Pumpkin Cookies with Cake Mix
These 3 Ingredient Pumpkin Cookies with Cake Mix are soft, puffy, warmly spiced, and topped with optional cream cheese frosting. Spice cake mix, pumpkin puree, and eggs make the cookie dough quick and easy with no flour, butter, or complicated prep.
INGREDIENTS:
1 box spice cake mix 15.25 ounces, such as Duncan Hines
2 large eggs
1/3 cup pumpkin puree plain canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
8 ounces full-fat cream cheese softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon divided
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the spice cake mix, eggs, pumpkin puree, and optional 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, then mix with a fork, hand mixer, or stand mixer until combined; the dough will be wet and sticky like a thick batter, so do not add flour, oil, or water from the cake mix box directions.
Scoop heaping tablespoonfuls of dough onto the parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between them, and gently pat the tops down slightly.
Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, until the edges look lightly golden and the centers are set.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
While the cookies cool, beat the softened cream cheese and softened butter together on low speed in a medium bowl until smooth and free of lumps.
Add the powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon of the cinnamon, then beat until smooth and spreadable.
Spoon or spread the frosting over the cooled cookies, sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon if desired, and serve right away.