Description
These pillowy-soft iced pumpkin cookies are the ultimate cozy fall dessert, perfect for Thanksgiving or any chilly day. Moist, warmly spiced, and topped with creamy vanilla-maple icing, they’re easy to make and guaranteed to impress.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 cup pumpkin purée
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons milk (dairy or non-dairy)
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
- In a large bowl, beat softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Beat in egg and vanilla extract until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Mix in pumpkin purée until smooth—do not overmix.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing on low until just combined. Dough will be soft.
- Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, until tops look set and edges are just golden. Cookies should feel slightly springy when pressed.
- Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the icing: In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, melted butter, vanilla, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt. Adjust consistency with more milk or powdered sugar as needed.
- Spread about 1 teaspoon of icing over each cooled cookie. Let icing set for 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
For gluten-free cookies, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. For vegan, substitute plant-based butter, non-dairy milk, and a flax egg. Add chocolate chips, pecans, or candied ginger for extra flavor. If cookies spread too much, chill dough for 30 minutes. Let cookies cool completely before icing. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week. Freeze unfrosted cookies for up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (about 40g)
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 70
- Fat: 4
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 18
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 1
Keywords: pumpkin cookies, iced pumpkin cookies, fall dessert, Thanksgiving cookies, easy pumpkin cookies, cozy dessert, spiced cookies, vanilla icing, maple icing, autumn baking