These Copycat Crumbl Caramel Pumpkin Cookies are large, soft pumpkin spice cookies topped with whipped caramel cream cheese frosting and a light dusting of cinnamon. They have the thick, tender texture you expect from a Crumbl style cookie, but you can make all eight at home with simple fall baking ingredients.
This copycat version is tender without being cakey, and the caramel complements the pumpkin and warm spices without overpowering them. For a stronger caramel flavor, add a small drizzle over the frosting just before serving. I don’t think anyone will complain about that.
These would be fun to make for a fall gathering, Halloween party, or a Thanksgiving dessert table. I also like the idea of enjoying one on a Saturday afternoon with an Iced Chai Tea Latte with Pumpkin Cold Foam. That may be a lot of pumpkin in one sitting, but fall doesn’t last forever.
Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 13 to 15 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 55 minutes, cooling included
- 🍽️ Serving: 8 large, bakery style cookies
- ⚡ Calories: 470kcal per cookie
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Pumpkin and warm spices in a soft, thick cookie under whipped caramel cream cheese frosting
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, no chilling and no rolling, the frosting swirl is the only flourish
Quick Answer
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cream the butter and both sugars, then mix in the egg yolk, pumpkin puree and vanilla until just combined. Whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves in a separate bowl and add them slowly with the mixer on low. Roll 8 balls of dough on a parchment lined sheet, press each one flat on top, and bake for 13 to 15 minutes. Let them set on the pan 10 to 15 minutes, then cool on a rack. Whip the cream cheese and butter, add the caramel, vanilla and powdered sugar, and whip 2 to 3 minutes. Frost the fully cooled cookies generously and dust with cinnamon.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Pumpkin adds flavor and moisture, while using only an egg yolk helps keep the dough from becoming too wet. That combination gives the cookies a soft center that can still support a generous swirl of frosting.
- Egg whites are mostly water, which is why the recipe calls for just the yolk instead of the whole egg. Using the whole egg would change the texture of the cookies.
- The dough balls are gently flattened before baking because they will not spread like a traditional chocolate chip cookie.
- Once baked, they rest on the pan for 10 to 15 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. This lets the centers finish setting without overbaking them.
- The cookies should look set at the edges and soft in the center when they come out of the oven. They continue to firm up as they cool, and overbaking is the quickest way to lose that soft, Crumbl style texture.
- For the frosting, the butter and cream cheese are whipped first to create a smooth base. The caramel, vanilla and powdered sugar are then mixed in and whipped until the frosting is light enough to pipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft and thick. Pumpkin keeps the centers tender while the edges bake just until set.
- Full of fall flavor. Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves give every bite that familiar pumpkin spice flavor.
- Caramel cream cheese frosting. The frosting is creamy, lightly caramel flavored, and whipped until smooth.
- No chilling required. You can mix, shape, and bake the dough without waiting for it to chill.
- Only eight cookies. This recipe makes eight generous cookies, so it feels special without leaving you with several dozen to frost.
- Easy to make ahead. Bake the cookies in advance and add the frosting when you are ready to serve them.
If pumpkin baking is already on your fall list, you may want to save my collection of sweet pumpkin recipes for fall too. It is an easy place to find another idea when one can of pumpkin somehow turns into an entire weekend of baking.
Key Ingredients
One list for the cookies and one for the frosting. Quantities are in the recipe card below.
- Butter. Let it soften at room temperature so it creams smoothly with the sugars.
- Granulated and Brown Sugar. Using both gives the cookies sweetness with a little deeper flavor from the brown sugar.
- Egg Yolk. Adds richness without the extra moisture of a whole egg.
- Pumpkin Puree. Use pure pumpkin puree, not sweetened pumpkin pie filling.
- Vanilla Extract. Rounds out the pumpkin and spice flavors.
- All Purpose Flour. Measure it carefully so the cookies stay soft rather than dry.
- Baking Powder. Gives the cookies a gentle lift. Always use fresh.
- Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. This blend brings the fall flavor. The small amount of cloves is enough; a little goes a long way.
- Cream Cheese and Butter for the frosting. Use full fat block cream cheese rather than the spreadable kind sold in a tub, and soften both before mixing so the frosting stays smooth.
- Caramel Sauce. Homemade or store bought caramel will work, with vanilla extract to add flavor without competing with the caramel.
- Powdered Sugar. Sweetens and thickens the frosting, with a light dusting of cinnamon for a simple fall look.
Equipment is simple: a stand mixer with the paddle and whisk attachments or a hand mixer and two bowls, a medium mixing bowl, measuring cups and spoons or a kitchen scale, a silicone spatula, a large baking sheet with parchment paper, a cooling rack, and optionally a large cookie scoop and a piping bag with a large round tip.
See the recipe card below for exact quantities and full instructions.
Variations & Substitutions
A few ways to take these in a different direction without changing what makes them work.
- Salted caramel. Add a very small pinch of flaky sea salt over the caramel drizzle.
- More caramel flavor. Add an extra drizzle on top rather than adding too much sauce to the frosting, which could make it loose.
- Smaller cookies. Divide the dough into smaller portions and begin checking them several minutes earlier. The yield and baking time will change, and a smaller size sits nicely on a tea party dessert tray.
- Simple finish. Spread the frosting with a small offset spatula if you do not have a piping bag.
- If the caramel is your favorite part, try my Rolo Pretzel Cookies next. They have that sweet and salty combination with caramel tucked right inside.
- For another pumpkin cookie with a completely different look, my Cinnamon Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Kisses are especially fun for sharing.
How to Make Caramel Pumpkin Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the softened butter with both sugars until well combined, then mix in the egg yolk, pumpkin puree and vanilla just until everything comes together.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves.
- With the stand mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients, scraping down the sides as needed. Once the dry ingredients are incorporated, stop mixing.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and roll 8 balls of dough. Gently press each ball down so it has a flat top, and bake for 13 to 15 minutes. Let them set on the pan for 10 to 15 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.
- While the cookies cool, beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the caramel, vanilla and powdered sugar, scraping the bowl as needed, then turn the mixer to high and whip for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Make sure the cookies are completely cool before frosting. Pipe a generous swirl onto each cookie with a large round tip, then finish with a light dusting of cinnamon.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Measure the flour by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling the top. Scooping directly from the bag can pack in too much flour.
- Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pie filling already contains sugar and spices and will change the recipe.
- Mix only until the dry ingredients disappear. Too much mixing can develop the gluten and leave you with a tougher cookie.
- Give the cookies room on the pan. These are large, bakery style cookies, so avoid crowding. Bake in two batches if your baking sheet is small.
- Do not wait for the centers to look firm in the oven. The cookies continue to set while they cool on the pan, and frosting cookies that are still warm is the other mistake that undoes them.
- If the frosting feels too soft to pipe, refrigerate it for 15 to 20 minutes and try again. Avoid adding a large amount of extra powdered sugar because it can make the frosting overly sweet.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
Serve them at a fall gathering, a Halloween party, or on a Thanksgiving dessert table next to my keto pumpkin bars, apple pie with lattice top crust, Amish cinnamon bread and mini pumpkin cheesecakes. For an even stronger caramel finish, drizzle a little extra sauce over the cookies immediately before serving. There are more ideas in my 16 easy pumpkin desserts, my pumpkin scones and glazed chocolate chip pumpkin muffins for the morning side of fall, and my homemade pumpkin pie spice if your jar is running low.
How to store the cookies: because the cookies are topped with cream cheese frosting, place them in an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for up to one week. If you need to stack them, place parchment paper between the layers, although storing them in a single layer will protect the frosting best. Let the cookies sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving if you prefer a softer texture. They are also very good chilled, especially when you are too impatient to wait. I understand. A chilled one next to a warm slice of pumpkin pull apart bread is a very good Saturday.
Make ahead and freezing: the unfrosted cookies can be frozen for up to six months. Once they are completely cool, place them in a freezer safe container or bag with parchment between the layers, and thaw them before adding the frosting. You can also prepare the frosting ahead and refrigerate it separately. Let it soften enough to become workable, then whip it briefly before piping. For the neatest make ahead option, bake and freeze the cookies, prepare the frosting a day or two before you need it, and decorate after the cookies thaw.
Caramel Pumpkin Cookie FAQs
Caramel pumpkin cookies are soft pumpkin spice cookies topped with caramel flavored cream cheese frosting. This version is made in the style of Crumbl’s large, thick cookies and yields eight generous servings.
The most accurate method is to weigh the finished dough and divide the total by eight. If you do not have a kitchen scale, portion it with the same large cookie scoop each time. Evenly sized cookies will bake at the same rate.
Yes. Once topped with caramel cream cheese frosting, the cookies should be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Unfrosted cookies can be kept separately for a short time or frozen for longer storage.
Pumpkin adds a lot of moisture, which is part of what makes these cookies so soft. Egg whites are mostly water, so using the whole egg would add even more moisture and change the texture. The yolk brings the richness without the extra water.
Yes, unfrosted. Once they are completely cool, freeze them in a freezer safe container with parchment between the layers for up to six months. Thaw them before adding the frosting.
Usually too much flour or too much mixing. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it rather than scooping from the bag, and stop mixing as soon as the dry ingredients disappear. Pulling the cookies while the centers still look soft also matters, since they finish setting on the pan.
Other Recommended Fall Recipes
When you are ready for the next recipe, browse all of my fall recipes or my full cookie collection. You will find plenty of pumpkin, apple, caramel, and warm spice ideas for everything from a quiet weekend at home to a full Thanksgiving dessert table. Until next time, keep life sweet, one bite at a time.
I hope you enjoy this Caramel Pumpkin Cookies recipe! If you make it, please leave a ⭐ star rating in the recipe card below, and come say hello on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. I love seeing your tea time treats.
Copycat Crumbl Caramel Pumpkin Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter Unsalted soft
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 egg yolk Large
- ¼ cup pure pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon ground
- ½ teaspoon ginger ground
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg ground
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves ground (optional)
Frosting
- ¾ cup cream cheese soft
- 4 tablespoons butter unsalted soft
- 1 tablespoons caramel 1-2 Tablespoons per taste and color
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract I make homemade but you can use storebought
- ¾ cup powdered sugar sifted
- Cinnamon for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugars until well combined. Then add the egg yolk, pumpkin, and vanilla, mixing until just combined.
- In a separate medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
- With the stand mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and roll 8 balls of dough. Gently press each ball of dough down so it has a flat top, and bake for 13-15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow to set for 10-15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. While the cookies are cooling, make the frosting.
Frost
- In a clean stand mixer bowl with the whisk attachment, combine the cream cheese and butter.
- Add caramel, vanilla, and powdered sugar, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Once all ingredients are combined, turn the mixer onto high speed and whip for 2-3 minutes.
- Transfer icing to a piping bag with a large, round tip.
- Once cookies have completely cooled, frost each one generously and dust with cinnamon.
- Enjoy!
