These soft frosted pumpkin cookies are so tasty. Full of cozy spice, topped with cream cheese frosting, these cookies start with cake mix and end with a delicious pumpkin dessert you will love to share!
Ingredients
For The Cookie Dough
15.25ouncesspice cake mixI used Betty Crocker Super Moist Spice Mix
2eggs
1/3cuppumpkin pureeblotted with paper towel to remove moisture
1/2teaspoonvanilla
For The Frosting
8ouncescream cheesesoftened
1/2cupunsalted buttersoftened
1/2teaspoonground cinnamonplus more for garnish
1teaspoonvanilla extract
1cuppowdered sugar
Instructions
For The Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking oil.
In a large mixing bowl combine cake mix, eggs, pumpkin puree, and vanilla.
Mix the mixture well until a sticky dough forms.
Use a cookie scoop or a spoon make one tablespoon cookie dough balls. Cookie dough does not need to be in perfectly round balls. Place dough balls at least an inch apart and gently flatten the tops of the cookie dough.
Bake cookies for 9-10 minutes. Cookies will be cooked on the edges but may still be a little gooey in the center.
Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for four to five minutes. Cookies will continue to cook on the pan. Then move cookies to a wire rack or clean kitchen towel to finish cooling.
To Make The Frosting
Soften the butter and cream cheese on the counter. Slice the butter and cream cheese into at least ten pieces and leave on the counter for about five minutes to soften.
Using a hand mixer in a large mixing bowl. beat the butter for two to three minutes until it changes to a lighter color. Add cream cheese and continue beating for two minutes or until there are no lumps and the mixture is smooth.
Add vanilla, cinnamon, and powdered sugar to the butter and cream cheese. Mix well until fully combined and smooth.
Spread a thick layer of frosting on each cookie once the cookies are cool. Top with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top of the frosting on each cookie if desired.
Notes
Baking The Cookies Tips
For a less “cake” like cookies try using one egg instead of two.
You can swap yellow cake or white cake mix for spice cake mix. I recommend adding two teaspoons of pumpkin spice to the cake mix before adding the other ingredients to give it a good fall flavor. You can also add one teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg for a similar flavor if using a yellow or white cake mix.
Frosting The Cookies Tips
Additional cinnamon for garnishing is optional but looks pretty on the cookies.
If you prefer to use a packaged cream cheese frosting in a tub you can, but there will be a lot of leftover frosting. I recommend minimally doubling the recipe if you are going to use premade cream cheese frosting.
You can also use a powdered sugar glaze instead of cream cheese frosting. Use the glaze recipe from my Sweet Blueberry Biscuits. Dip cookies or drizzle over cookies once the cookies have fully cooled for best results.
Cake Mix Note
This recipe was developed with a 15.25 ounce cake mix. Some of the cake mix brands have been decreasing the size to 13.25 ounces. If you use only 13.25 ounces of cake mix the recipe may not be as successful.