These cookies are the ultimate fall treat — light, fluffy, and topped with silky cream cheese frosting. Made with cake mix and brown butter for effortless, bakery-worthy results.
Recipe | BTS | More Fall Inspo
Brown Butter Pumpkin Cloud Cookies w/ Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cloud Cookies
1 box (15.25 oz) spice cake mix
1½ cups pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
½ cup unsalted butter, browned and cooled
1 tsp vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
4 oz cream cheese, softened
4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1–2 tbsp milk or heavy cream, as needed (optional)
Ground cinnamon, for finishing (optional)
Note: You won’t need the additional ingredients listed on the cake mix box.
Instructions
Preheat the oven. Preheat to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Make the cookie dough. In a large bowl, combine the spice cake mix, pumpkin purée, cooled brown butter, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky.
Scoop the cookies. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them approximately 2 inches apart.
Bake. Bake for 11–13 minutes, until the tops are set and slightly puffed. Avoid overbaking to preserve their soft, cloud-like texture.
Cool completely. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Prepare the frosting. In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.
Add the sweetness. Gradually incorporate the powdered sugar, beating on low speed until fully combined.
Perfect the consistency. Mix in the vanilla extract. If needed, add milk or heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, until the frosting is thick but pipeable.
Frost the cookies. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag or zip-top bag with one corner snipped off. Pipe generous swirls over the completely cooled cookies.
Finish and enjoy! Dust lightly with cinnamon, if desired, and serve.
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Fall is my season — the baking, the cozy smells, the way everything feels just a little softer.
But sometimes, between wearing all the hats (mom, wife, friend, creative, human trying to stay sane), I just don’t feel like doing all the things.
There are days when the last thing I want to do after dinner is pull out every measuring cup I own and spend the rest of the night cleaning the kitchen. And honestly? I don’t think I’m alone in that.
So many of us are carrying a lot right now — mentally, emotionally, even physically.
Sometimes you just want a moment of bliss without breaking the bank or making a mess.
A little win that feels like magic but doesn’t require perfection or planning.
That’s exactly why I adore this recipe.
It’s four ingredients for the cookies. That’s it.
These Soft Pumpkin Cloud Cookies come together in three minutes and bake in eleven. You’ll have warm, soft, pillowy cookies before you even realize it — and they are fabulous even without the frosting.
This has quickly become a staple in our home because it’s an easy win. And sometimes, we all need those.
Last night, I whipped these up after dinner while my husband and baby went for a walk. When they came back, the house smelled like brown butter and fall, and I had a tray of cookies waiting.
My husband, who swore he didn’t have much of a sweet tooth lately, said he’d “just try one.”
He ended up having four. 😂
Even the baby was jumping for joy after every bite — And you know I have video proof. 😉
Make these for yourself, your family, or your friends. You truly can’t lose. They’re ridiculously easy, incredibly soft, and feel like a hug in cookie form.
And if you need some extra lovin’, go for the cream cheese frosting. The way it melts into the warm cookie? Heaven on Earth. Enjoy, friends!
With Love,
Ambyr
A Little More Fall Inspiration
From cozy recipes to thoughtful home projects and seasonal finds, there’s plenty more to love about this time of year.
Explore The Fall Edit for more ways to make the season beautiful.