Pumpkin Sugar Cookies are soft and delicious with the best glaze on top. Each bite is rich and packed with pumpkin flavor.

Pumpkin sugar cookies on a platter.
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It is incredibly easy to make this homemade cookie recipe and the entire family will enjoy them. Whether you love to make all things pumpkin for Fall or year-round, this is a great recipe to try. We also love to make Pumpkin Bars and Pumpkin cake pops.

For more Fall inspiration, try some of these Thanksgiving Apple Desserts along with Starbucks Pumpkin Scones Recipe and Rice Krispie Treat Pumpkins Recipe. The kids also help make Thanksgiving Sugar Cookies Recipe every year.

If you love sugar cookies, also try Sour Cream Sugar Cookies.

Why We Love This Recipe

These bite size cookies are the perfect fall dessert. They are so soft and taste amazing with the glaze topping. There is so much pumpkin flavor in these cookies that you will absolutely love them!

It is the perfect dessert for Thanksgiving, Halloween and more. Kids also love Harvest Puppy Chow Recipe.

Ingredients for recipe - flour, baking powder, sugar, butter, eggs, pumpkin puree, powdered sugar, milk, pumpkin pie spice.

Ingredients

For Cookies

  • All Purpose Flour 
  • Baking Powder 
  • Granulated Sugar 
  • Butter (softened) 
  • Large Egg (room temperature)
  • Pure Pumpkin Puree (not pie filling) 

For the Glaze

  • Powdered Sugar 
  • Milk 
  • Pumpkin Pie Spice 

Print recipe and get the entire ingredient list at the bottom of the page.

Variations

  • Homemade Pumpkin Puree. We used store bought in the recipe, but you can certainly use homemade. It is very simple to make homemade pumpkin puree and we keep some in the freezer.
  • Pumpkin Pie Spice. If you do a lot of baking with pumpkin, consider making a batch of homemade pumpkin spice. It is very simple to make and goes a long way in baking.
  • Drizzle the glaze. For another option, try drizzling the glaze on the cookies instead.

How to Make Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

Bowl with dry ingredients - flour, baking powder, salt.

Step 1. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside. 

Bowl with butter being beat.

Step 2. Get out a separate bowl. Beat together the butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer. You can use a handheld or stand mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Vanilla, egg and pumpkin added to butter.

Step 3. Add the vanilla extract, egg and pumpkin.

Pumpkin mixture combined until well blended.

Step 4. Mix until well combined.

Dry ingredients and wet ingredients combined together.

Step 5. Lower the mixer speed. Gradually add in the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until just combined.  Then cover the cookie dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 

Glass pressed down on dough to flatten cookies.

Step 6. Form the cookies with a cookie scoop into dough balls. Place on a lined baking sheet with parchment paper. Next, use the bottom of a glass to press each cookie down slightly. 

Cookies on baking sheet.

Step 7. Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes until the cookies start to brown slightly.  

Cookies cooling on baking sheet.

Step 8. Remove from the oven.  Allow to cool on the baking sheets for 10 to 15 minutes.  Then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Glaze blended together in bowl.

Step 9. Stir together the glaze ingredients until smooth and combined.  Spread approximately 2 teaspoons of the glaze onto each warm pumpkin cookie. 

Glaze on cookies on cooling rack.

Step 10. Finally, let the glaze and cookies sit for a few hours on a cooling rack so the glaze can harden. 

Storage

Store the leftover cookies in an airtight container or bag at room temperature. They will keep up to 4-5 days.  

Allow the cookies to completely harden before storing or they will stick to each other. It is also suggested to place parchment paper in between the layers of cookies.

Expert Tips

  • Don’t use pumpkin pie filling. The recipe is best with pure pumpkin. The pie filling variety has all the seasonings in it and you do not want that.
  • Soften the butter. Allow the butter to soften at room temperature. The ingredients will come together easier and smoother.
  • Spread the glaze on warm cookies. They should cool a few minutes but it’s ok for them to still be warm. You just don’s want them hot.
  • Allow to set. The glaze needs time to set and harden. Then you can store them.
  • Line the baking sheets. Place a silicone liner or parchment paper on the cooking sheets. This will make clean up easy and help the cookies to bake evenly.
  • Don’t overbake the cookies. They will continue to cook on the pan. You don’t want to overbake them or they will be hard.
Cookies stacked together.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my cookies thin?

Your butter might have been too softened which caused the cookies to spread too much. Another culprit is not chilling the dough before forming the balls.

It is important to chill the dough before using. If it is too sticky when you bake it, they will thin out.

Can I omit the frosting?

Yes, you can leave the frosting off. It is so yummy with it but the cookie is equally tasty plain.

If you need a less sweet option, try serving the cookies plain. It is delicious.

More Easy Pumpkin Recipes

Make pumpkin sugar cookie recipe today for a fabulous fall recipe that you will want to make all the time. Please leave a star recipe rating after you try them.

Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

5 from 6 votes
Pumpkin Sugar cookies are soft and delicious with the best glaze on top. Each bite is rich and packed with pumpkin flavor.
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Let Cool 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 24
Cuisine American
Course Dessert
Calories 239

Ingredients

For the Cookies:

For the Glaze:

  • 3 cups Powdered Sugar
  • 1/4 cup Milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
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Instructions

For the Cookies:

  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.
  • In a separate bowl, beat together the butter and sugar with a hand held or stand up mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla extract, egg and pumpkin until well combined.
  • Reduce the speed on the mixer to low and gradually add in the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until just combined.
  • Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Roll the dough into approximately 1 inch size balls.  Place on a baking sheet at least 2 inches apart and use the bottom of a glass to press each cookie down slightly.
  • Bake for 8-10 minutes until the cookies start to brown slightly.
  • Remove from the oven.  Let them cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes.  Then move them to a wire rack to cool.

For the Glaze:

  • Stir together the glaze ingredients until smooth and combined.
  • Spread approximately 2 teaspoons of the glaze onto each warm cookie.
  • Let the glaze and cookies sit for a few hours so the glaze can harden.  Then the cookies are ready to serve and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Stir the leftover cookies in an airtight container or bag at room temperature for up to 4-5

Nutrition Facts

Calories 239kcal, Carbohydrates 40g, Protein 2g, Fat 8g, Saturated Fat 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fat 2g, Trans Fat 0.3g, Cholesterol 27mg, Sodium 149mg, Potassium 42mg, Fiber 1g, Sugar 28g, Vitamin A 1442IU, Vitamin C 0.3mg, Calcium 31mg, Iron 1mg

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Carrie. Welcome to Desserts on a Dime!

I’m on a mission to help you create delicious desserts on a budget and do not require a ton of time. Together, we are going to make something sweet that the entire family will love!

5 from 6 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Victoria Bohler says:

    Can you freeze the dough ahead of time?

    1. Carrie Barnard says:

      Yes, you can freeze this cookie dough. Check out our post on how to freeze cookie dough for all of our tips and tricks on freezing cookie dough.