Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Frosting

Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Frosting are basically what happens when fall decides to become a cookie, and honestly, I’m here for it. I’ve been making these every October for like four years now, and they’re the reason my coworkers actually look forward to my random baking experiments instead of politely avoiding the break room when I show up with Tupperware.

But let me tell you, these cookies were NOT a first-try success. The original batch I made was… well, let’s just say they could’ve doubled as hockey pucks. Hard, dense, and somehow both too sweet and flavorless at the same time. My husband took one bite, gave me that look that says “I love you but what is this,” and quietly ordered pizza for dinner.

That was back in 2019 when I was convinced I could just wing it with pumpkin cookies because “how hard could it be?” Turns out, pretty hard. Who knew?

I think the original recipe came from my sister-in-law, or maybe I saw it on one of those Facebook cooking videos that autoplay while you’re trying to read actual news. Honestly can’t remember anymore, but wherever it came from, it needed some serious work.

Version 1.0 was those hockey pucks I mentioned. Too much flour, not enough moisture, and I definitely overbaked them because I was paranoid about undercooking anything with pumpkin in it. My food safety knowledge is questionable at best.

Version 2.0 was better but still weird. I overcompensated with the pumpkin and they came out soggy and orange-colored but somehow didn’t taste like pumpkin at all. It was like eating orange-tinted disappointment.

Then there was the Great Frosting Disaster of October 2020. I tried to make cream cheese frosting but added too much powdered sugar and it turned into this thick, sweet paste that was impossible to spread. I ended up just globbing it on top of the cookies with a spoon, and they looked like they had little white hats. Not cute.

But persistence pays off, right? Version 4.0 of these Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Frosting finally hit the sweet spot—literally and figuratively.

Why These Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Frosting Actually Work

The secret to these cookies is getting the texture right, which took me way too many attempts to figure out. They need to be soft and cake-like, not chewy like chocolate chip cookies. The key is—oh wait, I’m getting ahead of myself—the key is using the right ratio of wet to dry ingredients and not overbaking them.

The cinnamon frosting is what really makes these special though. It’s not just regular buttercream with cinnamon thrown in (though I’ve tried that too). It’s got this warm, spicy flavor that complements the pumpkin without overwhelming it. Plus, it makes the whole house smell like a fall candle store, which my teenage daughter claims is “basic” but then proceeds to eat three cookies while complaining.

Speaking of my daughter, she’s the one who convinced me to keep the frosting. I was going to skip it after the cream cheese disaster, but she pointed out that unfrosted cookies are just “sad muffin tops,” and honestly, she wasn’t wrong.

Shopping for the Perfect Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Frosting

Let’s talk ingredients, and I’m going to save you from some of my shopping mistakes.

For the cookies:

1 cup canned pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling—learned this the hard way)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

For the cinnamon frosting:

1/2 cup butter, softened (and I mean actually softened, not microwave-nuked)
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk or heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt

Now, about that pumpkin puree. Do NOT buy pumpkin pie filling by mistake. I did this once and couldn’t figure out why my cookies tasted like someone dumped a spice rack into them. Pumpkin pie filling already has spices added, so you’ll end up with spice overload. Just get the plain pumpkin puree in the can with the orange label—Libby’s is reliable.

Also, make sure your butter is actually soft before you start the frosting. I used to cheat and microwave it, but that just makes it melty and weird. Take it out of the fridge like an hour before you plan to make frosting, or put it near a warm oven if you’re impatient like me.

How to Make These Perfect Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Frosting

Alright, here’s where I walk you through the process without any of the disasters I went through.

Step 1: Prep Everything

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper—don’t skip this step because these cookies can stick, and nobody wants to scrape cookie bits off their pans.

Step 2: Mix the Wet Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, oil, both sugars, egg, and vanilla. This should be smooth and well combined. The mixture will look kind of orange and liquidy, which is normal. Don’t panic.

Step 3: Combine the Dry Stuff

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Make sure everything is evenly distributed—you don’t want pockets of spice or, worse, pockets of baking soda that’ll make your cookies taste weird.

Step 4: Bring It All Together

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Don’t overmix—I used to beat the heck out of cookie dough thinking it would make them better, but it just makes them tough.

The dough will be soft and slightly sticky, which is exactly what we want for soft cookies. If it seems too wet, don’t add more flour. Trust the process.

Step 5: Scoop and Bake

Using a cookie scoop or just a regular spoon, drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto your prepared baking sheets. Leave some space between them—they’ll spread a little but not too much.

Bake for 12-15 minutes. Here’s the crucial part: they should look slightly underdone when you take them out. The tops should be set but still soft to touch. They’ll continue cooking on the hot pan for a few minutes after you remove them from the oven.

I used to overbake these because I was worried about food safety, but pumpkin cookies are different from cookies with raw flour concerns. If the tops are set and they don’t jiggle when you gently shake the pan, they’re done.

Step 6: Cool Completely

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. This is important—if you try to frost warm cookies, the frosting will just melt off. I learned this during the Great Frosting Disaster of 2020.

Step 7: Make the Cinnamon Frosting

While the cookies are cooling, make your frosting. Beat the softened butter until it’s light and fluffy—this takes a few minutes, so don’t rush it.

Gradually add the powdered sugar, alternating with the milk. Start with less milk than you think you need; you can always add more. Add the vanilla, cinnamon, and salt, then beat until smooth and spreadable.

The frosting should hold its shape but be easy to spread. If it’s too thick, add milk a teaspoon at a time. If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar.

Step 8: Frost and Enjoy

Once the cookies are completely cool, spread frosting on top of each one. I use an offset spatula, but a butter knife works fine too. Don’t worry about making them perfect—rustic is charming.

Don’t overbake. I cannot stress this enough. These cookies will look slightly underdone when they’re actually perfect.

Use parchment paper. These cookies have enough moisture that they’ll stick to ungreased pans, and nobody has time for that frustration.

Measure your flour correctly. Too much flour makes them dense and dry. Spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off—don’t pack it down.

Let them cool completely before frosting. Warm cookies + frosting = mess. Be patient.

Store them properly. Keep frosted cookies in a single layer in an airtight container. They’ll stay soft for about a week, though they never last that long in my house.

Variations That Don’t Ruin Everything

I’ve experimented with a few variations over the years:

Maple frosting: Replace the cinnamon in the frosting with maple syrup and reduce the milk slightly. It’s like fall had a baby with breakfast.

Cream cheese frosting: If you’re feeling brave after my disaster story, cream cheese frosting works great too. Just don’t add too much powdered sugar.

Mini chocolate chips: Fold in 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips to the dough. The combination of pumpkin and chocolate is surprisingly good.

Naked cookies: Sometimes I skip the frosting entirely and just dust them with powdered sugar. Still delicious, less messy.

Why My Family Loves These Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Frosting

These cookies hit all the fall flavor notes without being overwhelming. They’re soft enough for my youngest kid (who has strong opinions about cookie texture), sweet enough for my sugar-loving husband, and just pumpkin-y enough to feel seasonal without being too health-food-ish.

The cinnamon frosting is what really makes people remember them though. It’s got this warm, cozy flavor that makes you want to curl up with a cup of coffee and maybe watch some terrible Halloween movies.

My neighbor actually asked if I sell these after I brought some to a block party. I don’t, but I was flattered enough to give her the recipe, which is how I know it’s actually good and not just good to my biased taste buds.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

These Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Frosting are perfect for making ahead because they actually get better after sitting for a day. The flavors meld together and the cookies stay incredibly soft.

Store frosted cookies in a single layer in containers—don’t stack them or the frosting will stick to the container lid and make a mess. They’ll keep for about a week at room temperature.

You can also freeze the unfrosted cookies for up to 3 months. Just thaw them completely before frosting. I wouldn’t freeze them after frosting though—the texture gets weird.

The Verdict on These Fall Favorites

These aren’t just seasonal cookies—they’re like edible autumn comfort. They’ve become my go-to recipe when I want to feel like I have my life together enough to bake something from scratch, but I don’t actually want to spend all day in the kitchen.

Perfect for potlucks, bake sales, or just because it’s October and you need an excuse to make your house smell like cinnamon. They’re soft, flavorful, and just fancy enough to impress people without being so complicated that you’ll stress yourself out making them.

Give them a try and let me know what you think! And if you have any frosting disasters like I did, just remember that even the ugliest cookies usually still taste good. 🎃

Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Frosting