Easy Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Icing
These quick pumpkin cookies use a box of yellow cake mix and canned pumpkin puree for a soft, pillowy texture. Topped with a creamy cream cheese icing, they’re a foolproof fall dessert ready in 25 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 box (15.25 oz) yellow cake mix
- 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (optional)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- In a large bowl, combine the yellow cake mix, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract. Stir until just combined. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky. Do not overmix.
- Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges look set and the tops look slightly dry. The bottoms should be lightly golden.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- While the cookies cool, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together in a small bowl until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and pinch of salt. Beat until smooth and fluffy.
- Once the cookies are completely cool, spread about 1 tablespoon of icing on each cookie.
- Let the iced cookies sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes so the icing firms up slightly before serving.
Notes
Don’t overmix the dough to avoid tough cookies. Use room temperature cream cheese for smooth icing. Check pumpkin puree for excess water to prevent flat cookies. Bake one sheet at a time for even results. Let icing set before stacking or storing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 165
- Sugar: 17
- Sodium: 220
- Fat: 6
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 26
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 2
Keywords: pumpkin cookies, cream cheese icing, easy pumpkin cookies, cake mix cookies, fall dessert, quick cookies