Easy Vegan Pumpkin Cookies (With Cream Cheese Frosting)
These vegan pumpkin cookies merge the warm, spiced notes of autumn with a soft, chewy, and slightly cakey cookie texture. Paired with vegan cream cheese frosting, they’re a decadent and indulgent treat to serve with a cup of tea or a latte this fall season.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Hand mixer
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Baking trays
- Baking mat
- Spatula
- Whisk
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine-grain salt
Wet ingredients
- ¾ cup vegan butter (softened)
- 1 cup light brown sugar (packed)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup canned pumpkin purée (patted dry with a paper towel)
Frosting
- 5 ¼ ounces vegan cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1 ½ tablespoons vegan butter (softened)
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 - 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Dough
- Sift the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a mixing bowl. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the vegan butter and brown sugar with a stand mixer or hand mixer until light and airy. Add the vanilla and pumpkin purée, then mix again until smooth.
- Add the dry mixture to the bowl of wet ingredients and combine on low speed or by hand until the dough just comes together.
Bake
- Scoop 1 ½-2 tablespoons using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon, then spread them out evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Make sure to leave room between the dough balls as they will spread slightly as they bake.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges are set and lightly browned. Remove them from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Frosting
- Using a hand mixer, beat the softened vegan butter and cream cheese until creamy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat everything together until smooth and creamy, adding more sugar as needed.
- Once the cookies have cooled, frost them generously and sprinkle the tops with a bit of cinnamon or more pumpkin spice if you’d like. Happy eating!
Notes
- Flour measurement: Always spoon and level your flour rather than scooping it out with a measuring cup to avoid excess flour and dense cookies. If you have access, we suggest using a kitchen scale for the most accurate measurements.
- Pumpkin purée: Ensure your pumpkin purée is not pumpkin pie filling, which contains added sugars and spices. Aim for 100% pumpkin puree.
- Fresh leavening agents: Always use fresh baking soda and baking powder for the best rise. If you’re not sure when you last purchased yours, it’s best to replace them!
- Even spacing: Leave enough space between each cookie on the baking sheet as they will expand slightly as they cook.
- Baking time: Keep an eye on your cookies since oven temperatures can vary quite a bit. The cookies should look set but still soft in the middle.
- Cooling: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. This prevents unwanted breakage.
- Frosting: For the best texture, aim for a frosting that’s thick but spreadable. You can adjust it with powdered sugar or a splash of non-dairy milk if needed.
- Nutritional information is a rough estimate and should not be taken as health advice.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 191.7kcal | Carbohydrates: 27.9g | Protein: 1.7g | Fat: 8.3g | Saturated Fat: 2.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2.7g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Sodium: 213.2mg | Potassium: 35.3mg | Fiber: 0.7g | Sugar: 17.1g | Vitamin A: 390.2IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 24.5mg | Iron: 0.8mg
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