Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookie Bites
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If you love my Christmas Sugar Cookie Bites, you’re going to love this fall version! These little Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookie Bites are soft and chewy with just the right amount of pumpkin spice, and the bite-sized squares make them dangerously easy to snack on.
They’re also one of those recipes that feels a little more fun than making a traditional batch of cookies. Frost them with vanilla buttercream for a classic sweet finish, or go all-in on the fall flavors with my brown butter cream cheese frosting. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon or your favorite fall sprinkles, and you’ve got an easy dessert that’s perfect for fall parties, bake sales, cookie exchanges, or just keeping a container on the counter for whenever the pumpkin craving hits.
And because they’re bite-sized, you can totally have just one more. 😉
For more pumpkin-inspired recipes, try my Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Roll Cookies, Pumpkin Streusel Bread, Better Than Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Spice Sheet Cake, Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Brown Butter Frosting, Pumpkin Coffee Cake, or Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Blondies.
Table Talk with Tawnie
Everyone loves a cookie at a party or get together but sometimes you just want a bite or two…so these cookies are the perfect snacky treat! I love all things pumpkin around this time of year and these cookies are a must make for your next cookie baking
- All-purpose flour: As always, it’s essential to make sure you’re using the spoon-and-level method to measure your flour when baking. Too much flour can result in drier, harder cookies, which you don’t want with these!
- Pumpkin butter: Store-bought or homemade pumpkin butter both work great in these cookies! Also, make sure you’re using pumpkin butter, not pumpkin puree, so you get the concentrated pumpkin flavor without adding too much moisture to the dough.
- Cold butter (unsalted): This cookie dough calls for using cold butter, straight from the fridge. Cut the butter into cubes for easier incorporation with the rest of the cookie dough ingredients. If using salted butter, simply omit the added salt listed later in the ingredients.
- Powdered sugar: Gives the cookies their sweet, delicious taste!
- Pumpkin pie spice: Use my homemade pumpkin pie spice (or store-bought).
- Frosting: You can use a vanilla buttercream as I did for my Christmas Sugar Cookie Bites, or for extra Fall flavor, I personally love using my brown butter cream cheese frosting recipe for these pumpkin cookie bites!
Step by Step Directions
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
Cream the butter and powdered sugar. Then add the rest of the wet ingredients and mix until combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, then gradually add them to the wet ingredients and mix on low just until a soft dough forms. Be careful to avoid overmixing.
Divide and roll
Divide the dough in half and roll each portion between parchment paper into a thick slab. Transfer to the freezer and chill until firm and cold.
Cut
Cut the dough into evenly sized squares. Arrange the cookie bites on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake
Bake for ~10 minutes. Then allow the cookies to cool completely before frosting.
Decorate!
Frost and decorate as desired and enjoy!!
Expert Tips
- Measure ingredients properly: Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with the back of a knife instead of scooping the flour with your measuring cup. Too much flour can cause your cookie bites to be dry.
- No need to soften the butter: Since the butter is cubed and mixed into the dough, you can use it straight from the fridge. Just make sure it’s cut into small cubes so it incorporates evenly.
- Cream butter and sugar: Cream the butter and powdered sugar until smooth, creamy, and well combined. For an easy step-by-step guide, check out my post on How To Cream Butter and Sugar to learn the right way for perfect results every time!
- Don’t overmix the dough: Once the flour is mostly incorporated, stop mixing. Overmixing can make the cookies less soft and tender.
- For evenly sized bites: Use a sharp knife to cut the baked cookie into squares while it’s still in the pan. This gives you those neat, bite-sized pieces that are perfect for serving.
- Don’t over-bake: These are small squares, so make sure to not over-bake them! You want to remove them as soon as you see the edges of the cookies start to brown.
- Let them cool completely before frosting: It can be tempting to frost them right away, but make sure the cookies are completely cool so the frosting stays thick and doesn’t melt.
Fall Series
Back by popular demand is my Fall series for 2026! This year I’ve worked on more pumpkin goodies, slow cooker comfort meals, and drool worthy apple desserts. There’s something for everyone to enjoy & if you want more, have to check out the previous year’s Fall featured recipes too!
Variations / Substitutions
- Shapes: If you’re feeling fancy, you can cut these cookies into other shapes! Just make sure to keep an eye on them when baking and remove them as soon as you see the edges start to brown.
- Make them extra cute: Add a sprinkle of cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, or fall-themed sprinkles on top of the frosting for an easy festive finish.
- Switch up the frosting: Use my favorite vanilla buttercream for a classic frosted sugar cookie flavor, or try my brown butter cream cheese frosting for a richer, extra-cozy fall version.
- Try a cinnamon frosting: Swap the vanilla frosting for a simple cinnamon buttercream to really lean into the cozy fall flavors.
Storage / Freezing
- Storage: Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Freeze: You can freeze the cookie dough (before baking) for up to 3 months. Before baking, take it out of the freezer for 5-10 minutes to thaw so it’s easier to cut, but it’s still cold.
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Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (cubed (doesn’t need to be softened))
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup pumpkin butter
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Frosting:
- Option 1: Vanilla buttercream
- Option 2: Brown butter cream cheese frosting
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream the butter and sugar: Add the butter and powdered sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until smooth, creamy, and well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. (Start slowly so the powdered sugar doesn’t fly everywhere).1 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup powdered sugar
- Add the wet ingredients: Add the pumpkin butter, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.1/3 cup pumpkin butter, 1 large egg, 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- Add the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, kosher salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.2¾ cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, 1½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- Divide and roll: Divide the dough in half. Place each half between two sheets of parchment paper and use a rolling pin to roll each portion into an even slab about 1/2-inch thick. Keep the dough on the thicker side for soft, pillowy cookie bites.
- Chill the dough: Clear space in your freezer and then transfer the parchment-covered slabs to the freezer. Place them on baking sheets if needed for easier transferring. Freeze for about 20-30 minutes, or until the dough is cold and firm. Start Timer
- Cut into bites: Remove the top sheet of parchment paper. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough into evenly sized squares. Re-roll any scraps between parchment paper and repeat. If the dough becomes too warm or soft while working, return it to the freezer for a few minutes before cutting.
- Bake: Arrange the cookie bites on the prepared baking sheets, leaving a little space between each one. They can bake surprisingly close to one another. Bake for ~10 minutes Start Timer, or until the cookies are puffed and set around the edges. The centers should still look soft. Be careful not to overbake.
- Cool and decorate: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, frost and decorate as desired (my vote is the brown butter cream cheese frosting!) Start TimerOption 1: Vanilla buttercream, Option 2: Brown butter cream cheese frosting
Notes
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Freezing the dough: You can freeze the dough (prior to baking) for up to 3 months. Before baking, take it out a 5-10 minutes to thaw so it’s easier to cut, but is still cold.
- Frosting: You can use a vanilla buttercream, or I personally love my brown butter cream cheese frosting recipe for these!
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
📸 Photos by Amanda Chasten Photography
