Fall in love with these irresistible copycat Crumbl caramel pumpkin cookies! Perfectly spiced pumpkin cookies are covered in a dreamy caramel cream cheese frosting.
Each giant cookie features real pumpkin puree and warm autumn spices. They're topped with silky caramel cream cheese frosting and a dusting of pumpkin pie spice.
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Each bite captures the delicious flavor of the Crumbl cookies you love.
Trust me, they’ll quickly become your new favorite!
Why You'll Love These Crumbl Caramel Pumpkin Cookies
Spiced Flavor: These cookies are the epitome of fall comfort, with a tender texture and warm pumpkin pie spice. Every bite is like a cozy hug.
Soft and Chewy Texture: The carefully balanced ingredients create irresistible cookies. They’re soft yet sturdy enough to hold their frosting.
Easy-to-Follow Recipe: With straightforward steps and accessible ingredients, this recipe is approachable for bakers of all levels.
Bakery-Worthy Presentation: The swirl of caramel cream cheese frosting topped with pumpkin pie spice gives these cookies a professional, Instagram-worthy look.
Ingredients
- Pumpkin Puree: It provides moisture and authentic pumpkin flavor. Choose 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice and Cinnamon: The blend gives the cookies their characteristic fall flavor.
- Unsalted Butter: It creates a rich, tender texture and allows better control of salt content.
- Granulated and Brown Sugar: Granulated sugar provides sweetness and helps create crisp edges. Brown sugar adds moisture and a subtle molasses flavor.
- Egg Yolk: It adds richness and helps bind ingredients together. It creates a more tender, fudgy texture than using a whole egg.
- Vanilla Extract: It enhances the overall flavor and complements the pumpkin and caramel notes. Use pure vanilla extract for best results.
- All-Purpose Flour: It provides the perfect tender-yet-sturdy texture.
- Salt: It enhances all flavors and balances sweetness.
- Baking Powder: The leavening agent helps cookies rise and creates a light, soft texture.
- Cream Cheese, Caramel Sauce, Powdered Sugar: These frosting ingredients combine to create a smooth, tangy-sweet topping. Cream cheese provides tang, caramel adds depth, and powdered sugar creates structure.
How to Make Crumbl Caramel Pumpkin Cookies
Follow these simple steps to create these incredible copycat cookies.
1. Preheat the oven. Set the oven to 350°F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cream the butter and sugars. Mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the wet ingredients. Beat in the egg yolk, pumpkin puree, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon in a separate bowl.
5. Combine the mixtures. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture without overmixing.
6. Portion the dough. Scoop into 8 portions, flatten slightly, and place on the baking sheet.
7. Bake the cookies. Bake for 11–13 minutes, then cool for 20 minutes on the sheet before transferring to a rack.
8. Prepare the frosting base. Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy (about 3 minutes).
9. Add the caramel and sugar. Mix in the caramel sauce, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Whip until fluffy (3–4 minutes).
10. Frost the cookies. Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cookies in a swirl pattern using a piping bag.
11. Dust with spice. Lightly sprinkle pumpkin pie spice on the frosted cookies for decoration and flavor.
Tips for the Best Crumbl Caramel Pumpkin Cookies
For cookies that taste just like the originals, follow these tips and tricks.
- Room temperature is key. Using room-temperature butter, cream cheese, and eggs creates a smoother dough and creamier frosting that blends more evenly.
- Put in the pumpkin prep. Blot the excess moisture from the pumpkin puree with paper towels before using. This prevents the cookies from becoming too cake-like.
- Boost the flavor. Toast the pumpkin pie spices in a dry pan for 30 seconds before adding to the dough to enhance their flavors.
- Don’t overmix! Mix the wet and dry ingredients just until combined to prevent dense cookies.
- Jazz them up. For an extra touch, drizzle more caramel sauce over the frosting before dusting with pumpkin pie spice.
- Let them chill. These cookies taste amazing when the frosting is slightly firm, so store them in the fridge and serve cold.
- Have fun with variations. Swap the caramel sauce for maple butter, add chopped pecans to the dough, or drizzle with white chocolate for different flavor profiles.
- Get a step ahead. You can freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking. You can make the frosting 2 days ahead and refrigerate it.
How to Store
Here’s how to keep your cookies nice and fresh.
To Store: Keep unfrosted cookies at room temperature in an air-tight container for up to 3 days. For frosted cookies, store them in the refrigerator in a single layer in an air-tight container for up to a week.
To Freeze: Freeze unfrosted cookies by placing them in a single layer on a baking sheet until solid. Then, transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before frosting and serving.
Crumbl Caramel Pumpkin Cookies
8
servings30
minutes13
minutes390
kcalThese copycat Crumbl caramel pumpkin cookies are just as good as the original! With a sweet cream cheese frosting, they're guaranteed to be met with smiles.
Ingredients
- For the Cookies:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- For the Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting:
5 oz cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons caramel sauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup powdered sugar
Pumpkin pie spice for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Beat in the egg yolk, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Scoop the dough into 8 equal portions using a large cookie scoop or spoon. Place the dough portions onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each cookie. Gently flatten each portion to about 1-inch thickness.
- Bake the cookies for 11–13 minutes, or until the edges are set and the tops look slightly puffed. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 20 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- In a medium mixing bowl, use a stand mixer or handheld mixer with a whisk attachment to beat the softened cream cheese and butter together for 3 minutes or until smooth and creamy.
- Mix in the caramel sauce, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar. Whip the frosting for an additional 3–4 minutes or until it becomes light and fluffy.
- Once the cookies are completely cooled, transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a round or star tip. Pipe the frosting onto the cookies in a swirl pattern, starting from the center and working outward.
- Lightly dust the frosted cookies with pumpkin pie spice for a decorative and flavorful finish.
1 Comments
Can you make more than only 8 by making them smaller?