Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies

Name: Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 18 serving(s)
Ingredients: 1 1/2 c. (180 g.) unbleached all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice; 1 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar; 1/2 tsp. baking soda; 1/4 tsp. kosher salt; 1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened; 1/4 c. (52 g.) packed light brown sugar; 1/2 c. plus 3 tbsp. (100 g. plus 37 g.) granulated sugar, divided; 1 large egg yolk; 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract; 1/4 c. (60 g.) pumpkin puree; 6 oz. cream cheese, softened; 1/3 c. homemade or store-bought cinnamon sugar

By Laura RegePublished: Jun 14, 2023

1 Rating

pumpkin cookies with a cheesecake filling

PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDSERON

Yields:

18 serving(s)

Prep Time:

5 mins

Total Time:

2 hrs

Cal/Serv:

176

Jump to recipe

Get your pumpkin and cheesecake fix in one with these pumpkin-spiced cookies stuffed with a little surprise: cream cheese filling! The warming pumpkin spice cookies complement the creamy, tangy flavors of cheesecake, creating the most decadent cookie you'll have all season long. Although the pumpkin spice flavor screams fall, these cookies are truly enjoyable any time of the year.

Making a stuffed cookie might seem intimidating (how do you get the cream cheese filling in the center AND make sure it doesn’t seep out??), but it’s actually fairly easy. Start with our chewy pumpkin spiced cookie batter, which bakes up like a snickerdoodle cookie with pumpkin spice flavor to boot. Pumpkin puree in the batter adds moisture, so this dough is a softer one, which can get a bit sticky. We highly recommend chilling the batter until it’s nice and cold before rolling the cookies to combat stickiness. You can chill it right in the bowl you mixed it in, then scoop when you're ready to roll. Or, even easier, pre-scoop the dough onto baking sheets and refrigerate it.

While the dough chills, make and chill the cream cheese filling. When both the dough and cream cheese filling are nice and cold, form the cookie dough into disks. Scoop the cream cheese filling into a piping bag and pipe it onto half of the disks or scoop 2 teaspoon-sized mounds. Close the sandwich on the cream cheese-topped disks with the remaining disks, then use your fingers to pinch around the edges to seal the cookie. Gently roll into a ball, then roll in cinnamon sugar and bake! If the dough is really sticking when you're trying to roll the cookies, slightly dampen your hands.

Since these cookies have a cream cheese center, they should be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below!

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups
(180 g.) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp.
pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 tsp.
cream of tartar
1/2 tsp.
baking soda
1/4 tsp.
kosher salt
1/2 cup
(1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup
(52 g.) packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup
plus 3 tbsp. (100 g. plus 37 g.) granulated sugar, divided
1
large egg yolk
1 tsp.
pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup
(60 g.) pumpkin puree
6 oz.
cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup
homemade or store-bought cinnamon sugar

Directions

1. Step 1In a medium bowl, whisk flour, pumpkin pie spice, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt until combined.
2. Step 2In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add egg yolk and vanilla and beat until well combined. Add pumpkin puree and dry ingredients and beat on medium-low speed until just combined. Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
3. Step 3Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir cream cheese and remaining 3 tablespoons granulated sugar until smooth. Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
4. Step 4Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 350°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
5. Step 5Roll dough into level tablespoon-sized balls. Flatten 2 balls into disks. Using a spoon or a piping bag, place 2 level teaspoons cheesecake filling in the center of one disk. Close with second disk. Using your fingers, pinch around edges to seal, then gently roll into a ball.
6. Step 6Pour cinnamon sugar into a wide, shallow dish. Roll ball in cinnamon sugar and arrange on prepared sheets. Repeat with remaining dough.
7. Step 7Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown and beginning to crack, 12 to 14 minutes. Firmly bang pan a few times on the countertop or stove to slightly flatten cookies. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.