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Soft Pumpkin Sugar Cookies with Maple Cinnamon Buttercream

Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes 0 Reviews Jump to Recipe

The perfect fall cookie – these Soft Pumpkin Sugar Cookies with Maple Cinnamon Buttercream are perfectly soft with just the right amount of spice. The buttercream frosting gives them the perfect sweetness.

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If you are a pumpkin lover, make sure to check out all of my other pumpkin recipes!

soft sugar cookies with pumpkin topped with maple cinnamon buttercream and sprinkles

Soft Pumpkin Sugar Cookies with Maple Cinnamon Buttercream

I remember when I first made this recipe, quite a few years ago. I love notebooks, and have about a million of them that I keep around to take notes in or make lists. One day, while looking through an old notebook, I came across a page with a bunch of ideas for pumpkin recipes. The idea for these cookies was on that page.

I love the Lofthouse cookies. A soft sugar cookie with a sweet buttercream frosting. What’s not to love, right? Well, this pumpkin version hits all the right notes and more. They are slightly spicy from the pumpkin pie spice and the maple cinnamon buttercream is a home run. Seriously – if you are a fan of maple or cinnamon, you need this buttercream in your life.

Maple Cinnamon Buttercream on soft pumpkin sugar cookies

The Secret to Soft Cookies

The biggest thing to remember about these pumpkin sugar cookies is that keeping them soft is very important. And here are all the secrets on how to do that:

  • The number one thing you need to remember is to not overbake the cookies. If they are brown around the edges when you take them out of the oven, you’ve probably gone too far. The cookies need to be pale in color still and just set in the center. You don’t want them doughy in the center still, but they will continue to bake on the cookie sheet after you take them out, so remove them when they are just barely set.
  • They bake super fast – I only need about 7 minutes per batch.
  • Don’t overmix the dough. When you add in the dry ingredients, mix just until the dough is combined – not more.
  • Refrigerate your dough. If the dough is not cold, not only will it be harder to roll out, but the cookies may spread and you’ll end up with a flat cookie.
  • Since these are a rolled cookie, you’ll end up with extra dough that you’ll want to re-roll for more cookies. Just be aware that the more you handle the dough, the tougher and less soft the cookies become. The first batch is always the best. Try to re-roll as little as possible by cutting the cookies close together, utilizing as much dough as you can.
  • Don’t roll the dough too thin. Thinner dough equals harder cookies.
  • If not frosting right away, store the cooled cookies in an airtight container to retain softness. If frosting the cookies, store them in the refrigerator.

texture of Soft Pumpkin Sugar Cookies with Maple Cinnamon Buttercream

How to Make Buttercream

Buttercream is one of my favorite frostings to make because it is so easy! And it goes perfectly with these Soft Pumpkin Sugar Cookies. Here is how you make this Maple Cinnamon Buttercream:

  1. Start by beating the butter until it is light and fluffy. Start with room temperature butter. You don’t want it to be too soft, though, because then the frosting will end up too soft. Beat it until it turns a few shades lighter. This should take a couple of minutes.
  2. Beat in the maple extract. I use maple extract because the flavor is so concentrated. You could use maple syrup, but the flavor would not be as strong and you would need to add more. If you do, adjust the amount of powdered sugar.
  3. Start adding in the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  4. Add in the cinnamon and the salt, and beat to combine.
  5. I add the cream last, because sometimes I don’t need the full amount, so this can be added as needed. I always do add some, though, because I feel like it helps with the texture of the frosting.
  6. Once you have beat in the cream, continue to beat the frosting. This is a very important step. Technically, you could be done at this point, but beating the frosting a few more minutes makes the frosting light and fluffy and makes a huge difference.

More favorite cookie recipes:

Peppermint Holiday Soft Sugar Cookie Recipe
Oatmeal Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cookies
Peanut Butter Blossoms
Frosted Chocolate Sugar Cookies

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texture of Soft Pumpkin Sugar Cookies with Maple Cinnamon Buttercream

Soft Pumpkin Sugar Cookies with Maple Cinnamon Buttercream

  • Author: Deborah Harroun
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 7 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 60 cookies 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American
Print Recipe

Description

The perfect fall cookie – these Soft Pumpkin Sugar Cookies with Maple Cinnamon Buttercream are perfectly soft with just the right amount of spice. The buttercream frosting gives them the perfect sweetness.

Scale

Ingredients

Soft Pumpkin Sugar Cookies:

  • 6 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 cup butter, at room temperature
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree

Maple Cinnamon Buttercream:

  • 1 cup butter, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon maple extract
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt
  • 6 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • Sprinkles (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
  2. In the bowl of a mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides as needed. Add in the vanilla and pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture and mix until combined.
  3. Divide the mixture into 2 and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight.
  4. Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
  5. Lightly flour a work surface. Roll the dough to 1/4-inch thickness. The dough will be a little sticky, so use flour as needed to avoid sticking. Use a 2 to 2 1/2 inch round cookie cutter to cut out circles and transfer to the prepared baking sheets. Bake the cookies until just set and still pale, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack or piece of waxed paper to cool completely before frosting.
  6. To make the frosting: in a large bowl, beat the butter until soft and fluffy. Add in the maple extract. Add in the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time. Beat until combined completely. Add in the cinnamon and salt and beat, then add the cream and continue to beat until light and fluffy.
  7. Frost each cookie with the frosting and then top with sprinkles, if desired.

Recipe Notes:

Nutrition information provided as an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts. Any nutritional information should only be used as a general guideline.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cookie
  • Calories: 167
  • Sugar: 15 g
  • Sodium: 56 mg
  • Fat: 7 g
  • Saturated Fat: 4 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 24 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 2 g
  • Cholesterol: 28 mg

Keywords: Pumpkin sugar cookies

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Welcome to Taste and Tell. Here you will find easy, fast and family friendly recipes. I am a believer that anyone can cook and that dinner doesn’t have to be complicated. Come join me in my kitchen! Read More

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Comments

  6. Becky says

    Thank you, Deborah – these sound delicious! Instead of having to roll out and cut the dough, do you think it could be formed into a log, chilled and then sliced?

    Reply

  9. Karly says

    I keep a list of things in my phone, but of course autocorrect butcher them and I end up with completely inedible lists of crap.

    Maybe I should try it your way? These cookies look like a win!

    Reply

    • Deborah says

      @Karly, I’ve tried keeping lists on my phone, but then I end up with a ton of lists that I forget about. Oh wait – I guess the same thing happens with my notebooks!! 🙂

      Reply

  14. Heather of Kitchen Concoctions says

    I made a similar soft ‘bakery style’ pumpkin cookie last year. They were a huge hit, but because I wanted a cutesy Halloweeine cookie I cut mine into pumpkin shapes and stuck with a simple buttercream tinted slightly orange. I absolutely love your idea of frosting these with Maple Cinnamon Buttercream, and will have to try that when I whip up a batch this year! A perfect way to up the fall flavor! Genius!

    Reply