These Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies are soft, chewy, sweet and finished with a rich, thick layer of maple cream cheese frosting. It’s the ultimate fall cookie recipe that’s sprinkled with just the right amount of pumpkin spice to swoon all your friends.
Why you’ll love these oatmeal pumpkin cookies
Fast and flavorful! I don’t know about you, but if I can get a cookie recipe mixed, baked, cooled and iced in under an hour, then that’s a cookie recipe I definitely have to try. Although we do recommend a 30-minute chill for the best texture (more on that later), these cookies can be mixed and baked right on the spot. A great go-to when you need a last-minute cookie to the rescue.
Inspiration at its best! These taste a bit like Little Debbie’s Cream Pies, you know, the old-school oatmeal cookies with the super sweet, creamy center. But the real inspiration came from Crumbl Cookies – a cookie spot that makes a huge cookie base with a rich, thick layer of frosting. Plus, I loved how the icing on top gave the cookies a cream-colored, glossy finish.
Puts our pumpkin obsession to good use! Like we needed another reason to celebrate pumpkin?! These pumpkin cookies celebrate all there is to love about this orange beaut, along with the warming, aromatic spices that bring out the fall season. Since we already have Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, Pumpkin Spice French Toast, Pumpkin Tiramisu Trifles, Pumpkin Overnight Oats and Pumpkin Spice Dalgona Coffee, we thought one more pumpkin recipe couldn’t hurt.
Ingredients for pumpkin oat cookies
The ingredients today are broken up into two parts – cookies and frosting. Here’s what you’ll need for both:
Cookies
- All-purpose flour
- Old fashioned oats
- Baking soda
- Cinnamon
- Kosher salt
- Unsalted butter
- White granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
- Canned pumpkin puree
- Vanilla extract
- Egg
Frosting
- Cream cheese
- Maple syrup
- Powdered sugar
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Kosher salt
How to make pumpkin cookies
- Prep the equipment: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl mix together all-purpose flour, old-fashioned oats, baking soda, cinnamon and kosher salt.
- Cream wet ingredients: In a separate large bowl fitted with a hand or stand mixer, beat together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add in pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, and egg to the butter mixture until combined.
- Mix cookie batter: Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and beat together until just combined.
- Form cookies: Drop ¼ cup dough balls onto the baking sheet spread out apart from each other.
- Bake and cool: Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the sides are golden brown. Cool on a cooking rack for 5-10 minutes to cool completely before frosting.
- Make frosting: In a medium bowl fitted with a stand or hand mixer add in cream cheese, maple syrup, powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice and a pinch of kosher salt. Mix together until mixture is creamy and smooth, but still spreadable. Add in 1-2 tsp of milk or half and half if the mixture is too thick.
Cakey vs chewy cookies
The secret to chewy pumpkin oatmeal cookies is to blot the pumpkin. Too much moisture equals cakey cookies. To do so, simply line a plate with a few paper towels, spread the pumpkin puree on top, then top with a few more paper towels and blot some of the moisture out. You won’t be able to get all of the liquid out, but you’ll see a significant amount of water absorb into the paper towels.
A bit of extra work, but the results are well worth the effort!
Storage instructions
Store extra cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. The cookies need to be kept in the fridge because of the cream cheese frosting. If I don’t have a container big enough to fit the cookies in one layer, I like to place a piece of parchment between the layers so I don’t ruin the maple icing.
To freeze, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour. Transfer the now frozen cookies to a plastic storage bag, seal tight, label, date and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw right on the kitchen counter.
Tips for the best pumpkin cookies:
- Blot the pumpkin puree with paper towels. Removing some of the moisture from the pumpkin will result in a chewier cookie.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes, and up to 48 hours, allowing time for the flavors to marry. Plus, it gives the cookies a plumper appeal.
- Use a quarter cup measuring scoop. This makes for giant, equally proportioned cookies every time.
- Press the cookies down slightly with the palm of your hand. This helps them spread a little more in the oven.
- Cool completely before frosting. The icing will melt if spread on warm cookies.
- Add some mix-ins. Get creative and add up to 3/4 cup each of walnuts, raisins and/or chocolate chips.
- Make them vegan. Replace the egg with a flax egg and use vegan butter and cream cheese for the cookie base and frosting.
Looking for more cookie recipes? Check these out!
- Browned Butter Dark Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies
- Nutella Filled Pumpkin Cookies
- Salted Caramel Filled Cookies
- Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie
If you make this Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookie recipe, be sure to tag me on Pinterest and Instagram!
I seriously love seeing what you guys are making and sharing your creations with the College Housewife community!
Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
ingredients
For cookies:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups old fashioned oats
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- For maple cream cheese frosting:
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 1-2 tsp milk or half-and-half if needed
instructions
- Prep the equipment: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl mix together all-purpose flour, old-fashioned oats, baking soda, cinnamon and kosher salt.
- Cream wet ingredients: In a separate large bowl fitted with a hand or stand mixer, beat together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add in pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, and egg to the butter mixture until combined.
- Mix cookie batter: Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and beat together until just combined.
- Form cookies: Drop ¼ cup dough balls onto the baking sheet spread out apart from each other.
- Bake and cool: Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the sides are golden brown. Cool on a cooking rack for 5-10 minutes to cool completely before frosting.
- Make frosting: In a medium bowl fitted with a stand or hand mixer add in cream cheese, maple syrup, powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice and a pinch of kosher salt. Mix together until mixture is creamy and smooth, but still spreadable. Add in 1-2 tsp of milk or half and half if the mixture is too thick.
notes
Just pulled the first tray out of the oven and had to try one with the frosting before it was totally cooled. The frosting itself is so good that I think I’m going to put it on my next batch of banana bread. Great fall recipe and I appreciate that you can actually taste the pumpkin in the cookies. These will be proudly shared with the neighbors. Thank you!
These are the perfect fall cookie! Light and fluffy and not too sweet. Delicious even without the frosting.
Thanks so much Kendra! So glad you are enjoying them 🙂 my fav with morning coffee!