Ready to make the ultimate fall cookie? Our pumpkin cheesecake cookies are filled with pumpkin pie spice and real pumpkin puree, then stuffed with a cheesecake-like filling and rolled in cinnamon sugar.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
Updated on Oct. 15, 2024
I absolutely love a hybrid dessert. Taking the best components of two—sometimes three—desserts and turning them into one “best of” recipe gets me every time. Our pumpkin cheesecake cookies are one of my favorite examples of this phenomenon.
Think about it: Your favorite pumpkin cookies—tender, chewy and fall-spiced—are stuffed with a creamy, dreamy cheesecake filling and surrounded with a crackly cinnamon-sugar coating (thank you, snickerdoodles). I couldn’t think of a more perfect cookie to welcome autumn.
Ingredients for Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
- Filling: The cheesecake filling is the surprise star of the show. Soften the cream cheese and beat it with granulated sugar and sour cream for a quick cheesecake-flavored filling.
- Butter: Soften two sticks of butter so you can cream the butter and sugar together effectively.
- Sugars: A mix of brown sugar and granulated sugar creates the perfect cookie. Granulated sugar crisps, while brown sugar moistens and adds a molasses-caramel flavor.
- Eggs: Bring two eggs to room temperature by placing them in a bowl and covering them with warm water. Let them sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then use them in this pumpkin cheesecake cookie recipe.
- Pumpkin: We’ll show you how to strain the pumpkin puree in the directions below. Use any leftover pumpkin puree in your morning yogurt or oatmeal, or turn it into a pumpkin spice latte.
- Vanilla: Feel free to use vanilla extract or vanilla paste.
- All-purpose flour: Our flour of choice for cookie recipes is all-purpose flour. Its mix of hard and soft wheat lends a tender yet sturdy structure to this pumpkin cheesecake cookie recipe.
- Baking powder: We help the cookies get a nice rise with baking powder.
- Pumpkin pie spice: Use a store-bought blend or your own homemade pumpkin pie spice to give these cookies their cozy autumn flavor.
- Cinnamon sugar: Once the cookie dough balls are formed, we give them the snickerdoodle treatment by rolling them in cinnamon sugar before baking them. This gives each cookie a crackly coating.
Directions
Step 1: Make and freeze the filling
In a bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat together the cream cheese, sugar and sour cream until smooth and lump free.
Scoop out the filling by tablespoonfuls, and place each ball on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer until the cream cheese balls are frozen solid.
Step 2: Strain the pumpkin and make the dough
While the cream cheese filling is in the freezer, in a separate large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, five to seven minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
Spread the pumpkin puree on a plate, then lightly dab the puree with a paper towel (repeatedly) to remove the excess liquid.
Add the pumpkin to the creamed mixture and beat well.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Gradually beat the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture.
Step 3: Shape and chill the dough
Measure out the dough by quarter cupfuls, and refrigerate the dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet until the dough is firm enough to shape, about one hour.
Step 4: Assemble the cookies
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or damp or floured hands to flatten each dough ball.
Place a frozen cheesecake filling portion into the center of each dough piece. Wrap the dough around the filling to cover it completely, shaping each into a ball.
Roll the cookie balls in the cinnamon sugar. Refrigerate the dough balls until chilled, about 30 minutes. Place the cookie dough balls 4 inches apart, seam side down, on parchment-lined baking sheets.
Step 5: Bake the cookies
Bake the cookies until the tops appear dry and the edges are browned, 17 to 20 minutes. Cool the cookies on baking sheets for five minutes, then remove them from the pans and onto wire racks. Store leftover cookies in the refrigerator.
Recipe Variations
- Top with white chocolate: Just before stashing the cookies in the oven, press white chocolate chips on the tops of the dough balls. Or, once the cookies are baked, drizzle melted white chocolate on the tops of the cookies.
- Flavor the cream cheese: Add more cozy autumn flavors to this pumpkin cheesecake cookie recipe by flavoring the cream cheese with fall spices. Try cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, a chai seasoning blend or more pumpkin pie spice.
How to Store Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
While you may be used to storing cookies at room temperature, these pumpkin cheesecake cookies must be stored in the fridge because of their cream cheese center. Once the cookies have cooled to room temperature, transfer them to an airtight container. You can lay pieces of waxed paper or parchment between each stack to prevent them from sticking together. Refrigerate the cookies for up to five days.
Can you freeze pumpkin cheesecake cookies?
Absolutely! Cool the cookies to room temperature, then transfer them to an airtight container. Place sheets of waxed paper or parchment in between each layer so the cookies don’t freeze together and break. They can be frozen for up to two months and thawed overnight in the fridge.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookie Tips
Why did my cookies come out cakey?
Pumpkin puree contains a lot of water, no matter if it’s the best canned pumpkin or your special homemade pumpkin puree. Excess water will make the dough moister, and more water means fluffier, cakier cookies. That’s why we blot the pumpkin puree. Drawing out all that excess water will leave you with concentrated pumpkin puree that won’t affect your cookies’ texture.
How do I strain pumpkin puree?
You can get the excess water out of pumpkin puree in two different ways. The first way is to strain the pumpkin puree through a cheesecloth or paper towel. A cheesecloth is much sturdier, but a paper towel works in a pinch. The paper towel will break, so you may have to strain the puree a few times with a few sheets of paper towels.
The second way is by blotting away the liquid. Place the pumpkin puree on a baking sheet or plate and spread it out. Using a paper towel, blot away as much excess liquid as you can from the puree.
Why are my cookies falling apart?
Pumpkin cheesecake cookies fresh out of the oven are extremely fragile. Unfortunately, you’re going to have to practice patience with this recipe. Let the cookies cool completely to room temperature before diving in.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
20 min
Yield
16
Ingredients
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- COOKIES:
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin, strained
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup cinnamon sugar
Directions
- In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and sour cream until until smooth. Measure by heaping tablespoonfuls and freeze on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Spread pumpkin on plate; lightly dab with paper towel (repeatedly) to remove liquid. Add pumpkin to creamed mixture; mix well.
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt; gradually beat into pumpkin mixture. Measure by quarter cupfuls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet; refrigerate until dough is firm enough to shape, about 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°. Using the bottom of a measuring cup, flatten each dough portion. (If the dough sticks to the bottom of the measuring cup, use slightly damp hands as an alternative to flatten cookies.) Working quickly, place a frozen filling portion into the center of each dough piece; wrap dough around filling to cover completely, shaping into a ball. Roll ball into cinnamon sugar; refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
- Place 3-4 cookies 4 in. apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until tops appear dry and edges are browned, about 17-20 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Store in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Facts
1 cookie: 353 calories, 18g fat (11g saturated fat), 69mg cholesterol, 254mg sodium, 46g carbohydrate (30g sugars, 1g fiber), 4g protein.
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This fall treat is like two desserts in one! Combine the flavors and textures of perfectly spiced pumpkin cookies and a surprise cheesecake filling. —Sarah Farmer, Waukesha, Wisconsin
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