I like to make these Amish Pumpkin cookies with caramel icing and a fluffy cake-like texture more than just in the fall months. The warm flavors of cinnamon, ginger and cloves pair so well with the sweet and smooth flavor of the caramel frosting. This recipe for pumpkin cookies with caramel icing was inspired by an Amish Cookbook called “The Esh Family Cookbook,” and they are the best pumpkin drop cookies I’ve ever tried at home!
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Amish Pumpkin Cookies with Caramel frosting
Ingredients
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1 cup oil vegetable or canola
- 1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 3 cups flour all purpose
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 1/2 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cloves
Caramel Frosting:
- 3/4 cup salted butter softened
- 1 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 2 dashes salt
- 2 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the oil and sugar until well incorporated. Add pumpkin puree, eggs and vanilla, then whisk the wet ingredients together until smooth and lump free. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients and then add them to the wet ingredients. Stir until well incorporated.
- Using a tablespoon or ice cream scoop, drop the cookie dough onto greased cookie sheets and then bake the Amish pumpkin cookies in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, until the edges have browned slightly and the centers are set. Allow to cool.
- Melt butter in a medium sized saucepan, then add brown sugar and bring to a boil while stirring constantly. Once the mixture reached a slow boil, reduce the heat to low and continue stirring for 2-3 minutes until the sugar has mostly dissolved. Add milk and salt and then continue stirring until the caramel comes to a full boil. Immediately remove from the heat and allow to cool at room temperature.
- Once the caramel has cooled to room temp, sift confectioners sugar and add 1/2 cup at a time. Mix the frosting (with a hand mixer) between each addition of confectioners sugar, until the icing has become thick enough to frost the cookies (the last 1/2 cup of confectioner's sugar may not be needed). Frost cooled cookies and sprinkle tops with cinnamon (optional). More notes and photos below.
Try these cookies with a cup of chai tea latte or an iced cold brew latte! Check out more of my Amish recipes through Pinterest .
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Do these cookies have to be mixed by hand or can I use an electric hand/stand mixer?
Growing up Amish we didn’t use mixers too often because we didn’t have electricity. To this day, I still combine most of my ingredients by hand (Except for frostings, fillings and bread doughs). I also prefer to simply combine the wet ingredients, then add the dry ingredients into the same bowl. We had to hand wash all of our dishes, so my Mom was very strict (and for good reason) about using the minimum amount of dishes possible. All that to say, feel free to deviate from this recipe and use your electric mixers to combine the cookie dough if you prefer.

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, combine the oil and sugar until well incorporated. Add pumpkin puree, eggs and vanilla, then whisk the wet ingredients together until smooth and lump free.

Step 1 continued: In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients and then add them to the wet ingredients. Stir until well incorporated.
I was being a good girl for the internet’s sake and added the dry ingredients to a separate bowl. However, my plain tendencies took over and I simply dumped the dry ingredients into the wet ingredient (combined) bowl before combining. (The cookies tasted great, so maybe it’s an Amish secret to great cookies?)

Step 2: Drop cookies by tablespoon, or with an ice cream scoop, onto cookies sheets. To avoid them running into each other as they bake you can add 6-9 instead of 12 per baking sheet, if you prefer.

Step 2 continued: bake the Amish pumpkin cookies in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, until the edges have browned slightly and the centers are set. Allow to cool.
My cookies tend to come in all shapes. If you prefer them more evenly rounded you can use an ice cream scoop instead of a tablespoon to drop the dough onto the cookie sheets. If you have any tips/ideas for round, perfectly shaped cookies, let me know in the comments below!

Step 3-4: Melt butter in a medium sized saucepan, then add brown sugar and bring to a boil while stirring constantly. Once the mixture reached a slow boil, reduce the heat to low and continue stirring for 2-3 minutes until the sugar has mostly dissolved. Add milk and salt and then continue stirring until the caramel comes to a full boil. Immediately remove from the heat and allow to cool at room temperature. Once the caramel has cooled to room temp, sift confectioners sugar and add 1/2 cup at a time. Mix the frosting (with a hand mixer) between each addition of confectioners sugar, until the icing has become thick enough to frost the cookies. Once the caramel has cooled to room temp, sift confectioners sugar and add 1/2 cup at a time.
Frost the cooled cookies with the caramel frosting and then sprinkle a little extra cinnamon on the tops if you wish. Enjoy!!
Storage for these pumpkin cookies:
I keep my pumpkin cookies at room temperature for several days in an airtight container. If you wish to store these Amish pumpkin cookies even longer, you can freeze them in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Feel Free to pin for later and leave your comments below! Thank you for your support!
[…] Apple cinnamon pumpkin bread is delicious with apple butter spread on top! Try my Amish Pumpkin cookies with caramel frosting if you love all things […]
[…] more Amish Goodies, try Amish Chocolate chip cookies or Amish Pumpkin cookies with caramel frosting! You can also try Cream cheese frosting on these pumpkin whoopie […]
I made these and followed the recipe perfectly but they got really puffy and and a cake like texture!
Mine had a cake like texture as well. I did find the puffiness to go down as they cooled.
These pumpkin cookies are delicious! The kind of cookie that just melts in your mouth, and they are absolutely bursting with flavor! Plus the caramel frosting compliments the cookie perfectly🙂
A new favorite!
Thanks for your feedback!! They are one of my favorites too!
[…] Amish Pumpkin Cookies with Caramel Frosting […]
[…] Amish pumpkin cookies with caramel frosting […]
[…] Amish pumpkin cookies with caramel frosting […]
Can butter milk be used instead of whole milk?
I personally haven’t tried it, and would recommend reducing the amount of baking powder and adding more baking soda, since the cookies use baking powder the buttermilk can upset the balance of alkali to acid. One problem with this method is the cookies may end up tasting more bitter from the added baking soda and the buttermilk flavor.
These cookie look and sound awesome!!
Thank you Donnie!
I made these yesterday. I was a little concerned about the amount of cinnamon, but followed the recipe because I don’t think it’s fair to comment when you’ve made changes. They were fantastic! Half a dozen ‘disappeared’ before I could even frost them! I used a cookie scoop, and got almost 6 dozen. They’re almost half gone, and there’s just me, my hubby, my mom, and a visiting granddaughter. These will definitely be made often! I had left over frosting, I think it would be great on spice cupcakes also.
I’m glad they turned out great for you! I noticed the cinnamon seems heavy too but without it I don’t think the cookies would taste as good!😊 The frosting sounds very tasty on spice cup cakes!
Most delicious pumpkin cookies ever!! Easy recipe to follow and I love baking when it doesn’t require breaking out the mixer or any other small kitchen appliances. Family and neighbors loved these! Next time I think I’ll add white chocolate chips instead of frosting the cookies!!
Thank you so much! Oh yum! I might have to try that too, sounds delicious!
[…] Amish Pumpkin cookies with caramel frosting […]
THESE ARE A NEW FALL FAVORITE OF MINE!!
I added a little less than 1/4c more of flour and doubled the cinnamon. I refrigerated the dough over night because I needed between sugar for the frosting. The next day I piped the cookies onto the pan that had a silicone silicone mat. Bagged for 12mins at 350 with a gas oven. I also opted to pipe the frosting. THESE are SO good 🤤
I wish I could add a photo!
That’s wonderful! I’m glad they turned out good for you, enjoy!
This is first time I’m trying this recipe, can I cut it half?
Absolutely! You can also freeze the cookies in an airtight container separated with parchment paper, if you would like to keep half a batch for later.
These look delicious and I might try making them tonight!
One question… since the frosting has milk and butter, do you store these in the refrigerator or can they be stored for a few days at room temperature?
Thank you!
I personally keep them stored at room temp for a day or two, but would recommend refrigerating them if you plan on storing them for any longer than that.
I made these today for our Church Bible Study Meeting!
They are delicious 😋
I’m glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for your feedback!