Soft, chewy cookies packed with cozy fall flavor. These pumpkin roll pudding cookies use instant pumpkin spice pudding for an extra-tender texture and are finished with a creamy cream cheese swirl that captures pumpkin-roll vibes in cookie form.
Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Roll Pudding Cookies
These cookies combine pumpkin spice flavor with a soft, pudding-cookie chew and a smooth cream cheese swirl that looks and tastes like a mini pumpkin roll. They’re easy to make, don’t require chilling, and deliver bakery-style results for fall gatherings or a cozy treat at home.
- Soft and thick—the instant pudding keeps them tender and chewy.
- Classic pumpkin spice in every bite.
- Simple cream cheese frosting that pipes into a spiral for pumpkin roll style.
- No chill time—scoop and bake right away.
- A straightforward home-baker version inspired by bakery pumpkin roll cookies.
Ingredients
Pumpkin Spice Pudding Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 (3.4 oz) package instant pumpkin spice pudding mix
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Optional: 1 cup cinnamon chips or white chocolate chips
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar, more or less for desired thickness
- Dash of cinnamon
- 2–3 tablespoons milk, as needed to reach piping consistency
Instructions
How to Make the Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with brown and granulated sugar until creamy and smooth.
- Add the instant pumpkin spice pudding mix, eggs, and vanilla; beat until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix just until a dough forms. Fold in cinnamon or white chocolate chips if using.
- Portion dough with a medium scoop (about 2 tablespoons) onto prepared sheets. For larger cookies, use 1/4 cup scoops.
- Bake medium cookies 10–12 minutes, or 13–15 minutes for larger scoops. Cookies should be set and slightly puffy; they will finish setting as they cool.
- Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
How to Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and lump-free.
- Add vanilla, powdered sugar, and a dash of cinnamon. Beat until creamy; add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until the frosting reaches a spreadable or pipeable consistency.
- Frost cooled cookies with an offset spatula or transfer frosting to a piping bag and pipe a tight spiral from the center outward to mimic a pumpkin roll swirl.
Storage
- Room temperature: Unfrosted cookies keep up to 3 days in an airtight container.
- Refrigerator: Frosted cookies store 4–5 days; bring to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
- Freezer: Freeze unfrosted cookies up to 2 months. Thaw, then frost just before serving.
Variations
- Maple twist: Substitute vanilla with maple extract in the frosting for a warm maple note.
- Nutty crunch: Fold chopped pecans or walnuts into the dough.
- Chocolatey: Add white chocolate chips to the dough or drizzle melted white chocolate over the frosted cookies.
FAQs
Can I use vanilla pudding instead? Yes. Add 1–2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice or extra ground cinnamon to the dough so pumpkin spice flavor remains present.
Why did my cookies puff then fall slightly? That’s typical for soft pudding cookies—their tender crumb sometimes settles a bit after baking while staying chewy.
How do I get a bakery-style pumpkin roll look? Use a piping bag to pipe a tight spiral of frosting from the center to the edge, then dust lightly with cinnamon if desired.
These pumpkin roll pudding cookies are an easy, crowd-pleasing fall dessert—soft, chewy, and fragrant with pumpkin spice, finished with a creamy swirl of frosting that evokes classic pumpkin roll flavor in cookie form.
Pumpkin Roll Pudding Cookies
Kim Lange
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 (3.4 oz) instant pumpkin spice pudding mix
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Optional: 1 cup cinnamon or white chocolate chips
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar (adjust as needed)
- Dash of cinnamon
- 2–3 tbsp milk, to thin
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Cream butter and sugars, then add pudding mix, eggs, and vanilla.
- Combine dry ingredients separately, then mix into wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in chips if using.
- Scoop dough and bake 10–12 minutes for medium cookies or 13–15 for larger cookies. Cool on sheet 2 minutes then transfer to a rack.
- For frosting, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and milk until creamy. Frost cooled cookies or pipe a spiral to mimic a pumpkin roll.
Notes
- Pipe frosting in a spiral to mimic the pumpkin roll design.
- Store unfrosted cookies at room temperature up to 3 days; refrigerated frosted cookies last 4–5 days.
- Freeze unfrosted cookies up to 2 months; frost after thawing.
