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Pumpkin Cookies with Caramel Icing

Melt in your mouth soft pumpkin cookies topped with rich caramel icing. Simply the best pumpkin dessert out there and a must-make this fall!

Pumpkin cookies on white plate.
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The Best Iced Pumpkin Cookies

This is one of my all-time favorite recipes for fall. I make these cookies every year, as well as my famous pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and pumpkin bars. The fall season just doesn’t feel right without enjoying these delicious pumpkin recipes!

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

These pumpkin cookies are so soft (they literally melt in your mouth) and the heavenly caramel icing is worth making all on it’s own. Their taste gets even better the next day and they stay super tender and delicious. If there’s one dessert to make this fall, these pumpkin cookies with caramel frosting are it!

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 Icing for Pumpkin Cookies

These cookies taste delicious as-is, but adding the caramel icing really takes them over the top. It’s made with a mixture of butter, heavy cream, powdered sugar, light brown sugar and vanilla and is rich and sweet with an amazing caramel flavor. It’s the perfect finishing touch on top!

Variations

You could also make these pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting or mix chocolate chips or chopped nuts into the batter for a fun twist. Fee free to add more fall spices like nutmeg, cloves or a bit more pumpkin pie spice to taste.

The Secret to Soft Pumpkin Cookies

The extra soft texture is what makes these cookies so delicious. Here are a few ways to achieve it:

  • Pumpkin and egg. Pumpkin can often be substituted for eggs in most desserts, so because this recipe calls for both pumpkin puree and an egg, the end result is a fluffy cake-like texture that will literally melt in your mouth.
  • Line your pan. Make sure to line your pan with parchment or a silpat mat so that the bottoms don’t brown. If they brown, they’ll be too chewy.
  • Don’t over bake. You almost want to slightly under bake these cookies. They only need to bake in the oven for about 10 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. They’ll continue baking on the pan for a few minutes once removed, then you can transfer them to a cooling rack.

How to Make Pumpkin Cookies

Making pumpkin cookies.
  1. Mix. 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.
  2. Scoop. Using a medium cookie scoop or large spoon, scoop dough onto a lined baking sheet.
  3. Bake. 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.

How to Make Caramel Icing

Making 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.
  • 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.

Expert Tips

  • Make sure the cookies have cooled completely before frosting. You don’t want it to melt.
  • Once the caramel frosting is ready, frost the cookies immediately. It hardens quickly, so you have to work fast!
  • Sometimes I add a candy pumpkin on top to make them more festive.
  • You could skip the frosting all-together and mix in 1 cup chocolate chips before baking.
  • Sprinkle with cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice before serving for even more flavor.
Iced pumpkin cookies with a bite taken.

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 icing?

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.

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

More Delicious Fall Desserts

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iced pumpkin cookies with a bite taken

Iced Pumpkin Cookies

5 from 20 votes
↑ Click stars to rate now!
Author: Jamielyn Nye
Melt in your mouth soft pumpkin cookies topped with rich caramel icing. Simply the best pumpkin dessert out there and a must-make this fall!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Cool Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 36

Video

Ingredients 

Cookies

  • 1 cup unsalted butter , softened
  • cup light brown sugar , packed
  • 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 the butter, brown sugar, and sugar together with an electric mixer. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Mix in the pumpkin until smooth.
  • In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and 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 butter, heavy cream, and 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 the vanilla and 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.

Notes

Variations:
  • 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.

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian

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