Description
Delightfully soft pumpkin cookies topped with a creamy cinnamon frosting, perfect for fall celebrations or anytime you crave a spiced sweet treat. These vegan cookies combine pumpkin puree and warm spices for a moist texture, then are finished with a luscious cinnamon-infused vegan buttercream frosting.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1/2 cup vegan butter, softened
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Cinnamon Frosting
- 1 cup vegan butter, softened
- 3 teaspoons vanilla paste (or extract)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or cinnamon)
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 3 1/4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Cream Wet Ingredients: In a stand mixer or large bowl, cream together the softened vegan butter, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cornstarch, and salt thoroughly.
- Mix Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients bowl, mixing on low speed until just combined. Avoid over-mixing to keep the cookies tender.
- Chill Dough: Cover the dough bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight. This chilling step is crucial to ensure proper texture and shape during baking.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C) and prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a baking mat.
- Shape Cookies: Using a medium cookie scooper or large spoon, scoop 2-inch dough balls and flatten them into disks with your fingers or the bottom of a glass. Arrange them a couple of inches apart on the baking sheet.
- Bake Cookies: Place the baking sheet on the center rack and bake for 12 minutes until the cookies are set but still soft. Remove from oven and let them cool completely on the baking sheet.
- Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, whip together vegan butter, vanilla paste, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar, and powdered sugar using an electric mixer or stand mixer until smooth and creamy. Cover and refrigerate if not using immediately.
- Decorate Cookies: Spoon the frosting into a piping bag fitted with Wilton Piping Tip #2A. Pipe swirls of cinnamon frosting on top of each cooled cookie, starting from the center outwards. Optionally, sprinkle with additional pumpkin pie spice.
- Serve and Enjoy: Let the frosting set slightly before serving. Store leftovers as noted.
Notes
- Chilling the dough is essential to prevent spreading and achieve the perfect cookie texture.
- You can substitute pumpkin pie spice with cinnamon and nutmeg if unavailable.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days, refrigerate up to 7 days, or freeze unfrosted cookies or dough for up to 2 months.
- For a thicker frosting, add more powdered sugar; for a thinner consistency, add a splash of plant-based milk.
- Use vegan butter and powdered sugar that are processed without bone char to keep the recipe fully vegan.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
