Perfectly spiced pumpkin cheesecake cookies are our favorite way to greet the changing seasons! These fall treats feature a soft and chewy spice cookie, delicious pumpkin cream cheese filling and easy cinnamon sugar coating!
We’re diving into fall baking season with these pumpkin cheesecake cookies that are sure to fill your kitchen with cozy autumn aromas! The pumpkin stuffed cookies are perfect for a Halloween treat and make a great addition to any Thanksgiving dessert spread!
Looking for more ways to use up those cans of pumpkin puree? Make sure to check out our easy turmeric pumpkin soup and chipotle pumpkin mac and cheese!
Recipe Ingredients
Spice Cookie Ingredients
We’ll be using a chewy spice cookie dough for this pumpkin cheesecake cookies recipe. A combination of brown sugar and molasses gives these cookies a perfectly soft texture with just the right amount of spread in the oven.
- Unsalted butter: Make sure it’s at room temperature for easy mixing.
- Granulated sugar: This adds sweetness and helps the cookies spread while baking.
- Dark brown sugar: You can substitute light brown sugar if needed.
- Egg: This helps bind the cookie ingredients.
- Vanilla extract: To enhance the overall flavor of the pumpkin cheesecake cookies.
- Molasses: Opt for unsulphured molasses for a balanced sweetness without a bitter aftertaste. Avoid “blackstrap” molasses, which can be too intense.
- All purpose flour: When possible, use a kitchen scale for measuring flour. Accurately measuring the flour is especially important when making stuffed cookies to ensure assembly goes smoothly.
- Baking soda: This contributes to the soft texture of the cookies.
- Salt: Salt balances the sweetness and enhances the other flavors.
- Spices: I use cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg. Cardamom or a pinch of allspice would also make great additions to these pumpkin cheesecake cookies. About 2.5-3 teaspoons total of ground spices is the perfect amount!
Pumpkin Filling Ingredients
For the pumpkin cheesecake filling, you’ll need just three ingredients:
- Cream cheese: Make sure you’re using full fat in brick form (not the spread) for this pumpkin cheesecake cookies recipe.
- Pumpkin puree: Use 100% pumpkin puree and avoid pumpkin pie filling which has additional ingredients.
- Powdered sugar: To sweeten and thicken the mixture.
Step By Step Instructions
Making stuffed pumpkin cheesecake cookies is easier than you might think. Here’s a quick breakdown of the process:
- Make the cookie dough and chill for two hours.
- Mix up the cheesecake filling. Drop spoonfuls of the filling onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and freeze until solid (1-2 hours).
- Encase each frozen dollop of filling in cookie dough.
- Roll in cinnamon sugar, bake and enjoy!
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Using the correct amount of flour is essential for this pumpkin cheesecake cookie recipe. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, make sure to use the spoon and level method to avoid over-measuring your flour. Lightly spoon flour into the measuring cup until it’s completely full. Then run the back of a knife over the cup to gently scrape off any excess.
- The cookie dough should be chilled in the refrigerator and the cheesecake filling should be frozen solid before trying to stuff the cookies. Skipping these steps will make the process messy and difficult.
- If your cookies have gotten a bit warm after forming, you can place them in the fridge for 15-30 minutes before baking. This will help keep them from spreading too much in the oven.
Storage and Freezing
Pumpkin cheesecake cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for several days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
You can also store the cookies in an airtight container or ziplock bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, let the cookies rest at room temperature for 15-30 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, you’ll want to use 100% pumpkin puree here. Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and contains additional ingredients.
Yes, chilling the dough is especially important in making these stuffed pumpkin cheesecake cookies. Also make sure that the filling is frozen completely solid before assembling.
Make sure the filling is frozen completely solid before trying to stuff the cookie dough. This will make encasing the filling completely in dough easier. And if your cookies start to get a bit warm as you’re working with them, pop them in the fridge for 15-30 minutes before baking. This will help ensure the cookies don’t spread too much, causing the filling to seep out.
Pumpkin cheesecake cookies will keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for several days or for up to 5 days in the fridge. The baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months.
Loving these pumpkin cheesecake cookies? For more fall baking favorites, make sure to check out these recipes!
- spiced pumpkin pie
- almond flour pumpkin muffins
- baked apple cider donuts
- mini s’mores cheesecakes
- sharlotka | russian apple cake
- apple crumble cheesecake
Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies Recipe
- Total Time: 2 hours 57 minutes
- Yield: 24
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Chill Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: desserts
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: american
Ingredients
Spice Cookies
- ¾ cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 grams) dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (80 grams) molasses*
- 2.5 cups (310 grams) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled*
- 1.5 teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
- 4 ounces (115 grams) cream cheese, softened
- ⅔ cup (150 grams) pumpkin puree
- ½ cup (60 grams) powdered sugar
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Spice Cookies
- Beat together the softened butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar with an electric mixer until light and smooth.
- Add the egg and mix until smooth.
- Mix in the vanilla extract and molasses.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix until fully incorporated.
- Cover the dough and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
- Beat together the softened cream cheese and pumpkin puree until smooth.
- Mix in the powdered sugar. Continue beating until smooth.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drop heaping ½ tablespoons of filling onto the baking sheet. The mixture won’t be extremely thick, but should hold its shape. Add additional powdered sugar to thicken if necessary.
- Place in the freezer for 1-2 hours or until frozen. Ensure the filling is frozen completely solid before assembling.
Assembly
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Portion out the dough into balls using about 3 tablespoons of dough for each cookie. Use your hands to flatten the dough. Place a piece of frozen filling in the middle and carefully wrap the dough around it, pinching to close. Use the palms of your hands to roll the cookie dough into a ball.
- Combine the cinnamon and granulated sugar in a shallow dish and roll each stuffed cookie dough ball through the mixture.
- Place the formed cookies on the prepared baking sheet at least 2 inches (5 cm) apart. They will flatten as they cook.
- Bake for 12 minutes.
- Let the cookies sit for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool.
Notes
Molasses: Make sure you’re using unsulphured molasses (something like Grandma’s Molasses) and stay away from anything labeled “blackstrap,” which has a stronger and more bitter flavor.
Spooned and leveled: We highly recommend using a kitchen scale to measure flour. If measuring by volume, use the spoon and level method to avoid over-measuring the flour. Lightly spoon flour into the measuring cup until it’s completely full. Then run the back of a knife over the cup to gently scrape off any excess.
Chilling before baking: Prior to baking, you can place the stuffed and formed cookies in the fridge for 15-30 minutes to help them hold their shape. This can be especially helpful if your cookie dough has become a bit warm while working with it.
Storing: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for several days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. The baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Keywords: pumpkin cheesecake cookies, pumpkin cream cheese cookies
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