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Pumpkin Sugar Cookies w/Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Supremely soft and chewy pumpkin sugar cookies frosted with a thick layer of brown butter cream cheese frosting!
Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time 9 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 24 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 38 Cookies

Ingredients
  

For the Cookies

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 2 ounces cream cheese
  • ½ cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup granulated sugar + 2 Tablespoons divided
  • cup powdered sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

For the Frosting

  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • 1 Tablespoon sour cream or greek yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • Pinch of salt
  • 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 8 ounces cream cheese divided into 8 pieces

Instructions
 

To make the Cookies

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tarter, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice; set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the butter and cream cheese together until smooth and creamy. Add the pumpkin, 1 cup granulated sugar, powdered sugar, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix until fully incorporated. Gradually stir flour mixture into wet ingredients until dough comes together.
  • Place remaining 2 Tablespoons of sugar into a small bowl. Roll dough into balls about the size of a golfball and place on the baking sheet. Repeat process with more dough until you have 10 or so balls spaced at least 2 inches apart. Coat the bottom of a glass with cooking spray, dip in the sugar, and flatten each dough ball to about 1/2-inch thickness. It's okay if the cookies form a rim on the edges. Spray more cooking spray on the bottom of the glass between batches, if needed.
  • Bake cookies for 7-9 minutes or until tops look mostly dry around the edges, yet still glossy in the center--no browning. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 3-4 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the Frosting

  • In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. As the butter melts, it'll start to foam, then turn a clear golden color. Continue to stir the butter, scraping up any browned specks from the bottom of the pan as it starts to brown. It should have a nutty aroma.
  • Once browned, pour butter into a shallow bowl and place in the freezer for about 30 minutes, or until it's solid and thoroughly chilled.
  • Scrape the butter out into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat for about 1 minute until lightened up and creamy. Add the sour cream, vanilla, salt, and 2 1/2 cups of the powdered sugar and beat for about 3 minutes until smooth.
  • Add cream cheese, one piece at a time, mixing well after each addition to prevent any lumps. Add the remaining 1 cup of powdered sugar, and beat for about 2 minutes until fluffy.
  • Spread frosting onto cooled cookies. Allow frosting to set (dry) before stacking or covering in plastic wrap. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to one week.