Soft and chewy pumpkin cheesecake cookies are made with real pumpkin, warm pumpkin pie spice and a creamy cheesecake center. They’re the perfect fall cookie with a rich surprise inside.
These are a fall variation of our cheesecake stuffed cookies; another one we love is these chocolate chip cheesecake cookies.
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Key Takeaways: Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
- Soft and chewy: These pumpkin cookies have a tender, chewy texture, warm pumpkin spice flavor, and a sweet sugar-coated outside with a slight crunch.
- Creamy cheesecake center: Every cookie hides a cream cheese filling, so you get pumpkin and cheesecake in every bite.
- Creamy cheesecake center: Freezing the cream cheese filling first makes the pumpkin cookies much easier to stuff and helps the filling stay in the center as they bake.
- Make-ahead friendly: The baked cookies freeze well, making them a great option for fall parties, Halloween or Thanksgiving dessert.
Why I Love This Recipe
These pumpkin cream cheese cookies combine two of my favorite desserts in one. Soft, perfectly spiced pumpkin cookie dough wraps around a rich cheesecake center, while a roll in sugar before baking gives them that bakery-style finish.
Unlike pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting and other iced pumpkin cookies, the cream cheese is tucked inside, so there’s no frosting to make. They’re perfect for a fall cookie tray alongside my pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and pumpkin oatmeal cookies.
Ingredients Notes
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Cream cheese: Use softened, full-fat brick-style cream cheese for a smooth filling. Avoid spreadable cream cheese from a tub, which is too soft to freeze into firm portions.
- Pumpkin puree: Use 100% pure canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which already contains added sugar and spices.
- Brown and granulated sugar: Light brown sugar adds moisture and a hint of caramel, while granulated sugar sweetens the filling and creates the sugary coating.
- Pumpkin pie spice: Adds warm fall flavor. Use store-bought or make your own pumpkin pie spice.
- Egg yolk: Adds richness and binds the dough without the extra moisture of a whole egg.
- You’ll also need: All-purpose flour, vanilla extract, and softened unsalted butter.
How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
Step 1: Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth, scoop into 20 small portions, and freeze until firm.
Step 2: Cream the butter and sugars, mix in the egg yolk, vanilla, and pumpkin, then stir in the dry ingredients just until combined.
Step 3: Flatten a portion of dough, set a frozen filling in the center, then wrap, pinch closed, and roll into a ball.
Step 4: Coat each dough ball in the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar.
Step 5: Space the dough balls 3 inches apart and bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 12 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers look slightly soft.
Step 6: Cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet, then move to a wire rack to cool completely and finish setting. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Use softened ingredients. Room-temperature cream cheese makes a smooth, lump-free filling, and softened butter creams easily with the sugar.
- Freeze the filling until firm. Don’t skip the 30 minutes! Firm filling is far easier to wrap and helps prevent leaking while baking.
- Keep the filling frozen while assembling. If the portions start to soften, return them to the freezer for a few minutes and work with a few at a time.
- Seal the dough completely. Check for gaps or thin spots so the cheesecake is fully enclosed.
- Don’t overbake. The centers should look slightly soft when the cookies come out of the oven. They finish setting on the baking sheet.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies FAQs
Pumpkin puree holds a lot of moisture (blot any extra moisture), which can make pumpkin cookies cakey. Measure the flour carefully (spoon it into the cup and level it off), use only the egg yolk as directed, and avoid overmixing.
This usually happens when the filling wasn’t frozen long enough, or the dough wasn’t sealed completely. Try to avoid stretching the dough too thin around the filling.
Yes! You can substitute homemade pumpkin puree for canned. Make sure it’s thick like canned puree, and drain off any excess liquid first, since homemade puree often contains more water.
Yes. Since these cookies have a cream cheese filling, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Let them come to room temperature for a few minutes before serving for the best soft and chewy texture. For food safety, don’t leave them at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
More seasonal pumpkin cookies to love include pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and pumpkin snickerdoodles.
More Cookie Recipes
Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
Video
Ingredients
Cheesecake Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pumpkin Cookies
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter , softened
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar , divided
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup canned pumpkin puree
Instructions
- Make the cheesecake filling. In a small bowl, beat 8 ounces cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla until smooth. Scoop into 20 small portions, about 2 teaspoons each, onto a parchment-lined plate or small baking sheet. Freeze for at least 30 minutes, or until firm.
- Prepare and preheat. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Combine dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 3/4 cups flour, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Cream butter and sugar. In a large bowl, Use a hand mixer to beat the 3/4 cup butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the wet ingredients. Add in the egg yolk and 2 teaspoons vanilla and beat until smooth. Add 1/2 cup pumpkin and mix until combined.
- Finish the dough. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low just until combined. Don't over mix.
- Make the cookies. Divide the dough into 20 portions, about 2 tablespoons each. Flatten one portion in the palm of your hand and place a frozen cheesecake filling in the center. Carefully wrap the dough around the filling and pinch the edges closed. Roll gently into a ball, making sure the cheesecake is completely covered.
- Coat. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar to a small bowl. Roll each cookie dough ball in the sugar.
- Bake. Place cookies about 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft.
- Cool. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. The centers will continue to set as they cool.
Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
