Melt in your mouth soft pumpkin cookies with caramel icing. This is a must-make for fall with pumpkin and cinnamon flavors paired with a rich, sweet caramel frosting.

Pumpkin cookies on white plate.

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The Best Iced Pumpkin Cookies

These pumpkin cookies with caramel icing are one of my favorite cookie recipes from The I Heart Naptime Cookbook! Wherever I take them, my friends are always asking for the recipe. I just can’t even describe the amazing flavor the sweet caramel frosting adds.

These iced pumpkin cookies are soft, sweet, and topped with a homemade caramel frosting that melts right in. They have a tender, cake-like texture and somehow taste even better the next day. More cozy fall desserts include pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, browned butter pumpkin cookies and pumpkin bars!

Recipe Ingredients

Pumpkin Cookie Ingredients on the marble countertop.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Baking staples: All-purpose flour, eggs, baking soda, vanilla and salt.
  • Pumpkin: I like to use Libby’s pumpkin puree for the right amount of pumpkin flavor.
  • Sugar: Light brown sugar is added along with granulated sugar to add a rich sweetness, as well as give the cookies a more soft and moist texture.
  • Butter: Unsalted is best. Make sure to use room temperature softened butter before creaming with the sugars.
  • Spices: A combination of pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon will add the perfect warm fall flavor.
  • Caramel frosting for pumpkin cookies: Butter, heavy cream, powdered sugar, light brown sugar and vanilla combine for an amazing caramel icing finish on the cookies!

How to Make Pumpkin Cookies with Caramel Icing

Cream the butter and sugars in a large bowl. Add in the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Then add the pumpkin and mix until smooth.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, pumpkin spice, cinnamon and salt. Add in the wet mixture and beat just until combined.

Pumpkin cookie dough in a glass bowl with flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda added on top, ready to be mixed.
Scooping soft pumpkin cookie dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet using a medium cookie scoop.

Using a medium cookie scoop or large spoon, scoop dough onto a lined baking sheet.

Bake in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes, or until a toothpick comes clean. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 2 minutes, then move to a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

Butter, brown sugar, and cream melting together in a white saucepan over medium heat to start the caramel frosting.

Melt the butter, heavy cream and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium-heat until smooth.

Stir or whisk the mixture until it begins boiling, then let boil for 1 minute and remove the pan immediately from the heat.

Powdered sugar next to a bowl of warm caramel mixture, ready to be whisked together for the icing.
Dipping a soft pumpkin cookie halfway into the bowl of homemade caramel icing for a sweet frosted finish.

Pour the mixture in a medium bowl and let it cool slightly. Then stir in the vanilla and powdered sugar until the consistency is smooth with no lumps.

Dip the tops of the cookies into the icing until coated. You’ll need to work fast, as the icing hardens quickly. Then place on a wire rack until the icing has hardened completely.

Iced pumpkin cookies on a plate.

Tips for Frosted Pumpkin Cookies

The soft, cake-like texture is what makes these cookies so good. Here are a few simple tips to help them turn out just right:

  • Use both pumpkin and egg. This combo gives the cookies a light, fluffy texture that practically melts in your mouth.
  • Line your pan. Use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to keep the bottoms from browning too much, which helps them stay soft.
  • Don’t overbake. Bake just until a toothpick comes out clean, about 10 minutes. They’ll finish setting up on the pan before you transfer them to a cooling rack.
  • Cool before frosting. Make sure the cookies have cooled completely or the frosting will melt off.
  • Frost quickly. Once the caramel icing is ready, work fast, it sets up quickly as it cools.
Iced pumpkin cookies with a bite taken.

Love spiced cookies? Try making this recipe for gingerbread whoopie pies, pumpkin oatmeal cookie recipe or spice cake mix cookies next!

More Pumpkin Recipes

iced pumpkin cookies with a bite taken

Pumpkin Cookies with Caramel Frosting

5 from 20 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Cool Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 36
Melt in your mouth soft pumpkin cookies with caramel icing. The pumpkin and cinnamon flavors are the perfect match with the rich, sweet caramel frosting.
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Ingredients 

Cookies

  • 1 cup unsalted butter , softened
  • ⅔ cup light brown sugar , packed
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt

Caramel Icing

  • ¼ cup butter
  • 3 Tablespoons heavy cream , plus more if needed
  • ½ cup light brown sugar , packed
  • 1 cup powdered sugar , sifted
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Pinch salt

Instructions

Cookies

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, cream 1 cup unsalted butter, 2/3 cup light brown sugar, and 1/3 cup sugar together with an electric mixer. Add one egg and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and beat until combined. Mix in 1 cup pumpkin until smooth.
  • In a separate large bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk in the pumpkin mixture until just combined.
  • Using a medium cookie scoop or large spoon, scoop the cookie dough onto the baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Caramel Icing

  • In a small saucepan, combine the 1/4 cup unsalted butter, 3 Tablespoons heavy cream, and 1/2 cup brown sugar over medium-heat. Whisk until it comes to a boil. Boil 1 minute then remove immediately from the heat.
  • Carefully pour into a medium-sized bowl and let cool slightly. Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and 1 cup powdered sugar until smooth. Dip or frost the cookies immediately, as the frosting will begin to harden. Return cookies to the cooling rack until the frosting has hardened.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Cream cheese frosting tastes great on top of these cookies as well.
You can also make some of them without the frosting and stir chocolate chips into the dough before baking.
Freezer instructions: Let cookies cool completely and then place in a covered container. Freeze up to 3 months. Remove 1 to 2 hours before ready to serve.
Storage: Store in covered container for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 139kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 24mg, Sodium: 85mg, Potassium: 38mg, Fiber: 0.4g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 1283IU, Vitamin C: 0.3mg, Calcium: 14mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

Substitutions and Variations

  • Swap the frosting. Try these pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting for a tangy twist.
  • Mix in chocolate chips or nuts. You can skip the caramel icing and fold in about 1 cup of chocolate chips or chopped pecans before baking.
  • Play with the spices. Add extra cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, or pumpkin pie spice if you want even more cozy fall flavor.
  • Make them festive. Top each cookie with a candy pumpkin or sprinkle with cinnamon or pumpkin spice before serving.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use fresh pumpkin puree instead of canned?

You can! I would swap equal amounts of freshly roasted pumpkin flesh (cooled) to the canned.

What if I can’t find store-bought pumpkin pie spice?

You can make your own pumpkin pie spice. It’s a simple mixture of spices you typically have on hand, such as cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove, and allspice (optional).

How to store iced pumpkin cookies?

Store in a covered container up to 3 days. Place cookies in a single layer so they don’t stick to each other.

Can I freeze pumpkin cookies with caramel frosting?

Yes! Cool completely, then flash freeze first on parchment paper lined pan pan and then place in a covered container. Keep the iced pumpkin cookies frozen up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in the fridge before serving.