Description
These Pumpkin Pinwheel Cookies are a delightful fall treat with a beautiful swirl of pumpkin spice filling. The soft and chewy cookies are packed with warm pumpkin flavor and a hint of cinnamon, making them perfect for autumn gatherings, holiday baking, or simply enjoying with a cup of coffee or tea.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Cookies:
- 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks; 170g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons (86g) pumpkin puree (moisture blotted)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
- 1 3/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Filling:
- 3 tablespoons (43g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2/3 cup (135g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 3/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cream Cheese Icing (Optional):
- 4 ounces (113g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened
- 1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (90g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Optional: Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prepare Pumpkin: Blot excess moisture from pumpkin puree using a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.
- Make Dough: In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in pumpkin puree and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a thick dough forms.
- Shape and Fill: Divide the dough in half. On a floured surface, roll each half into a 10×8 inch rectangle. Spread melted butter over each rectangle. Combine brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over butter and pat down. Tightly roll each rectangle into a log. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 2 hours.
- Slice and Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Cut chilled logs into ½-inch slices. Arrange on lined baking sheets. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Make Icing (Optional): Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla; beat until combined.
- Frost and Serve: Spread cream cheese frosting on cooled cookies. Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing: Baked cookies (with or without icing) freeze well for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the dough logs or the dough after step 2 (see detailed instructions in the original recipe).
- Pumpkin: Use pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. Blot excess moisture from the pumpkin puree.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: Use store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice. If you don’t have any, use individual spices as listed in the original recipe.
- Maple Icing: For a different flavor, try the maple icing recipe provided in the original recipe’s notes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 100kcal
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 50mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
