Pumpkin Spice Buttercream Frosting is the perfect way to decorate your favorite fall cookies, cakes, and cupcakes!
It’s rich and impossibly creamy and flavored with pumpkin spices.
Like a lot of people, Halloween is a little different for us this year because as the kids get older, the holidays always seem to evolve. So, while some of them won’t be doing the standard trick-or-treating, I think we’ll have just as much fun as we have in years past.
I love that I can get our Colorado-grown pumpkins for the porch from our favorite local Pumpkin Patch, Bartel’s Farms. It is our annual tradition and just loves it there.
We have our traditions we won’t be changing which include me making my blue-ribbon chili and green chili along with homemade cornbread for everyone.
Of course, we love having homemade desserts, and making this pumpkin spice buttercream makes for delicious cookies and insanely adorable cupcakes which include semi-homemade witch-hat cupcake toppers.
For the porch, I bought lots of pumpkins and gourds to decorate. This year’s scavenger hunt will be outside and I’m pretty sure some of the clues will be hidden among the pumpkins, but don’t tell the kids!
Pumpkin Spice Buttercream Frosting
This frosting is perfect for dressing up store-bought treats. You get the touch of “homemade” but without having to spend hours making and baking cookies from scratch. Or use it to frost cupcakes and cakes – it’s perfect for fall.
To make this, I just took my favorite buttercream frosting and gave it a pumpkin spice twist. It’s easy to make and has the best texture that is creamy and smooth.
Ingredients
- Room-temperature salted butter
- Shortening
- Vanilla extract
- Pumpkin puree
- Powdered sugar
- Pumpkin Spice
- Cinnamon
- Milk or heavy cream
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Buttercream
Beat the butter with the shortening and vanilla until well combined. Add the pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, and cinnamon, and mix until combined. Slowly add the sugar in batches and beat well in between each addition.
If you want a rich frosting, I highly recommend using heavy cream. If you prefer it a little lighter, use the milk instead! Beat whichever one you decide to use into the mixture and continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy.
If your frosting is too thick you can add a little more milk or cream, but do this in small amounts until the frosting reaches your desired consistency.
Recipe Tips
This pumpkin spice buttercream frosting is a dream to pipe onto pretty much anything you like! It has the best texture and holds up well at room temperature. Making sandwich cookies is so tasty, you can try either Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies or Pumpkin Snickerdoodles to make these.
This year Halloween is shaping up to be one we won’t forget! Between all of the pumpkin carving, sweet treats, and decorations I just know we’re going to make some wonderful memories, even if it’s a little different.
Don’t forget to pin this recipe to your favorite Pinterest board for later.
Pumpkin Spice Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup room temperature salted butter
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin spice seasoning
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream or milk
Instructions
- Using an electric mixer, beat together butter, shortening and vanilla until combined. Add the pumpkin puree and mix to combine.
- Slowly blend in the sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add the heavy cream (or milk) and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy. You may need to add more sugar or milk until you find the right consistency.
- If you are not going to use the frosting right away, keep it covered until you are ready to use it.
Notes
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What a delicious frosting and perfect for fall! Excited to make this with my kids; looks too good to pass up!!
Thank you! I hope you and the kids enjoy it!
This Pumpkin Spice Buttercream Frosting is needs to happen at my house very soon!!
Definitely!
What an amazing frosting!! Such a great fall treat!
Thank you, enjoy!
I can’t wait to make my next dessert and to use this buttercream frosting!
I hope you enjoy it!
Mmmm…. it’s so good! This is now our favorite frosting during the fall season! Everyone loved it!
Such a delicious way to make anything taste like fall!!
It really is!
I could eat this by the spoonful! I love it for this time of year!
I could too! Thank you!
This is one of those recipes that you don’t want to wait for cakes or cupcakes to cook! Just grab a spoon! 🙂 So tasty!
It really is easy to eat by the spoonful! Thank you!
One of the best flavors of icing I have ever tasted!
Looks absolutely fantastic! You had me on this!
This is hands down the best flavor frosting!! We love, loved it!! SO YUMMY!
I love this frosting!! It looks and sounds absolutely amazing!! I can’t wait to try it!
This was so flavorful and absolutely delicious! Thank you for the recipe!
How long approximately does this last when covered and refrigerated?
Most homemade frostings can be stored in the fridge for up to a week. Store-bought, much longer!
Oh, yes! I have several pumpkin desserts that I will be using this on!
The flavor in this was out of control, I will be making this many more times!
No doubt, this is really amazing! Definitely a must make!
My new favorite frosting for Fall! I am making some cupcakes this Sunday!
can I use Crisco Butter shortening
for the shortening?
Yes!