Dairy Free Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Fall is finally here, and I always get the urge to bake something cozy with pumpkin.

These soft dairy free pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting are one of my favorite things to make this time of year.

They bake up thick and pillowy, with plenty of warm spices in every single bite.

Finding a good dessert can be tricky when you cannot have butter or milk, so this recipe is completely dairy free.

The simple frosting adds just the right amount of sweetness, making them taste like a bakery treat at home.

Why This Recipe Is a Keeper

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Softness – Chilling the dough keeps them wonderfully thick and pillowy, giving you an ultra-soft, cake-like texture in every bite.

Classic Cream Cheese Flavor – You get that rich, tangy frosting taste you love without using a single drop of real dairy.

Warm Autumn Spices – Generous spoonfuls of cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice bring out the best fall flavors in the sweet dough.

Simple Everyday Ingredients – You likely already have the basic baking staples, canned pumpkin, and spices sitting in your pantry right now.

Here’s What You’ll Need

For the Cookies

• 1/2 cup Dairy Free Butter, Softened
• 1 cup Light Brown Sugar, Packed
• 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 cup Pumpkin Puree
• 1 Large Egg
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 2 1/4 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Salt

For the Frosting

• 4 oz Dairy Free Cream Cheese, Softened
• 3 tbsp Dairy Free Butter, Softened
• 2 cups Powdered Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon

How to Make It

Step 1

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

Step 2

In a large bowl, beat the dairy free butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in the pumpkin puree, egg and vanilla until combined, even if the mixture looks slightly separated.

Step 3

Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until no streaks of flour remain. Cover the bowl and chill the soft dough for 30 minutes so the cookies bake up thick and pillowy.

Step 4

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop 2 tablespoon mounds of dough about 2 inches apart and gently flatten the tops with damp fingers, since these cookies spread very little.

Step 5

Bake for 12-14 minutes, until the tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 6

For the frosting, beat the dairy free cream cheese and dairy free butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and cinnamon and beat just until creamy and fluffy, about 1 minute.

Avoid overbeating, since dairy free cream cheese can turn runny. If the frosting feels soft, chill it for 10 minutes before using.

Step 7

Spread a generous swirl of frosting over each cooled cookie. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Recipe Tips

Blot the Pumpkin Puree

From my experience, canned pumpkin holds a lot of excess water that can make your cookies feel spongy or gummy.

I recommend spreading your measured pumpkin on a plate lined with paper towels and gently pressing down to soak up extra moisture before mixing it in.

This quick step concentrates the pumpkin flavor and gives the cookies a wonderful, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Pick Block Style Dairy-Free Products

You will get the best results if you use stick butter and brick-style cream cheese rather than products from a plastic tub.

Tub spreads contain extra water and oils, which can make the dough too sticky and thin out your frosting.

Stick-style options hold their shape much better and keep the cookies thick and pillowy.

Do Not Worry About Separation

When you beat the pumpkin into the creamed butter and sugar, the mixture will probably look curdled and broken.

I have found that this happens naturally because the water in the pumpkin resists the fat in the butter.

There is no need to keep beating it to fix it. Once you stir in your flour mixture, the batter will smooth right out.

What to Make Next

• Dairy Free Apple Crisp
• Dairy Free Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Dairy Free Cinnamon Roll Blondies
• Dairy Free Peach Cobbler Cookies
• Dairy Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream

Popular Questions

Why did my dairy-free frosting turn runny?

Dairy-free cream cheese has more water and less structure than dairy products, which makes it break down quickly if beaten too long.

Pop the bowl into the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up, or gently stir in an extra quarter cup of powdered sugar to bring back its shape.