These Frosted Pumpkin Drop Cookies are little pillows of pumpkin goodness covered in a sweet brown sugar frosting. These soft cookies melt in your mouth with every bite!
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This post was originally posted on 12/5/2015 and updated on 11/15/2024.
Why We Love These Frosted Pumpkin Cookies
- An easy drop cookie recipe that requires no chilling.
- The cookies have the best soft texture with a glorious frosting.
- Baked cookies are freezer friendly.
- A recipe that is perfect for holidays and parties.
- These cookies are family approved!!
Frosted Pumpkin Drop Cookies Recipe Ingredients
- Salted Butter
- White Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Large Eggs
- Pumpkin Puree
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Ground Cinnamon
- Salt
- Unbleached All Purpose Flour
- Powdered Sugar
- Heavy Cream
Substitution Suggestions
- Salted Butter: Feel free to use unsalted butter, but I suggest adding an additional ½ teaspoon of salt to the cookie dough.
- Canned Pumpkin Puree: Make sure you purchase 100% pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie mix or pumpkin pie filling. Pureed Pumpkin is pure pumpkin with no added ingredients whereas Pumpkin Pie Mix is already mixed with a sweetener and spices.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: Pure extracts are the best to use because they give a natural flavor. Imitation extracts can leave an unwanted after taste in your cookies and other baked goods.
- Cinnamon: If you would like more warm spices in your cookies you can add some pumpkin pie spice, allspice or a little of each: cloves, nutmeg and ginger.
- All Purpose Flour: You can use entirely whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour. If you use all whole wheat flour the cookies will be a bit darker and a little more dense but still good. You can also use a blend of flours. Half whole wheat flour and half all purpose flour is a delicious blend.
How to Make Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Sugar Frosting
- First, preheat the oven to 350°F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or large bowl with hand mixer, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. About 2-3 minutes.
- Next, beat in egg and scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Then, mix in the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract until everything is thoroughly combined.
- Now add the dry ingredients: baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and the all purpose flour. Mix on low just until completely combined.
- Using a small cookie scoop or a level tablespoon, place cookie dough 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.
- Bake cookies on center rack in preheated oven for 9-11 minutes until the edges are turning golden brown.
- Let cookies cool on pan for 2-3 minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.
How to Make Brown Sugar Frosting
- First, in a small saucepan, melt together butter and brown sugar over medium heat.
- Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute while constantly stirring. Then remove from heat and let mixture cool for 8 minutes.
- Now transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl with the heavy cream and beat together until smooth.
- Beat in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time. You can add less or more of powdered sugar to reach your desired consistency for spreading.
- Spread frosting on cookies with an offset spatula or butter knife.
- Let cookies hang out until the frosting has set and hardened, about a hour or so.
Pumpkin is the flavor of the season. If you are looking for some more pumpkin flavored recipes look no further. I've got you covered!
Storing Frosted Pumpkin Drop Cookies
Storing: These cookies can be stored in an air tight container between layers of wax paper on the counter for up to a week.
Freezing: Place the cookies in a freezer safe air tight container between layers of wax paper. Label and date the container and freeze for up to 4 months.
Thawing: Simply let the cookies sit at room temperature for a few hours.
Heather's Favorite Tools for this Recipe
- I don't think I could live without my KitchenAid Stand Mixer. It's the best tool ever for making cookies, frostings and so many other things.
- Long ago, I used to be a Pampered Chef consultant and I still prefer their baking tools and pans to any others. Their cookie sheets are the only ones I use for cookies. Find yourself a consultant, host a party and treat yourself to a set.
- A small sized cookie scoop that holds about 1 tablespoon is great for these cookies. Again I use the pampered chef one but this small scoop from OXO on Amazon is a great one.
- Pre-cut parchment paper is a life saver and so easy. No cutting my fingers!
- I like using a can opener that doesn't leave a sharp edge. I currently use the Pampered Chef one but this can opener from The Good Cook is great too.
Tips for Frosted Pumpkin Cookies
- Gather all the ingredients before you start preparing cookie dough. It is so much easier to bake when all the ingredients are ready. There is also less room for error, like forgetting an essential ingredient. I'm not saying I've done this, however, I am speaking from experience!
- Read the recipe from start to finish before you start. Again, I am speaking from experience.
- Use room temperature ingredients. It helps the dough come together better, and also helps with even baking.
- Always fluff your flour and then spoon and level it to measure. Doing this will prevent too much flour being added and ultimately making the cookies too dry and crumbly. To fluff your flour, just scoop it and dump it a few times and then measure it out, or give it a fluff using a whisk.
- Use a cookie scoop to get the same size cookies, that way they will all bake evenly. I like to use the Pampered Chef small size scoop which is equal to about 1 tablespoon.
- If using cookie sheets more than once during baking, make sure the cookie sheet is completely cooled before adding scoops of cookie dough on it.
- Do not boil the brown sugar and butter for the frosting a second longer than 1 minute. Any longer and it will crystalize and the frosting will have chunks of hard sugar in it.
- Only let it cool for 8 minutes. If it cools too long the sugar will harden too much and it won't blend into a smooth frosting.
More Holiday Cookie Recipes:
- Peanut Butter Temptation Cookies
- Italian Almond Cookies
- Chewy Molasses Cookies
- Sugar Cookie Cuts Outs
- Russian Tea Cakes
- Raspberry Almond Thumbprints
- Chocolate Peppermint Drops
- Gingerbread People
- Spritz Butter Cookies
- Maple Cookies
- Sugar Cookie Bars
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Frosted Pumpkin Drop Cookies
These Frosted Pumpkin Drop Cookies are little pillows of pumpkin goodness covered in a sweet brown sugar frosting. These soft cookies melt in your mouth with every bite!
Servings: 62 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cups salted butter, softened
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 7.5 oz pumpkin puree, ½ a can or about 1 cup
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Brown Sugar Frosting
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. About 1-2 minutes.
- Add egg and beat in well.
- Mix in pumpkin puree and vanilla extract until fully combined.
- Add the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and all purpose flour. Mix on low until just incorporated.
- With a small cookie scoop or level tablespoon, drop dough on prepared cookie sheets or ungreased cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Bake 9-11 minutes and until edges are golden brown.
- Let cookies cool on pan a for 2-3 minutes and then remove and place on wire rack to cool completely.
Brown Sugar Frosting
- In a small saucepan combine the brown sugar and butter.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for only 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat and cool 8 minutes.
- Transfer to a large mixing bowl and beat in heavy cream until smooth.
- Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until completely mixed. Add more or less of powdered sugar depending on your preference of spreading consistency.
- Frost cooled cookies with an offset spatula or butter knife and let cookies sit until frosting has set and hardened, about an hour or so.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 cookie | Calories: 91kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 64mg | Potassium: 18mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 661IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.3mg
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