Welcome back, pumpkin lovers! Today, I am bringing you a delightful cookie that will become a seasonal favorite: Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies.
These little bites are a cross between a Snickerdoodle and a pumpkin sugar cookie, rolled in a fragrant cinnamon-sugar mixture and featuring a creamy cheesecake filling dollop. Get ready for the best autumn flavors to dance on your taste buds!
If you love baked goods that feature pumpkin, you'll want to try my Panera Bread Pumpkin Muffin Recipe. It's a copycat recipe that is so close to Panera's pumpkin muffin that you'll never need to buy another muffin!
Substitutions
- Whole Wheat Flour - You can swap out some or all of the all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour for a heartier cookie.
- Homemade Pumpkin Puree - I like using canned puree for convenience, but if you'd like to make your own pumpkin puree and use that instead, I think it would be delicious.
- Full-Fat Cream Cheese - You can use a reduced-fat cream cheese for a lighter version, but the texture may differ slightly.
Instructions
Step 1. Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Step 2. Place pumpkin puree onto a paper towel to absorb excess moisture. Set aside.
Step 3. Whisk flour, soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
Step 4. In a large bowl, beat softened butter and sugars with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Step 5. Add in the pumpkin puree.
Step 6. With the mixer on low, add dry ingredients and mix until combined. Set aside.
Step 7. Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a medium mixing bowl until smooth.
Step 8. In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup granulated sugar and ground cinnamon.
Step 9. Using a 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop, form dough into balls and drop them into the cinnamon sugar mixture. Roll to coat.
Step 10. Place the cookie balls on the lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
Step 11. Make an indentation in the center of each cookie ball using the back of a large measuring spoon. Spoon about 1 Tablespoon of cheesecake mixture into the indentation.
Step 12. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until edges are set.
Step 13. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Move to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
Storage and Freezing
After cooling, store cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To Freeze these cookies, place them in a freezer container or bag with parchment paper placed between the layers of cookies for up to 3 months.
Yes. Even though different brands of pumpkin puree have varying moisture levels, it's important to do this step no matter what brand you're using. Too much liquid in the pumpkin will make the cookie spread more than it should. This step is pretty quick and essential to your cookie turning out perfectly.
Even though this recipe doesn't use an egg for the cheesecake filling, the cookies should be stored in the refrigerator because of the cream cheese in the middle. If you like them at room temperature, I would take them out shortly before you plan to serve them and let them warm up.
Soft Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls small, medium and large
- Electric Mixer
- cookie sheet
- parchment paper
- Cookie scoop 2 tablespoon size
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup pumpkin puree
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
For the cheesecake filling:
- 10 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the cinnamon-sugar coating:
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Place pumpkin puree onto a paper towel to absorb excess moisture. Set aside.
- Whisk flour, soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat softened butter and sugars with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add in the pumpkin puree.
- With the mixer on low, add dry ingredients and mix until combined. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup granulated sugar and ground cinnamon.
- Using a 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop, form dough into balls and drop them into the cinnamon sugar mixture. Roll to coat.
- Place the cookie balls on the lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Make an indentation in the center of each cookie ball using the back of a large measuring spoon. Spoon about 1 Tablespoon of cheesecake mixture into the indentation.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes or until edges are set.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Move to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
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