These pumpkin cheesecake cookies are the ultimate fall cookie, they are a chewy pumpkin cookie that is filled with a surprise silky cream cheese filling in the center. They’re better than any pumpkin cookie you’ve made before, and you’ll want to make them again, and again.
As the leaves start to change, and the air turns crisp that means its pumpkin season! I’m ready for all the pumpkin desserts, but my favorite thing to make this time of year is pumpkin cookies and I have a new favorite to add to the mix, with these pumpkin cheesecake cookies.
These soft, melt in your mouth cookies combine the flavors of pumpkin and cheesecake all in one delightful bite. Everyone will love biting into these cookies to find the surprise cheesecake center. These are adapted from our classic pumpkin spice snickerdoodles.
These pumpkin cheesecake snickerdoodles are a perfect fall treat, with the best flavors, the best chewy texture, with the creamy filling. You’ll want to make them for a Halloween party, for a Thanksgiving dessert, and just to keep around when the sweet tooth craving strikes!
Why these Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies are the Best?
- The best texture – thanks to our tips, these cookies are chewy and not cakey
- Creamy Cheesecake Filling – the cookies are stuffed full of a delicious, silky, sweetened cream cheese
- Perfectly spiced with a mix of pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon
Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookie Ingredients:
This is a quick overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies Recipe. Specific measurements and full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
- unsalted butter – melted and slightly cooled to make the cookies extra chewy
- granulated sugar and brown sugar – the perfect mix to sweeten the cookies
- egg yolk
- pumpkin puree – (the only ingredient should be pumpkin, do not use pumpkin pie filling) blot the pumpkin with a paper towel before adding it to the cookie dough to remove extra moisture
- vanilla extract – for flavor
- all purpose flour
- baking soda
- salt
- cream of tartart
- pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon – for the perfect blend of warm fall flavor
- cream cheese – soften half a block of cream cheese so it will mix to be nice and smooth.
How to make Pumpkin Cheesecake Snickerdoodles?
- Add the melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar to a large mixing bowl and stir them together until combined. Stir in the blotted pumpkin, egg, and vanilla extract until just combined.
- Add the dry ingredients; flour, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon and stir it all together until you have a nice soft cookie dough. Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge to chill for 1 hour, up to overnight.
- In a small bowl, cream together the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer until soft and smooth. Scoop the cream cheese filling into 1.5 to 2 teaspoon sized portions and place the cheesecake balls on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Freeze for about 30 minutes.
- Scoop the dough into 15 large portions, about 2.5 TBS each. Flatten the ball in your hand, and place a frozen cheesecake ball in the center. Roll the cookie dough over the cream cheese center into a smooth ball. Then roll the cookie dough balls into a bowl of cinnamon sugar.
- Place cookies onto a prepared baking tray. You only want to bake about 6 cookies at a time, because they are large and will spread a bit. Give them about 4 inches between each cookie.
- Bake the cookies until the edges turn golden, the tops of the cookies just start to crack, and the middle of the cookie is no longer shiny. Remove them from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking pan for about 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to chill completely.
Tips and Tricks:
- Prepare for messy. These cookies are well worth the effort, but filling them can be a bit messy. Mentally prepare yourself to get your hands dirty.
- Don’t skip the chilling process. The dough needs to chill in the fridge for 1 hour, and the cheesecake filling needs at least 30 minutes in the freezer. You can do these both at the same time. This will prevent the cookies from baking into a flat puddle.
- Use pumpkin puree. Sometimes people mistake pumpkin pie filling for pumpkin puree – they are not the same. Pumpkin pie filling has extra ingredients and spices mixed in and will be too thin for these cookies. You want to look on the can and see 100% pumpkin, and the only ingredient listed will be pumpkin.
- Add chocolate. You can add up to 1 cup of chocolate chips or white chocolate chips to the cookie dough, then chill.
- Double the recipe. This recipe makes 15 large cookies. If you want more because you are making these for a larger gathering you can double the recipe. I recommend only using 1 egg instead of 2 egg yolks for the doubled recipe.
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions:
These cookies are a great make-ahead recipe because the cookies get even better the second day. Any leftover cookies, or if you make the cookies ahead of time they can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up 5-6 days.
You can also freeze the baked cookies in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
You can also make the cookie dough and cheesecake filling in advanced. Store the cheesecake filling in the freezer, and the cookie dough in the fridge for up to 3 days, then assemble and bake. Or you can prepare the cheesecake filled cookie balls and store those in the fridge for up to 3 days before baking. Or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
These chewy pumpkin cookies are perfect for every pumpkin lover. They’re a delightful autumn dessert that totally captures the essence of the season, and you’ll want to make them on repeat all fall long! Happy baking!
Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Cookie Dough:
- 1/2 cup butter (melted and slightly cooled)
- 2/3 cup granulated white sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
For the Cheesecake Filling:
- 4 oz cream cheese (softened)
- 2 TBS granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
For the Pumpkin Cookie Dough:
- Melt the butter in a small microwave safe bowl. Set aside at room temperature and allow to cool for about 10-20 minutes.
- Mix together the melted butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until combined.
- Blot the pumpkin between paper towels to get as much moisture out as you can. (Measure the 1/3 cup after you remove the liquid)
- Add in the egg yolk, pumpkin puree and vanilla extract and stir until just mixed together.
- Add the flour, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon to the wet ingredients and stir together till you have a soft dough.
- Cover the bowl and place the bowl in the fridge for 1 hour, up to overnight.
For the Cheesecake Filling:
- Add the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla to a bowl and mix it together with a stand mixer, or hand mixer on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and combined.
- Spoon 15 even sized dollops about 1.5 to 2 tsp each of the cheesecake filling onto a parchment paper lined plate, or tray.
- Place the tray in the freezer for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the dollopers are frozen.
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a cookie sheet or two with a silicone liner or parchment paper.
- Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl for rolling.
For Assembling the Cookies:
- Scoop your dough into fifteen 2 1/2 TBS sized balls, and flatten the dough.
- Add a cheesecake portion onto the dough, and wrap the dough around it to cover the cheesecake filling completely. Roll the dough into a smooth ball.
- Dip your dough into the cinnamon sugar and roll around to full coat.
- Place 5 to 6 cookie dough balls on the prepared cookie sheet, placing them about 3 to 4 inches apart.
- Bake on the medium rack in the oven for 12 to 14 minutes until the tops of the cookies are set and the cookies just start to crack.
- Allow to rest on cookie sheet for about 10 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Repeat with additional cookie dough (only bake one pan at a time) and enjoy cookies.
- Leftover cookies can sit at room temperature for a few hours, but should be stored in the fridge after that. They can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 days.
Nutrition
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