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A plate of round, cinnamon-dusted cookies with one cookie broken in half, revealing a creamy white filling inside.
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Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies

Soft pumpkin spice cookies with a creamy cheesecake center and a sweet pumpkin spice sugar coating.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time13 minutes
Chilling Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 43 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 18 cookies
Calories: 216kcal
Author: Wendy

Equipment

  • 4 mixing bowls for the filling, dry ingredients, dough, and coating
  • 1 hand mixer or stand mixer
  • 1 whisk
  • 1 Rubber Spatula
  • measuring cups and spoons
  • 2 baking sheets
  • Parchment Paper
  • 1 Freezer-safe plate or small tray for the filling portions
  • 1 Cookie Scoop about 2 tablespoons
  • 1 wire cooling rack

Ingredients

For the cheesecake filling:

  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cookie dough:

  • 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • ½ cup brown sugar packed
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling

For rolling:

  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Instructions

  • Beat the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth. Scoop 18 teaspoon-sized portions onto a parchment-lined plate or baking sheet. Freeze for 1 hour, or until firm.
  • While the filling freezes, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice together in a separate bowl.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and pumpkin puree, then mix until smooth.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until a soft dough forms. If the dough is too soft to shape, cover and refrigerate it for 20 to 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice for the coating.
  • Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough and flatten it into a disc. Place one frozen filling portion in the center, then wrap the dough around it and pinch the edges closed. Gently roll into a smooth ball. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
  • Roll each dough ball lightly in the pumpkin spice sugar. Place the cookies about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
  • Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops are puffed. The centers should still look slightly soft.
  • Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes

  • Scrape the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl between additions so no pockets of butter or cream cheese remain.
  • Let a baking sheet cool completely before using it for another batch; a hot pan can soften the dough before it reaches the oven.
  • Slip parchment paper between layers when packing the cookies to keep their sugar coating from rubbing off.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 162mg | Potassium: 61mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 1401IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg