Delicious Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookies with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting: Your Ultimate Fall Treat
Get ready to embrace the cozy flavors of autumn with these incredible Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookies! Imagine soft, delightfully cakey pumpkin cookies, infused with warm spices, perfectly complemented by a decadent brown butter cream cheese frosting, and finished with a delicate dusting of cinnamon. If you’re a fan of those beloved, melt-in-your-mouth loft-house style sugar cookies, prepare to fall in love with their seasonal, pumpkin-spiced cousin. These cookies are not just a treat; they’re an experience, blending the comforting essence of pumpkin with the rich, complex notes of browned butter and tangy cream cheese.
This recipe takes everything you adore about classic sugar cookies and elevates it for the fall season. Each bite offers a harmonious balance of sweet, spiced pumpkin and the creamy, slightly nutty flavor of the brown butter cream cheese frosting. It’s a dessert that’s both comforting and sophisticated, making it ideal for holiday gatherings, cozy evenings, or simply as a special treat for yourself.
More Delicious Fall Pumpkin & Apple Recipes to Try
Looking for more delightful treats to bake this autumn? Here are some other fantastic recipes from our kitchen that capture the essence of the season:
- Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
- A Great Pumpkin S’more Cake Recipe
- Easiest Fall Pumpkin Brookies
Why These Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookies Will Become Your New Favorite Fall Recipe
There are countless reasons to fall head over heels for these pumpkin sugar cookies. Let’s break down what makes them so special, ensuring you’ll be eager to get baking!
- Effortlessly Easy to Make: Don’t let their gourmet taste fool you – these cookies come with straightforward instructions that even beginner bakers can follow. With minimal fuss, you’ll achieve fantastic results every time.
- Simple, Accessible Ingredients: You won’t need to hunt for exotic items. This recipe uses common pantry staples, meaning you likely have most of what you need on hand already.
- Unbelievably Soft & Cakey Texture: The cookie base is exceptionally soft and tender, boasting a delightful cake-like consistency that melts in your mouth. This isn’t your average crunchy cookie!
- Irresistible Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting: The real star here is the frosting. The browned butter adds an incredible depth of nutty flavor, perfectly balancing the tang of cream cheese for a truly addictive topping.
- Perfect for Any Fall Occasion: Whether it’s a Halloween party, a Thanksgiving dessert, a cozy autumn evening, or just a treat to brighten your day, these cookies are always a hit.
- Crowd-Pleasing Flavors: The combination of warm pumpkin spice and rich, creamy frosting appeals to almost everyone, making these cookies a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Essential Grocery List for Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
While many ingredients are pantry staples, here’s a closer look at some key items for your Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookies, along with tips to ensure the best results. For a complete list of all ingredients and precise measurements, please refer to the detailed recipe card below!
- Pumpkin Puree: This is crucial for flavor and moisture. Always ensure you use plain canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which contains added spices and sugar that will alter the recipe’s balance.
- Brown Sugar: The molasses in brown sugar adds moisture and a rich, caramel-like depth to the cookies. Remember to pack it firmly into your measuring cup for accurate results.
- Unsalted Butter (Cold & Cubed for Cookies): Keeping your butter cold and cubed for the cookie dough is essential. This helps create pockets of steam during baking, contributing to a wonderfully tender and cakey texture. Don’t let it soften too much before use!
- All-Purpose Flour: Proper flour measurement is key to achieving the correct cookie consistency. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and then level it off with a straight edge to avoid over-packing.
- Egg (Room Temperature): A room temperature egg incorporates more evenly into the batter, creating a smoother dough and a more consistent cookie texture. Plan ahead and take it out of the fridge in advance.
- Cream Cheese (Room Temperature for Frosting): For a perfectly smooth and creamy frosting, your cream cheese must be at room temperature. This allows it to blend seamlessly with the browned butter, preventing lumps.
- Baking Powder: This leavening agent is responsible for the cookies’ soft, cakey rise. Always check the expiration date to ensure your baking powder is fresh and active for optimal results.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice & Cinnamon: These spices provide the signature warm fall flavors. Adjust to your preference for a stronger or milder spice profile.
Mastering Your Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookie: Step-by-Step Tips
Baking these delightful cookies is straightforward, but a few key techniques can ensure absolute perfection. Here are some essential tips to help you successfully make this recipe. For comprehensive, step-by-step instructions, please refer to the full recipe card below!
- Keep Your Butter Cold for the Cookies: When making the cookie dough, it’s vital to use cold, cubed butter. This isn’t just a suggestion; it’s a technique that helps create a tender, cake-like crumb by preventing the butter from fully incorporating too quickly, allowing for better structure.
- The Creaming Method is Key: For the cookie dough, use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Creaming the cold butter and brown sugar until it’s light and fluffy (usually 2-3 minutes) incorporates air, which contributes to the cookies’ soft texture. Don’t skimp on this step!
- Uniform Dough Scooping: To ensure all your cookies bake evenly and have a consistent appearance, use a large cookie scoop to portion out equally sized dough balls. This prevents some cookies from burning while others are still underbaked.
- Gently Flatten the Cookies: After scooping the dough onto your baking sheet, lightly flatten each cookie ball to approximately ½ inch thickness using a flat surface, like the bottom of a glass or a metal spatula. This promotes even spreading and baking, resulting in a perfectly shaped cookie.
- Verify Your Oven Temperature: An accurate oven temperature is paramount for successful baking. Preheat your oven to the specified 350°F (175°C) and, if possible, use an oven thermometer to double-check that your oven is truly at the correct temperature. Inaccurate oven temps can lead to under or over-baked cookies.
- Don’t Overmix the Dry Ingredients: Once you add the flour and spices, mix on low speed just until combined. Overmixing develops gluten, which can lead to tough, chewy cookies instead of the desired soft and cakey texture.
Expert Baking Tips for Flawless Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
Achieve bakery-quality results with these pro tips, addressing common questions and providing insights into the baking process. These insights will elevate your cookie game!
- Always Read the Entire Recipe First: Before you even begin, take a moment to read through the entire recipe from start to finish. Understanding all the steps and having all your ingredients measured and ready (mise en place!) will make the baking process much smoother and prevent mistakes.
- Ensure Ingredients are at Room Temperature (Eggs & Cream Cheese): This is a crucial step for both the cookie dough and the frosting. Room temperature eggs and cream cheese emulsify better, creating a smoother, more consistent batter and a lump-free, fluffy frosting.
- Perfecting the Brown Butter: Be patient and attentive when browning the butter for the frosting. This step is where much of the frosting’s incredible flavor comes from. Heat the butter over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it turns a deep golden-brown and develops a rich, nutty aroma. Watch it closely; it can go from perfectly browned to burnt very quickly!
- Do Not Overmix the Cookie Dough: After adding the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, spices), mix the dough on low speed just until everything is barely combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can result in tough, dense cookies instead of the desired soft and tender texture.
- Achieve Even Cookie Sizes with a Scoop: Using a cookie scoop is the secret to uniform cookies. This ensures each cookie is the same size, which means they’ll all bake at the same rate and look professionally made.
- Flatten Cookies for Consistent Baking: Once scooped onto the baking sheet, gently flatten each cookie dough ball slightly to about ½ inch in thickness using a flat surface (like a metal spatula or the bottom of a glass). This helps them bake evenly and spread beautifully.
- Cool Cookies Completely: It’s tempting to frost warm cookies, but resist! Allow the baked cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack. This prevents them from breaking and ensures the frosting doesn’t melt.
- Whip Cream Cheese Frosting Until Light and Fluffy: Once the browned butter has cooled to room temperature, combine it with the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and cream. Beat on medium-high speed until the frosting is light, airy, and fluffy. This texture is perfect for easy spreading or piping.
- The Final Flourish: Dust with Cinnamon: Don’t skip the final dusting of ground cinnamon over the frosted cookies. It adds an extra layer of warm spice, enhances the aroma, and creates a beautiful visual appeal that signals “fall treat.”
Essential Baking Tools from Molly’s Kitchen
Having the right tools can make all the difference in your baking experience. Here are the kitchen essentials I recommend for making these Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookies a breeze:
- Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer: A stand mixer with a paddle attachment is invaluable for creaming butter and sugar effectively and mixing the cookie dough without overworking it. A hand mixer is a great alternative if you don’t have a stand mixer.
- Mixing Bowls: You’ll need at least two good-sized mixing bowls – one for preparing the cookie dough and another for whipping up that luscious brown butter cream cheese frosting.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons: Accurate measurement is fundamental to baking success. A reliable set of measuring cups and spoons will ensure your ingredients are precise.
- Rubber Spatula: Essential for scraping down the sides of your mixing bowl, folding in ingredients, and ensuring all components are thoroughly incorporated.
- Baking Sheets: Sturdy baking sheets are a must. Lining them with parchment paper prevents sticking and makes for easy cleanup.
- Cookie Scoop: A large cookie scoop (e.g., a 3-tablespoon size) is the secret weapon for creating uniform cookie dough balls, leading to evenly baked and perfectly shaped cookies.
- Flat Surface (Metal Spatula or Bottom of a Glass): This simple tool is needed to gently flatten your cookie dough balls before baking, ensuring they spread nicely and bake consistently.
- Cooling Rack: Allows air to circulate around the cookies as they cool, preventing them from becoming soggy bottoms and ensuring they cool evenly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
Here are answers to some common questions you might have about making these delicious cookies:
Q: Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned pumpkin puree?
A: Yes, you certainly can use homemade pumpkin puree! However, it’s crucial to ensure it’s very well-drained and not too watery, as excess moisture can alter the cookie’s texture. Canned pumpkin puree is often preferred for its consistent texture and convenience.
Q: Do I have to brown the butter for the frosting? What if I skip it?
A: Browning the butter adds a unique, rich, and nutty depth of flavor that truly elevates this frosting. While it’s highly recommended for the best taste, you can skip this step if you prefer a traditional cream cheese frosting. Just use softened unsalted butter instead of browned butter in the frosting recipe.
Q: Can I make the cookie dough in advance and refrigerate it?
A: Absolutely! Preparing the cookie dough ahead of time is a great time-saver. You can refrigerate the dough for a few hours or even overnight. Just make sure to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out. When ready to bake, you might need to let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly before scooping.
Q: Can I use pumpkin pie spice instead of individual spices like cinnamon?
A: Yes, you can substitute pumpkin pie spice for the individual cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice listed in the recipe. Generally, 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice should work well for the cookie dough, but you might want to adjust to your taste. For the cinnamon dusting, you’ll still need ground cinnamon.
Storing and Freezing Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
To keep your delicious Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookies fresh and flavorful, proper storage is key. After they’ve cooled and been frosted, arrange them in an airtight container. If stacking, place a sheet of parchment paper between each layer to prevent the frosting from sticking or smudging. Due to the cream cheese frosting, it’s best to store them in the refrigerator, where they will stay fresh and delicious for up to 3-4 days. Allow them to come to room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before serving for the best texture and flavor.
Freezing Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookies for Later
These Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookies freeze beautifully, allowing you to enjoy a taste of fall anytime! To freeze, first arrange the completely frosted cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet and place them in the freezer until they are firm (this “flash freezing” prevents them from sticking together). Once firm, transfer the cookies to an airtight, freezer-safe container or a heavy-duty freezer bag. Again, use parchment paper between layers if stacking. They can be frozen for up to several months without losing their quality. When you’re ready to enjoy them, simply thaw the cookies at room temperature for a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator before serving. The frosting might be slightly softer after thawing, but the taste will still be wonderful!
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Recipe
Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookie
Molly Murphy
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- ½ cup unsalted butter cold and cubed
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 egg at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon salt
For the brown butter frosting:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 3 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Brown Butter Frosting (do this step first):
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In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir continuously until it foams, and the milk solids separate and brown at the bottom. Continue stirring until the butter turns a rich golden brown and emits a nutty aroma. Remove from heat immediately to prevent burning.
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Carefully pour the browned butter into a separate glass bowl and allow it to cool completely to room temperature. It must be cool but still soft enough to mix. While it’s cooling, you can begin preparing the cookie dough.
For the Cookies:
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Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy cleanup. Set the prepared baking sheet aside.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the cold, cubed unsalted butter and packed brown sugar on medium-high speed. Beat for approximately 2-3 minutes until the mixture becomes notably light and fluffy. Once creamed, add the pumpkin puree and mix on low speed just until it is fully combined into the butter mixture.
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Add the room temperature egg and vanilla extract to the mixture. Beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds until the ingredients are well incorporated and the mixture appears smooth and cohesive.
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In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually add these dry ingredients to the wet mixture in the stand mixer. Mix on the lowest speed possible, just until the dry ingredients are combined and no streaks of flour remain. Be careful not to overmix the dough, as this can lead to tough cookies.
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Using a large cookie scoop (a 3-tablespoon scoop works perfectly for this recipe), portion out 12-14 equally sized cookie dough balls. Place them onto your prepared baking sheet, leaving adequate space between each for spreading.
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For even baking and a consistent shape, lightly spray the tops of the cookie dough balls with cooking spray or dampen a metal spatula with water. Then, gently flatten each cookie ball to about ½ inch in thickness.
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Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 15-16 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are set. Once baked, remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet for at least 10-15 minutes before attempting to transfer them to a wire cooling rack. This prevents them from breaking.
Continuing with Cream Cheese Frosting:
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Once the browned butter has completely cooled to room temperature (it should still be soft), combine it with the room temperature cream cheese in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed for 2-4 minutes until the mixture is incredibly light, fluffy, and well combined.
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With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar (sifted, if lumpy), vanilla extract, heavy whipping cream, and a pinch of salt. Mix until just combined. Then, increase the speed to high and beat for at least 2 minutes until the frosting is super smooth, creamy, and holds soft peaks.
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Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, give the frosting a good stir by hand. This helps to eliminate any lingering air pockets, resulting in a perfectly smooth frosting for decorating.
Assembling the Cookies:
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It’s essential that the cookies have completely cooled and are no longer warm before you begin frosting them. Warm cookies will melt the frosting!
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For a professional look, transfer your prepared brown butter cream cheese frosting into a piping bag fitted with your favorite tip (or use a sturdy plastic bag with a medium-sized corner snipped off). Pipe a generous swirl of frosting onto the top of each cooled pumpkin sugar cookie.
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As a delightful finishing touch, lightly dust the tops of the frosted cookies with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon. This adds both visual appeal and an extra layer of warm, inviting flavor. Serve and enjoy!