These big, soft, bakery style sugar cookies are made with a hint of pumpkin and spice, then topped off with a sweet cream cheese frosting.
Friends, I’d like to introduce you to my new favorite pumpkin cookie…..the Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookie!
If you love big, soft, frosted sugar cookies, and you love all things pumpkin, then you are going to fall head over heels for this amazing cookie recipe.
Personally, I’m a fan of almost any pumpkin dessert. The rest of my family–not so much. And this pumpkin sugar cookie is the compromise we’ve all been looking for.
This cookie is lighter on the pumpkin flavor. More cookie, less pumpkin, if you will. Which means that the pumpkin haters at my house actually like this pumpkin dessert.
And I’m so glad, because having to eat every pumpkin dessert I make all by myself was not translating well on my bathroom scale. Not that I couldn’t eat all these cookies myself. I just shouldn’t.
The secret to these cookies is the technique of smashing them flat with the bottom of a drinking glass before you make them. It sort of creates a little well to hold the cinnamon and spice infused cream cheese frosting.
This is definitely a big cookie, like the kind you’d buy at a bakery, so you might want to make plans to share. I’ve also frozen these cookies with great success.
I freeze them on a single layer on a big baking sheet until they’re solid, then transfer them to a large zip-top bake. Freezing them before bagging them ensures that the frosting stays nice and pretty.
If you’re only going to make one pumpkin dessert this fall (but really, you should make more than one), it should definitely be these Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookies.
They may win over the pumpkin haters in your life too!
Be sure to save this recipe for Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookies to your favorite Pinterest board for later.
Here’s what you’ll need to make Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
- Butter
- Vegetable or canola oil
- Granulated sugar
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla
- Eggs
- Pumpkin puree
- Baking soda
- Cream of Tartar
- Salt
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Flour
- Sour cream
Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 1 cup butter softened
- 3/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar plus more for rolling cookies in
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 5 1/2 cups flour
For the frosting
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, butter, oil, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, vanilla, eggs, and pumpkin puree. Continue beating at medium-high speed until very light and fluffy, 4-5 minutes.
- Mix in baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, pumpkin pie spice. Gradually add flour, mixing until well combined.
- Form the dough into 1/4 cup sized balls. Roll the balls in sugar to coat. Placed on prepared baking sheets. Use the bottom of a tall glass or cup to flatten the cookie to about 1/2 inch thickness. The sides of the dough should squish out around the bottom of the glass to form an edge. Repeat with remaining dough, placing 6-8 cookies per baking sheet.
- Bake for about 10 minutes, or until cookies are just set and beginning to turn golden. Let cookies rest for a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cook completely.
- To make the frosting: Beat the butter, sour cream, vanilla, powdered sugar, salt and pumpkin pie spice until well mixed. Add additional powdered sugar, if desired, for a thicker frosting. Spread frosting over cooled cookies.
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Nutrition
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Who Dished It Up First: Adapted from I Dig Pinterest
2 comments
k
I’ve got cookies made and I’m ready to make the frosting, but I’m not seeing cream cheese in the frosting ingredients or instructions as noted in the description. I’ll make it as posted, but just a heads up on that. The cookies look and smell amazing!
k
They ARE amazing! We loved the sour cream frosting and the kids loved how big they were too. The neighbors loved them as well!