Soft and tender pumpkin cookies with a heap of autumn spices, and slathered with an awesomely sweet maple frosting! These Pumpkin Cookies with Maple Frosting are 100% irresistible.
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Chewy cookies are all the rage these days, but I think cakey cookies are underrated and need more love. These Pumpkin Cookies with Maple Frosting are the perfect cakey-ish pumpkin cookie. The potent maple icing is wonderful combined with pumpkin and warm spices.
My favorite soft pumpkin cookies are these Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Butter Icing. I’ve been making them for over 15 years now, and I always come back to them.
They’re pillowy soft, tender cookies, and they’re also very thick cookies! Though they’re not ultra-chewy, they still have a bit of chew to them that is super satisfying. I love the texture – soft and cakey, but still dense and substantial.
These Pumpkin Cookies with Maple Frosting are my latest version of those classic pumpkin cookies. Soft and tender little pillows of pumpkin goodness combined with the best fall spices, and slathered in a sweet maple icing.
These Pumpkin Cookies with Maple Frosting remind me of the type of cookie you’d use to make a whoopie pie, and in fact, I’ve used these exact pumpkin cookies to make these Pumpkin Nutella Whoopie Pies.
They’re just sturdy enough to be a fantastic cookie for sandwiching with frosting or buttercream (like I did with this Nutella Buttercream), yet they’re still super soft and tender.
I’ve also made these Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting. A simple, but classic combo! They’re unbelievable.
I think cakey cookies have a time and place, and I adore these Pumpkin Cookies with Maple Frosting, but when you’re in the mood for chewy pumpkin cookies, check out these insanely chewy Pumpkin Spice Latte Cookies, or these Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies!
Pumpkin Cookies with Maple Frosting
Ingredients
For pumpkin cookies:
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 tsp. clove
- 1/4 tsp. ginger
For maple frosting:
- 4 tbsp. butter melted
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp. maple extract or maple flavoring
- 3 - 4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
For pumpkin cookies:
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugars.
- Add pumpkin, egg, and vanilla, beating until combined.
- In another large bowl, combine remaining ingredients (all the dry cookie ingredients).
- Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and beat until just combined.
- Drop on parchment paper or silicone mat-lined cookie sheets by tablespoonfuls.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned.
- Remove cookies to a wire rack. Cool completely.
For maple frosting:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together butter, maple syrup, vanilla, maple extract, and 3 cups powdered sugar.
- Add additional powdered sugar, as needed, to achieve a consistency that is thicker than a glaze - it shouldn't run off the cookie - but easily spreadable. The butter may start to set the frosting as you mix, but you can pop it in the microwave for just a few seconds, 5-6 seconds, to thin it back out.
- Frost cookies, and allow to set.
I made these cookies today. They turned out really good. The only thing I did different was I added almond milk to the frosting using 2 1/2 cup of powdered sugar with the vanilla and butter. Then I added 1/2 tsp of pumpkin spice. Overall this was a great recipe!!
Awesome!! So glad you liked these. Thank you so much for sharing your substitutions and results!! Happy Holidays. 🙂
These were fantastic, and a hit with my neighbors! I’ve passed your recipe on, thank you for sharing!
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for your comment. 🙂
Hi, Just wondering, Could these cookies can be made ahead and frozen? Maybe just the cookie and then ice them before serving? Your thoughts?
Thanks,
Yep, absolutely! That’s exactly what I’d do. Make the cookies and icing, freeze separate, assembled after thawing. These freeze well. Freeze them with wax paper between layers, preferably, and then wrap really well in foil and plastic wrap!
I know this is an older post, but hoping for an answer. Do you use pure maple syrup for this recipe or artificial syrup like most people use for pancakes? Hoping to make these for thanksgiving this year! Thank you!
I try to use pure when baking, but in a pinch, I think that regular pancake syrup would be fine. It may mean adjusting with a little more liquid in some way, but it will turn out fine. If you’re able to use pure, that’s great!