Fall cookies are always popular in our house and there’s nothing more fall-flavored than Iced Pumpkin Cookies. These take the simple pumpkin cookie and add a sweet vanilla glaze that makes them a huge favorite.
These cookies are easy to make and you can increase the ingredients to create bigger batches as needed. The canned pumpkin makes for a nice bright orange shade so they are also perfect for a Halloween party!
Can you use homemade pumpkin puree?
In this recipe, I used canned pumpkin as it has a lovely bright color when baked into the cookies. But if you have some pumpkin around the house after Thanksgiving or Halloween and want to make your own, you can. The cookies might not be as bright in color but should be otherwise fine.
If you do make your own and the dough seems a little on the thin side, add ¼ cup of all-purpose flour. Avoid the pre-mixed pumpkin pie filler as these usually have sweeteners that spoil the taste of the cookies.
Cookie Ingredients
- All-purpose Flour
- Baking Soda
- Baking Powder
- Ground Cinnamon
- Ground Nutmeg
- Ground Cloves
- Butter, Margarine, or Butter Flavor Crisco
- White Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Canned Pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
- Large Egg
- Vanilla
If you have a pumpkin pie spice mix that you love, you can try substituting it with the three separate spices and see how the recipe goes.
How to make Iced Pumpkin Cookies
To make the cookies:
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Mix the butter and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy.
- Add the pumpkin and vanilla and mix thoroughly.
- Mix in the egg then sprinkle in the cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves before mixing again. But don’t overmix!
- Drop heaped tablespoons of mixture onto the cookie sheets and bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes.
- Leave to sit for 2 minutes on the tray then move to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Dip in glaze, if desired.
To make a caramel glaze:
- Mix the 1/4 cup butter, 1/2 cupbrown sugar, 1/3 cup milk, and vanilla in a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until all of the sugar has dissolved.
- Raise heat to medium-high and boil for 2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and add 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar then mix until smooth. You may need to use a whisk.
- Dip the cooled cookies into the glaze, then place upright on a cooling rack until set.
To make a vanilla glaze:
- Combine 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon corn syrup, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and 2 tablespoons of milk in a small bowl.
- Mix until smooth.
- Dip cooled cookie tops into the glaze and allow the excess to flow back into the bowl.
If you want to make sure there’s lots of glaze on the cookies, double the ingredients and make a larger batch.
You can also dust the cookies with a little cinnamon while the glaze is still damp.
These cookies are soft and cake-like. They taste similar to pumpkin bread, so you could easily skip the icing.
How do you store the cookies?
The cookies are definitely best on the day they are cooked but if any do last past that, you can store them at room temperature. Don’t use an airtight container as this can make them slightly sticky. Keep them in a single layer so they don’t stick together.
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Pumpkin Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cookies
- 2 1/2 Cups All-purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
- 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
- 1/2 Cup Butter Margarine, or Butter Flavor Crisco
- 3/4 cup White Sugar
- 3/4 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 cup Canned Pumpkin not pumpkin pie mix
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
Pumpkin Cookie Icing
- 6 Tablespoons Butter
- 1 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1/2 Cup Milk
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons Vanilla
- 2 Cups Powdered Sugar
Instructions
Pumpkin Cookies
- Combine butter and white sugar in a mixing bowl. Cream until light and fluffy. Add pumpkin and mix well. Add the egg and mix in. Sprinkle in cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Mix well.
- In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, and baking powder and mix well. Mix this in with the rest of ingredients. Mixing only until combined, do not over mix.
- Drop heaping tablespoons onto cookie sheets. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes. Let cookies sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes. Remove cookies to cooling rack or non-stick aluminum foil and allow cookies to cool completely.
- Once cooled, cover with glaze. Allow glaze to harden before attempting to stack.
Pumpkin Cookie Caramel Icing
- Combine butter, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in a small saucepan.
- Cook over medium low heat until sugar is dissolved.
- Remove from heat and add powdered sugar.
- Mix until smooth and there are minimal lumps.
- Drizzle over cooled cookies.
