar. 

  2. Add egg, pumpkin, and vanilla. 

  3. Combine dry ingredients and mix with wet ingredients. 

  4. Scoop by spoonfuls onto a baking stone. Flatten with fingers. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. 

  5. Let cool. Once cooled, you have the option of adding the cream cheese icing.

  6. For the icing, beat together cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add vanilla and maple syrup. Taste, and if desired, add powdered sugar by the spoonfuls until you get the sweetness and stiffness you desire.

Nutrition Facts
Easy Pumpkin Cookies
Amount Per Serving
Calories 158 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Trans Fat 0.2g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 23mg8%
Sodium 184mg8%
Potassium 88mg3%
Carbohydrates 23g8%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 13g14%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 1781IU36%
Vitamin C 0.4mg0%
Calcium 64mg6%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

How to Store Leftover Pumpkin Cookies

Any leftover cookies should be stored in an airtight container on the countertop or in the fridge. The cookies should last about 4 days (gluten-free might be less).

If you’d like to store them longer, place them in a freezer bag or container and freeze until ready to enjoy again. Do not freeze cookies with frosting on them.

Pumpkin Cake

More Pumpkin Recipes

Skillet Meals

Did you make this recipe and enjoy it? Be sure and leave a star rating on the recipe card and share with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and through Email using the sharing buttons.

Do you prefer these cookies with or without frosting? What is your favorite fall treat?


Me and KadyMerissa has been blogging about and living the simple life since 2009 and has internationally published 2 books on the topic. You can read about Merissa’s journey from penniless to freedom on the About Page. You can send her a message any time from the Contact Page.


 

This Easy Pumpkin Cookies Recipe was originally published on Little House Living in September 2014. It has been updated as of September 2023.

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27 Comments

  1. Visiting from “Busy Monday.” YUM! I have cans or pumpkin just waiting in my pantry for this. Thanks 🙂

  2. I want to tell you how much i enjoy finding your blog in my email. I am 56yrs. old and love to find recipes that take me back to when my mom and i would bake and cook together. Thanks for all you send to me

  3. These look so good! I am loving anything and everything pumpkin flavored at the moment, so these are right up my alley. plus, who doesn’t love a little frosting?!? Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe. Stopping in from the link up today 🙂

  4. These look super easy and delicious. Glad you shared over on the Home Work Link Up! I will be sure to follow!

    xoxo
    Ashley

  5. Hi, these sound great. In Australia we don’t really us pumpkin in sweet things as much, but I have some left over from last season that need to be used, so I think I’ll give this recipe a go. Thanks so much. Blessings

  6. You had me with the word “EASY”! I have a linky today for recipes won’t you share your pumpkin cookies with my readers too? Thanks and have a great weekend.

  7. I have to confess, baking is not my best skill! I’m a great cook, but I tend to burn cookies. But these look so good, I might have to throw caution to the wind and give them a go! :)Adrienne

  8. I made these last night and they came out more like cake, they were not a cookie form in anyway except shape. They were extremely fluffy and like a cupcake not cookies. Did I do something wrong? I followed it exactly

  9. Hi, I made a batch of these cookies today and they seem dry. I still have more mix left. Is there anything you recommend I can add to the mixture so they can be moist? Thanks:)

  10. I used to buy pumpkin cookies like these in the grocery store and every year and then they stopped carrying them. I am very happy to have a recipe for these cookies. I’ve pinned and will try making them soon.

  11. My kids and I love pumpkin cookies, this is a must try recipe. Thanks for joining this weeks Tasty Tuesday, I can’t wait to see what you share next week!

  12. There is nothing better then the smell of pumpkin throughout the house and the scent of cinnamon. Great cookies for this time of the year.

  13. I can’t wait to have one or two of your awesome Pumpkin Cookies! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday. Hope you have a great week and come back to see us real soon!
    Miz Helen