These iced pumpkin cookies are absolutely delicious. There’s nothing quite like biting into a cookie and tasting pumpkin butter baked right into it — a distinct flavor that feels like it deserves its own season. Fortunately, it already does.
I adjusted the original recipe because pumpkin butter is sweeter and more liquid than pumpkin puree. After a few tweaks I found a great balance: the cookies baked up with lovely domes and a soft, cake-like texture that sets them apart from typical cookies.
One downside is that pumpkin cookies tend to dry out faster than other cookies. Mine were a touch drier the next day and noticeably dry by day three. That seems to be typical for pumpkin-based cookies, but in my house they never lasted long — by the time they came out of the oven half of them had already vanished.
What truly makes these cookies sing is the icing. The cookies themselves aren’t overly sweet, and the cinnamon-spiced glaze on top adds the perfect finishing touch, like a bow on a gift. The icing soaks into the cookies as they sit, boosting the flavor even more. My recommendation: make these the day of your gathering (for example, Thanksgiving) — they’ll be gone by nightfall.
Iced Pumpkin Cookies
20
servings
15 mins
16 mins
31 mins
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- dash of allspice
- 2 eggs
- 1/8 brown sugar
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 cup pumpkin butter
- pinch vanilla powder, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the icing
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch vanilla powder, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs and sugar until well combined, about 1 minute, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Add the oil, pumpkin butter, and vanilla; mix on low speed until blended. Stir in the flour mixture with a spoon until combined.
- Using a 1/4-cup measure, drop mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheet about 2 1/2 inches apart. Smooth the tops with the back of a spoon.
- Bake until the tops feel firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 16 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the icing, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk in a small bowl. Fold in the cinnamon so you get small flecks rather than a uniform brown color. Spoon the icing over the cooled cookies.
Notes
, Carbohydrates: 29 g
, Protein: 2 g
, Fat: 3 g
, Sugar: 18 g
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is an estimate and can vary based on products used and preparation methods. Consult a professional if you need precise dietary guidance.