Easy Perfect Pumpkin Spice Latte Cookies Recipe for Cozy Fall Baking

Fall in love with these easy, perfect pumpkin spice latte cookies

Hi friend! When the leaves start to drift and the air gets that crisp edge, there is nothing I love more than turning a cozy coffee shop favorite into a batch of soft, spiced cookies.

This recipe comes from Sharon Hsu of sparklecakerie.com, shared as a guest recipe on Modern Asian Baking by Kat Lieu, and it does exactly what the name promises. It captures the essence of the iconic fall pumpkin spice latte in cookie form.

Sharon ties the pumpkin spice latte to the start of autumn in New York City, and once these cookies come out of the oven, that same feeling shows up in your own kitchen. They are not too sweet.

They are slightly cakey in the best possible way. And they are finished with a creamy frosting that makes them look like something from a bakery case.

I baked my first batch on a gray Saturday while a pot of coffee was still warm on the counter. The kitchen smelled like cinnamon and butter, and by the time the cookies cooled, the frosting bowl had already been tested twice with a spoon. That is the kind of recipe this is. Simple, cozy, and made for sharing.

Because the recipe yields 8 cookies, it is a lovely small batch for a holiday gathering, a plate for the neighbors, or a quiet weekend treat. The dough needs time in the fridge, so plan a little ahead. That waiting time is also a fine excuse to pour something warm and enjoy the season.

The Best Pumpkin Spice Latte Cookies Recipe

What makes this the best version I have tried? It stays honest. There are no fussy techniques and no long list of specialty spices. You stir, whisk, fold, scoop, chill, bake, and frost. That is the whole story.

Here is a quick snapshot before you start.

Two components make up the finished cookie. First comes the pumpkin spice cookie itself, soft and gently spiced. Then comes the cream frosting, built on mascarpone and whipped cream instead of the usual powdered sugar buttercream. That frosting is what turns a good cookie into a pumpkin spice latte cookie.

The flavor leans warm rather than sugary, which is why I keep making them. Ground cinnamon does the heavy lifting in the dough, and the frosting brings the creamy coffee shop feel without turning cloying. If you are baking for a crowd, double the batch and work in two rounds so your trays stay cold.

One more reason I come back to this recipe every fall: a single can of pumpkin stretches across several batches. Nothing gets wasted, and the pumpkin keeps the crumb soft and tender.

Ingredients

I weigh everything in grams, and I really do recommend it here. Gram amounts keep the pumpkin puree and the butter in balance, which matters a lot in a soft dough.

For the Pumpkin Spice Cookies

• 160 grams all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 113 grams unsalted butter, softened
• 120 grams light brown sugar
• 80 grams canned pumpkin puree, Libby’s works best

For the Cream Frosting

• 135 grams whipped cream
• 270 grams mascarpone
• 30 to 40 grams brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Ground cinnamon, for topping

A few notes from my own kitchen. Softened butter should still feel cool and hold a gentle dent when you press it. If it is greasy or melted, the dough turns slack.

The source specifically recommends Libby’s for the pumpkin puree, and I keep a can in the pantry all season for exactly this reason. If your canned pumpkin looks watery, blot it gently with a paper towel before measuring.

For the frosting, mascarpone gives you that rich, spoonable texture, while whipped cream lightens it so the whole thing stays airy instead of heavy. The brown sugar amount is flexible between 30 and 40 grams, so start at 30 grams and taste.

Vanilla rounds it out, and a final dusting of ground cinnamon on top ties everything back to the latte that inspired it.

One small thing I learned the hard way: measure the flour by weight, not by scooping straight from the bag. A heavy cup of flour makes a dry dough, and this recipe is at its best when it stays soft and slightly cakey.

Instructions

Do not preheat the oven yet. This dough needs a rest in the fridge first, so start with the mixing bowls and let the oven wait.

1. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
2. In another medium bowl, whisk together the softened unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and pumpkin puree until combined.
3. Fold the dry ingredients into the pumpkin butter mixture until no streaks of wet or dry spots remain. Do not overmix.
4. Scoop the dough with a 1.5 oz ice cream scoop, about 3 tablespoons each, onto a parchment lined or plastic lined tray, placing them close together. Chill for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until the mixture is firm.
5. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit without a fan, or 325 degrees Fahrenheit with a fan.
6. Transfer the chilled cookie dough balls to a parchment lined baking sheet, spacing them about 3 inches apart. Bake for 12 to 16 minutes, or until the cookies are to your preferred texture. Move the cookies to a wire rack to cool.
7. While the cookies are cooling, in a medium bowl, mix the cheese, heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla until smooth and thick. It should hold its shape. Do not overmix. If your cookies are still warm, wrap your bowl of frosting and keep it in the fridge until ready to frost.
8. Pipe a swirl of frosting on top of each thoroughly cooled cookie, or use a spoon to add about 2 to 3 tablespoons. Dust with ground cinnamon and enjoy.

Step by step, this is a forgiving bake. The fold in step 3 is the one place where I slow down. Stop as soon as the last dry streaks disappear, because a barely mixed dough bakes up tender. Keep stirring past that point and the cookies turn tough.

Cold dough bakes thick. Give the scooped dough the full chill time and your cookies keep that soft, slightly cakey middle.

That scoop size matters more than it sounds. A 1.5 oz scoop gives you roughly 3 tablespoons per cookie and lands you right at 8 cookies from this batch.

If you only have measuring spoons, measure 3 level tablespoons and roll each portion into a ball with your hands. Then line them up close together on the tray, cover, and chill. In my experience the chilling step is not optional.

Cold dough spreads less, so the cookies bake up thick instead of flat.

Ovens run hot and cold, so check at 12 minutes. Pull them when the edges look set and the centers still feel soft to a light touch. They firm up as they cool on the rack. If you prefer a firmer cookie, leave them in closer to 16 minutes.

The frosting comes together in one bowl and takes only a couple of minutes. Mix the mascarpone, heavy cream, brown sugar, and vanilla until smooth and thick, then stop. Overmixing can make it loose, and you want it to hold its shape so a piped swirl stays where you put it.

Wait for the cookies to cool completely before frosting. If they are still warm, wrap the bowl and keep the frosting in the fridge until you are ready. Then pipe a swirl or spoon about 2 to 3 tablespoons onto each cookie, dust with ground cinnamon, and serve.

My favorite way to eat them is with a cup of strong coffee on a cool morning. The frosting is creamy, the cookie is soft, and the cinnamon on top brings the whole thing home. Enjoy!

Recommended Products

While you are mixing and scooping, here are the products the source lists alongside this recipe. I have kept the notes short and practical.

108 Asian Cookies

This cookie focused cookbook is one of the recommended products listed with the recipe. If you like baking your way through a single subject, it fits neatly on the shelf next to this one. It is a good companion for anyone who wants more cookie ideas once this batch disappears.

Modern Asian Kitchen

This is another recommended title from the same source, the blog where this pumpkin spice latte cookie recipe was published. It is a solid pick if you want a wider look at the style of baking behind the site, beyond a single seasonal cookie.

Mooncake Molds

The source also lists mooncake molds among its recommended products. If you bake Asian pastry recipes, a mold is a handy tool to keep in the drawer. It has nothing to do with this cookie recipe, but it belongs to the same recommended list.

Silpat Perfect Cookie Non Stick Silicone Baking Mat, 11 5/8

A silicone baking mat is one of those small upgrades that makes cookie day easier. The source lists this Silpat mat by name. Since this recipe already calls for parchment lined trays and sheets, a reusable mat is a natural swap when you want less paper. Either way, keep the chilled dough balls spaced about 3 inches apart.

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Fall in love with these easy, perfect pumpkin spice latte cookies Hi friend! When the leaves start to drift and the air gets that crisp edge, there is nothing I love more than turning a cozy coffee shop favorite into a batch of soft, spiced cookies.

• Total Time: 94 min
• Yield: 8 cookies 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For Pumpkin Spice Cookies
160 grams all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
113 grams unsalted butter, softened
120 grams light brown sugar
80 grams canned pumpkin puree, Libby’s works best

For Cream Frosting
135 grams whipped cream
270 grams mascarpone
30 to 40 grams brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon, for topping

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Instructions

To make the cookies
1-In a small bowl, stir together the: In a small bowl, stir together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
2-In another medium bowl, whisk together the: In another medium bowl, whisk together the softened unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and pumpkin puree until combined.
3-Fold the dry ingredients into the pumpkin: Fold the dry ingredients into the pumpkin butter mixture until no streaks of wet or dry spots remain. Don’t overmix.
4-Scoop the dough with a 1: Scoop the dough with a 1.5 oz ice cream scoop (about 3 tbsp each) onto a parchment- or plastic-lined tray, placing them close together. Chill for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until the mixture is firm.
5-When ready to bake, preheat the oven: When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (without a fan) or 325°F (with a fan).
6-Transfer the chilled cookie dough balls to: Transfer the chilled cookie dough balls to a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 3 inches apart. Bake for 12 to 16 minutes, or until the cookies are to your preferred texture. Move cookies to a wire rack to cool.
7-While the cookies are cooling, in a: While the cookies are cooling, in a medium bowl, mix the cheese, heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla until smooth and thick. Should hold its shape. Don’t overmix. If your cookies are still warm, wrap your bowl of frosting and keep it in the fridge until ready to frost.
8-Pipe a swirl of frosting on top: Pipe a swirl of frosting on top of each thoroughly cooled cookie, or use a spoon to add about 2 to 3 tablespoons. Dust with ground cinnamon and enjoy!

Last Step:

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• Prep Time: 18 min
• Cook Time: 16 min
• Method: bake