Oh, you bake for the sheer joy of it, right? I totally get that! There’s something so incredibly special about those homemade treats that just feel like a warm hug from the past. My Grandma’s kitchen always smelled like cinnamon and sugar, and when autumn arrived, she’d pull out her recipe for these unbelievably soft, melt-in-your-mouth Amish pumpkin cookies with frosting. Seriously, they’re like a little piece of edible nostalgia! We’re talking classic, old-fashioned goodness that’s surprisingly simple to whip up, even with a busy schedule. It’s all about those cozy vibes and a little bit of baking magic, just like Grandma used to do.
- Why You'll Love These Amish Pumpkin Cookies with Frosting
- Ingredients for Perfect Amish Pumpkin Cookies with Frosting
- Crafting Your Amish Pumpkin Cookies with Frosting: Step-by-Step
- Tips for Success with Amish Pumpkin Cookies
- Variations for Your Amish Pumpkin Cookies
- Make-Ahead and Storage for Amish Pumpkin Cookies
- Frequently Asked Questions about Amish Pumpkin Cookies
- Nutritional Information for Amish Pumpkin Cookies with Frosting
- Share Your Amish Pumpkin Cookie Creations!
Why You’ll Love These Amish Pumpkin Cookies with Frosting
Get ready to fall in love with these cookies! Here’s why they’re going to be your new favorite:
- Ultra-Soft Texture: Thanks to the shortening and pumpkin, they stay incredibly soft, just like you’d expect from true old-fashioned cookies.
- Classic Amish Style: These taste just like the ones you remember, simple, comforting, and made with care.
- Super Easy to Make: No fancy techniques needed! You can have these ready to go in no time.
- Perfect for Holidays & Potlucks: They’re a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for any fall gathering or church supper.
- Dreamy Frosting: That sweet, tangy cream cheese frosting is the perfect finishing touch. It’s just divine!
Ingredients for Perfect Amish Pumpkin Cookies with Frosting
Okay, so gathering your ingredients is the first step to cookie greatness! You’ll want to have everything measured out and ready to go. For these lovely, soft Amish pumpkin cookies, you’ll need:
- 1 cup shortening (this is key for that classic soft texture!)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs – make sure they’re room temperature if you can manage it!
- 1 cup pumpkin puree – and make sure it’s PURE pumpkin, friend, not pumpkin pie filling! 😉
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract – the good stuff always makes a difference.
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
And for that dreamy frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, make sure it’s nice and soft
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, also softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar – sifted if you’re feeling fancy!
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Crafting Your Amish Pumpkin Cookies with Frosting: Step-by-Step
Alright, let’s get to the fun part – making these amazing Amish pumpkin cookies with frosting! It’s not complicated at all, I promise. Just follow along, and we’ll have a batch ready in no time. You can find even more details on making them over at my other post, but here’s the simplified version right here!
Preparing the Soft Pumpkin Cookie Dough
First things first, let’s get that oven preheated to 350°F (175°C). While it’s warming up, line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper. In a big bowl, we’re going to cream our shortening and sugar together until it gets nice and fluffy. This is where the magic starts! Once that’s looking light and airy, beat in your eggs, one at a time, and then stir in that lovely pumpkin puree and vanilla. In a separate bowl, just whisk together your flour, baking soda, salt, and all those warm spices – cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Now, gradually add the dry stuff to your wet mixture. Mix until it’s just combined; seriously, don’t overdo it, or they won’t be as soft!
Baking Your Amish Pumpkin Cookies to Perfection
Now for the baking! Grab a rounded tablespoon of that dough and drop it onto your prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between them. We don’t want them sticking together. Pop them into the oven and bake for about 10 to 12 minutes. You’re looking for the edges to be just lightly golden. Don’t worry if the centers still look a little soft; that’s exactly what we want for that perfect tender texture! Let them cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes – that helps them firm up just enough – and then carefully move them to a wire rack to cool completely. Patience here is key!
Whipping Up the Cream Cheese Frosting
While our cookies are doing their cooling thing, let’s whip up that delightful cream cheese frosting. Grab a medium bowl and beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until it’s super smooth and creamy. No lumps allowed! Then, gradually beat in the powdered sugar, a cup at a time, until the frosting is light and fluffy. Give it a final stir with the vanilla extract, and voilà! You’ve got the perfect frosting for these cookies. It’s honestly so simple but tastes incredible.
Assembling Your Frosted Pumpkin Cookies
Once your cookies are completely cool – and I mean *completely*, otherwise, the frosting will melt right off – it’s time to assemble! You can do it two ways: either spread a dollop of frosting onto the bottom of one cookie and then sandwich it with another, or just frost the tops of individual cookies. Either way, they’re going to look and taste amazing!
Tips for Success with Amish Pumpkin Cookies
You want these babies to turn out perfect, right? I’ve picked up a few little tricks over the years that really make a difference! First off, please, please, please use real pumpkin puree and NOT pumpkin pie filling. They’re totally different, and the pie filling has all sorts of extra goodies that will mess with your cookie’s texture and flavor. Trust me on this one! If you’re looking for other pumpkin ideas, I’ve got a great pumpkin pie cookie recipe and even some yummy maple pumpkin cookies.
Also, don’t go crazy mixing the dough once you add the flour. Just mix until it’s *barely* combined. Overmixing is the enemy of soft cookies; it brings out the gluten and can make them tough instead of tender. And for frosting? Make sure those cookies are COMPLETELY cool before you even think about adding the frosting. A warm cookie will just melt all that lovely cream cheese goodness into a sugary puddle. We want pretty cookies, after all!
Variations for Your Amish Pumpkin Cookies
While these Amish pumpkin cookies with frosting are pretty perfect as-is, you know I love to play around in the kitchen! If you’re feeling adventurous, try adding about a quarter cup more of pumpkin pie spice to the dry ingredients – that gives them an extra kick! Or maybe some chopped pecans or walnuts for a little crunch? They’d be delicious! Another idea is to swap out the cream cheese frosting for a simple brown sugar frosting. Just cream some butter and powdered sugar with brown sugar and a splash of milk – it gives a totally different, but equally yummy, vibe! For more pumpkin fun, check out my pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies too!
Make-Ahead and Storage for Amish Pumpkin Cookies
These Amish pumpkin cookies are total superstars when it comes to making ahead! You can totally bake them and store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They stay nice and soft! Just frost them right before you’re ready to serve, or do it the day before if you need to. Trust me, they’re perfect for those holiday cookie trays or when you’re prepping for a potluck!
Frequently Asked Questions about Amish Pumpkin Cookies
Got questions about these delightful Amish pumpkin cookies? I love hearing from you all! It’s totally normal to have a few queries, especially when you’re trying a new (or old!) recipe. Here are some of the things folks ask me most often, and if you love pumpkin, you might also want to peek at my chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies!
Can I use butter instead of shortening in these Amish pumpkin cookies?
You know, shortening is really the secret sauce for that super soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture that makes these cookies so special and similar to what folks call ‘Crisco cookies.’ Butter can make them a bit more cake-like and might spread a little differently. If you *must* use butter, make sure it’s softened, but expect a slightly different, though still delicious, result!
How do I get my frosted pumpkin cookies to look neat?
For that perfectly neat look on your frosted pumpkin cookies, really let them cool completely! Then, you can use a small offset spatula to spread the frosting nice and evenly. Or, if you’re feeling fancy, pop that creamy frosting into a piping bag with a star tip – it looks so professional and is surprisingly easy!
Are these cookies similar to Crisco cookies?
Yes! If you remember those wonderfully soft cookies made with Crisco shortening, you’re on the right track. Shortening is the key ingredient that gives these Amish pumpkin cookies that signature tender, delicate crumb. They’re definitely in the same family of dreamy, soft cookies that just disappear off the plate!
Nutritional Information for Amish Pumpkin Cookies with Frosting
You know, when I dive into baking these delicious Amish pumpkin cookies with frosting, I’m usually not thinking too much about the numbers, but it’s always good to have a general idea! Keep in mind, this is just an estimate, and it can totally change depending on your exact ingredients and how big you make each cookie. But roughly, one of these soft, frosted beauties has about 250 calories, 12g of fat, 2g of protein, and comes in around 35g of carbohydrates, with about 25g of that being sugar. Always good to know! If you’re curious about other cookie types, you might enjoy my protein cookies recipe too!
Share Your Amish Pumpkin Cookie Creations!
I would just LOVE to hear how your Amish pumpkin cookies turned out! Did you try the cream cheese frosting or maybe the brown sugar one? Snap a picture and tag me on social media, or leave a comment below with all the delicious details. Sharing your baking adventures makes my day! You can always reach out and share directly through my contact page too!
PrintAmish Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Soft, old-fashioned Amish-style pumpkin cookies with a rich cream cheese frosting, perfect for fall gatherings and holiday cookie trays.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 12 min
- Total Time: 32 min
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 cup shortening
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. The centers should still look soft.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cookies cool, prepare the frosting: In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth.
- Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until the frosting is light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Once the cookies are completely cool, spread or pipe the cream cheese frosting onto the bottoms of half the cookies and sandwich them together. Alternatively, frost the tops of individual cookies.
Notes
- For make-ahead convenience, you can bake the cookies and store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Frost them just before serving or up to a day in advance.
- These cookies are best when soft. Avoid overbaking.
- You can substitute brown sugar frosting for a different flavor profile.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 100mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg