Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Frosting

These soft and cakey cookies just scream, “Autumn is here!” But wait, it gets better – they’re topped with a creamy, dreamy cinnamon frosting.

Get ready to fall for these soft pumpkin cookies with cinnamon frosting! 🍂🎃 If you’re anything like me, you eagerly await the arrival of autumn and all the delicious treats it brings, and these cookies are at the top of my list.

You can enjoy these delicious cookies by themselves, but life is short, so add that cinnamon frosting.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Cookies and Frosting:

• 1/2 cup of softened vegan butter – I like the Earth Balance Buttery Sticks for baking.
• 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree – My favorite brand is Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin (not sponsored). If you don’t have canned pumpkin, then you could use fresh pumpkin by peeling, chopping, and baking it until it’s soft. You can also substitute this with mashed sweet potato if you can’t find pumpkin in your grocery store. It doesn’t give you the same pumpkin flavor, but it would still be delicious.
• 1/4 cup of brown sugar
• 1/2 cup of organic granulated sugar – If you’re vegan, make sure it’s organic, or look up the brand to see if it’s vegan-friendly.
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice – If you don’t have any, you can substitute it with just cinnamon. To make your own pumpkin pie spice, mix together ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground allspice, and ground cloves. Here’s a recipe if you can’t find it at the grocery store: Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice by Live Well Bake Often.
• 2 teaspoons of cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt

Ingredients for Vegan Frosting:

• 1 cup of vegan butter, softened
• 3 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice (or cinnamon)
• 1/3 cup of brown sugar
• 3 1/4 cups of powdered sugar

You’ll Also Need:

• Hand or Stand Mixer
• Cookie Scooper (optional)
• Large Parchment Lined Baking Sheet
• Piping Bag fitted with a Wilton Piping Tip #2A

How to make Soft Pumpkin Cookies:

1. In a large bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of softened vegan butter, 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 cup of organic cane sugar, and 1 tsp of vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
2. In a separate large bowl, whisk together 1¾ cup of all-purpose flour, 2 tsps of baking powder, 2 tsps of pumpkin pie spice, 2 tsps of cornstarch, and 1/4 tsp of salt. 
3. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the bowl, mixing on low speed until just combined.
4. Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes (or overnight). Chilling the dough is an important step that you cannot skip.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 C).
6. Scoop 2-inch balls of dough out with a medium cookie scooper or a large spoon. Press down to flatten the dough balls into disks. While baking, the dough will not spread out much so you need to form it into a cookie shape beforehand. Arrange them a couple of inches apart on a large parchment-lined baking sheet.
7. Bake on the center rack for 10-12 minutes. Let them cool down completely on the baking sheet. 

How to make Cinnamon Frosting:

1. In a medium bowl with an electric mixer or in a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, whip together all of the ingredients until fully combined. If making ahead of serving, place in the fridge, covered by plastic wrap, until ready to assemble. 
2. Spoon icing into a piping bag fitted with the Wilton Piping Tip #2A. Pipe the cinnamon frosting on top of the cooled cookies in a swirl, starting from the middle and moving outwards.
3. Finish the cookies with a dusting of pumpkin pie spice.

More vegan cookies to try out:

• Halloween Pumpkin Spice Cookies (Vegan) – Get into the Halloween spirit by baking these spooktacular soft pumpkin spice cookies! They’re the perfect dessert during the fall time.
• Vegan S’mores Cookies – These decadent vegan s’mores cookies are a delicious twist on the campfire treat and are so easy to make. Loaded with toasted marshmallows, chocolate chunks, and crunchy graham cracker crumbs.
• Peppermint Hot Cocoa Cookies (Vegan) – Enjoy the holidays with these soft and chewy Peppermint Hot Cocoa Cookies! You’ll love these double chocolate cookies filled with crushed candy canes, marshmallows, and chocolate chips. They are the best vegan Christmas cookies to whip up for a party or a cookie exchange.

Who needs a scented candle when you can have the aroma of fresh-baked pumpkin cookies in your kitchen? Enjoy these cozy homemade treats with your pumpkin-spice-obsessed friends and family this Fall.

Print