These Small-batch Pumpkin Cookies are a pumpkiny fall dream. They’re chewy, spicy, soft, and smothered with tangy cream cheese frosting.
Hey, friend. Welcome to October, AKA the month where we put pumpkin into everything: pumpkin pasta , pumpkin pancakes , pumpkin donuts , pumpkin lattes , and today, cookies.
Might I interest you in some Small-batch Pumpkin Cookies With Cream Cheese Frosting?
(If your answer is no, we might not be able to keep being friends.)
These cookies are a pumpkiny fall dream: chewy, spicy, soft, and smothered with tangy cream cheese frosting.
The recipe will make just eight cookies, and like most of my small-batch cookie recipes , it’s quick, easy, and super simple to throw together.
The cookies are made with melted butter, so there’s no butter to soften (for the cookies–we’ll talk about the frosting in a sec), and the dough doesn’t need to be chilled. So you can decide to make some pumpkin cookies and have them baked and cooling on your counter in about 20 minutes.
Once the cookies are mostly cooled, it’s time to frost them. I used my favorite Cream Cheese Frosting , and folks, it’s really excellent cream cheese frosting.
Silky smooth, creamy, and just the right balance of tangy and sweet, you will probably want to eat it with a spoon, which I totally recommend–just try and leave some for the cookies too. 😉
Small-batch Pumpkin Cookies Recipe Notes
- If you don’t like cream cheese frosting, you can also use my small-batch Vanilla Frosting .
- While the cookies are made with melted butter, the cream cheese frosting uses softened cream cheese and softened butter. Take out the butter and cream cheese for the frosting when you take you the rest of your cookie ingredients and let them sit on the counter while you make your cookies. They should both be softened by the time the cookies are made, baked, and cooled. Though if your kitchen is cold, you may need to cut them into smaller pieces so they soften more quickly.
- For more small-batch cookies, try these Small-batch Chocolate Chip Cookies , Frosted Sugar Cookies , Peanut Butter Cookies , and Shortbread Cookies .
This recipe won’t use up an entire can of pumpkin puree. For ideas on what to do with the leftovers, check out What to Do With Leftover Pumpkin Puree.
Ingredients
Small-batch Pumpkin Cookies
- ▢ 4 tablespoons ( 2oz ) unsalted butter *
- ▢ 1 cup ( 120g ) all-purpose flour measured by weight or using the spoon and sweep method*
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon *
- ▢ 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- ▢ 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- ▢ 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
- ▢ Pinch of ground nutmeg
- ▢ 1/4 cup ( 50g ) granulated sugar
- ▢ 1/4 cup ( 50g ) brown sugar
- ▢ 1 large egg yolk
- ▢ 2 tablespoons ( 30g ) canned pumpkin puree
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- ▢ 2 ounces cream cheese softened
- ▢ 4 tablespoons ( 2oz ) unsalted butter softened
- ▢ 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ▢ 1 cup ( 120g ) powdered sugar sifted
- ▢ Pinch of salt
- ▢ 1 teaspoon milk optional
- ▢ Ground cinnamon or sprinkles optional for topping
Instructions
Pumpkin Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
- In a small, microwave-safe bowl, microwave butter for 20 to 30 seconds, until mostly melted. Set aside to cool.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar, and whisk until well-combined. Add egg yolk, canned pumpkin, and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth.
- Use a spoon to stir in flour mixture until just combined. Scoop 1 1/2-ounce scoops of dough (this should make 8 cookies) and place on a cookie sheet (for the roundest cookies, roll your dough into a ball before placing on the sheet). Use the palm of your hand to smash the dough to 1/2-inch thickness.
- Bake for 8 to 11 minutes, until the tops of the cookies look set and the bottoms are just slightly browned. Cool completely before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a medium bowl, combine softened cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth.
- Add powdered sugar and pinch of salt and beat until frosting is smooth, scraping the bottom of the bowl to make sure all of the sugar is incorporated. If the frosting is too thick, add milk by the half teaspoon until frosting is creamy and smooth.
- Frost on cooled cookies. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar or sprinkles if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Carnitas Nacho Fries are the perfect party food. They’re easy, stress-free, and a total crowd-pleaser.
You all know I’ve been on a bit of a carnitas kick the last few months.
I posted both (stove top) Carnitas and Slow Cooker Carnitas , along with Carnitas Tacos , Carnitas Enchiladas , and Carnitas Burrito Bowls to use up all that crispy, gorgeous meat.
I have one final (for now) carnitas recipe for you today, and it’s possibly my favorite because it’s so good/ridiculous/extra: Carnitas Nacho Fries.
Yes, that is a bunch of random good food words all smashed together, and yes, you absolutely need Carnitas Nachos Fries in your life. They are beautiful and wonderful and all things excellent in the world.
You should make them, and you should share them with friends because this is not eat-alone food.
This is make a big batch, set it out on the counter and let everyone grab cheesy, meat-covered fries while you chat food.
If people are gathering at your place (and they are people you like), you should do something nice for them and feed them nacho fries.
How to Make Carnitas Nacho Fries
Nacho fries are super easy and low-stress to make. You just need a warm batch of cooked carnitas, homemade (highly recommended) or store-bought, a bag of frozen french fries, and nacho toppings.
I went super basic with my toppings: cheese, pico de gallo , guac, and sour cream, but add whatever sounds good to you: beans, olives, corn, cheese sauce, etc.
- Bake the fries until they’re just shy of being perfectly crispy and add your hot and melty nacho ingredients: carnitas, cheese, and anything else you want warm.
- Pop the fries back in the oven and bake for just a few minutes until the cheese is melted and gooey. Once the cheese is melted, remove from oven, add the cold toppings, and you’re good to go. Serve immediately and tell everyone to dig in.
Carnitas Nacho Recipe Notes
- Nacho fries are best eaten immediately after cooking.
- If you’re making homemade carnitas for this dish, you can cook them the day before if it’s more convenient (carnitas actually taste better on the second day). Just reheat before adding to the nachos.
- Looking for more easy recipes for entertaining? Try Oven-roasted Tri-tip , Country-style Pork Ribs , Carne Asada Fries , and Snickerdoodles .
Ingredients
- ▢ 1 28-ounce bag frozen fries
- ▢ 2 1/2 cups cooked carnitas
- ▢ 1 to 2 cups shredded cheese
- ▢ 1 cup pico de gallo
- ▢ 1/2 cup sour cream
- ▢ 1/2 cup guacamole
- ▢ chopped cilantro optional
- ▢ Lime wedges optional
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake your fries according to package instructions, until just done.
- Set oven temperature to 350°F.
- Top cooked fries with warm carnitas and cheese, and return fries to the oven until cheese is melted, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add guacamole, pico de gallo, and sour cream. Sprinkle with cilantro if desired.
- Serve and enjoy!’
Notes
These Small-batch Snickerdoodles are thin and a little bendy, chewy with crispy edges and the perfect blend of sweet cinnamon spiciness and snickerdoodle tang.
A couple weeks ago, I shared my favorite snickerdoodle recipe , and if you’re looking to bake for a crowd or stock your freezer with cookie dough, I really, really love those cookies, but for my small-batch friends, today I have a snickerdoodle recipe just for you.
Let’s make some Small-batch Snickerdoodles.
These are not just a small-batch version of the cookies I posted last month. They’re a completely different breed of snickerdoodle. They’re thin and a little bendy, chewy with crispy edges and the perfect blend of sweet cinnamon spiciness and slight snickerdoodle tang.
I love them, and I really love that this recipe only makes six, because, oh man, are they addicting.
They’re also a cinch to make. Technically they require two bowls since you need something to put the cinnamon sugar in for rolling, but the cookie dough is made all in one bowl with your usual sugar cookie ingredients plus cream of tartar.
Cream of tartar is an essential snickerdoodle ingredient; it’s what gives them that little tangy kick that makes a snickerdoodle a snickerdoodle. BUT, if you don’t have it (and don’t want to buy it), feel free to omit it.
Instead of really good small-batch snickerdoodles, you’ll have really good small-batch cinnamon sugar cookies. And that’s nothing to complain about.
If it’s been a long week and you need a sweet little pick-me-up, these cookies might be just the thing you’re looking for.
Looking for more cookie recipes? Try these Small-batch Chocolate Chip Cookies , Small-batch Sugar Cookies , and Small-batch Peanut Butter Cookies .
Ingredients
Special Equipment
- ▢ Handheld electric mixer optional but helpful
Cinnamon Sugar
- ▢ 2 tablespoons ( 25g ) granulated sugar
- ▢ 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Small-batch Snickerdoodle Cookies
- ▢ 1/3 cup ( 76g ) salted butter softened
- ▢ 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon ( 80g ) granulated sugar
- ▢ 1 large egg yolk
- ▢ 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ▢ 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon ( 98g ) all-purpose flour measured by weight or using the spoon and sweep method*
- ▢ 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- ▢ 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ▢ 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Cinnamon Sugar
- In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon and stir until mixed. Set aside.
Small-batch Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and a line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
- In a medium bowl, combine butter and sugar and beat until light and fluffy, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Add egg yolk and vanilla, and beat until well-combined.
- Add flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt, and beat until dough comes together and begins to clump.
- Divide dough into 6 parts and roll into balls.
- Roll dough in cinnamon sugar and transfer to the prepared baking sheet, spaced well apart. Use the palm of your hand or the bottom of a glass to gently flatten each cookie to 1/2-inch thick, no thinner (for fluffier, softer cookies, skip this step).
- Bake for 9 to 12 minutes until the bottom edges of the cookies are just barely golden.
- Cool on the baking tray and enjoy!
Notes
Small-batch Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Small-batch Pumpkin Cookies
- 4 tablespoons ( 2oz ) unsalted butter *
- 1 cup ( 120g ) all-purpose flour measured by weight or using the spoon and sweep method*
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon *
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- 1/4 cup ( 50g ) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup ( 50g ) brown sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons ( 30g ) canned pumpkin puree
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 ounces cream cheese softened
- 4 tablespoons ( 2oz ) unsalted butter softened
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup ( 120g ) powdered sugar sifted
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon milk optional
- Ground cinnamon or sprinkles optional for topping
Instructions
Pumpkin Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
- In a small, microwave-safe bowl, microwave butter for 20 to 30 seconds, until mostly melted. Set aside to cool.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar, and whisk until well-combined. Add egg yolk, canned pumpkin, and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth.
- Use a spoon to stir in flour mixture until just combined. Scoop 1 1/2-ounce scoops of dough (this should make 8 cookies) and place on a cookie sheet (for the roundest cookies, roll your dough into a ball before placing on the sheet). Use the palm of your hand to smash the dough to 1/2-inch thickness.
- Bake for 8 to 11 minutes, until the tops of the cookies look set and the bottoms are just slightly browned. Cool completely before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a medium bowl, combine softened cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth.
- Add powdered sugar and pinch of salt and beat until frosting is smooth, scraping the bottom of the bowl to make sure all of the sugar is incorporated. If the frosting is too thick, add milk by the half teaspoon until frosting is creamy and smooth.
- Frost on cooled cookies. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar or sprinkles if desired. Serve and enjoy!
