Frosted Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cookies
These frosted gluten-free pumpkin cookies taste just like the soft Lofthouse cookies you grew up on. They're thick, cakey, and full of cozy pumpkin spice, topped with a tangy yogurt cream cheese frosting made without powdered sugar. No one will ever guess they're gluten-free!
Ingredients
The Cookies:
- 3 cups gluten-free 1:1 baking flour, spooned and leveled, minus 2 tablespoons (see step 1)
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch*
- 2 - 3 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice , (I use 3 for a strong pumpkin flavor)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ½ cup pumpkin puree, room temperature
- ¼ cup greek yogurt (2 or 5%), room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (12 tbsp), room temperature
Cream Cheese Yougrt Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese or Neufchatel, room temperature
- ¼ cup greek yogurt (plain or vanilla), room temperature
- ¼ cup real maple syrup, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Mix the dry ingredients: Measure the gluten-free flour into a large bowl, then remove 2 tablespoons. Add the cornstarch, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until there are no lumps.
- Cream the butter and sugar: In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the wet ingredients: Beat in the egg, Greek yogurt, pumpkin purée, and vanilla until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients: Add the dry mixture in three parts on low speed, stopping as soon as the flour disappears. Scrape down the bowl.
- Chill the dough: Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Shape the cookies: Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie, roll into balls, and gently flatten to about ½ inch thick. Space them 2 inches apart.
- Bake: Bake one sheet at a time for 8 to 9 minutes, until puffed and just barely golden on the bottom. They will look underdone. Pull them at 8 minutes for the softest cookies or 9 minutes for slightly firmer ones. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the frosting: Beat the cream cheese, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, and vanilla with a mixer on medium speed until smooth and fluffy. If it's too soft to spread, chill it for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Frost: Spread the frosting over the completely cooled cookies and dust with pumpkin pie spice, if you like.
Notes
Flour: Use a 1:1 gluten-free blend with xanthan gum, like King Arthur or Bob's Red Mill. Almond or oat flour won't work.
Cornstarch: Arrowroot or tapioca starch works as a 1:1 swap.
Cream cheese: Use block-style, not whipped or tub cream cheese, or the frosting will be runny.
Storage: Refrigerate frosted cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Don't leave them out for more than about 2 hours.
Make ahead: Chill the dough up to 24 hours, or freeze dough balls up to 3 months and bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes.
Dairy-free: Use vegan butter, a thick non-dairy yogurt, and dairy-free cream cheese.
Nutrition
Calories: 207kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 190mg | Potassium: 50mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1277IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg
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