Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
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These Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies blend the rich flavors of pumpkin spice with a creamy cheesecake filling, creating a treat that is perfect for Fall, cozy gatherings or satisfying a sweet tooth.
Step-by-step photos and instructions are below. Jump to the recipe card if you wish!
Are you a pumpkin lover?
Pumpkin season has to be a favorite around here. I love Fall baking, and my family and friends are the recipients of many a pumpkin flavor treat! We love pumpkin anything from these Pumpkin Waffles, Pumpkin Spice Pancakes and Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls too!
Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
The rich pumpkin pie spice in the soft, chewy pumpkin cookie on the outside blends perfectly with the smooth, creamy cheesecake center.
They are prepared similar to a snickerdoodle (with the sugar coating on the outside), but we pack them with cheesecake filling and use a touch of pumpkin in the cookie dough – so the flavor of these cookies are definitely different.
This pumpkin cookie recipe is full of Fall flavor, and is super versatile. The cookies can be served at any time of the day, whether as a sweet breakfast treat, an afternoon snack, or a dessert.
I hope you make this recipe and love it as much as my family does!
Why you’ll love this
The use of pumpkin and warming spices like cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice make these cookies an awesome Fall treat, perfect for gatherings, Halloween parties, or Thanksgiving desserts.
- These cookies are freezer friendly and great to make ahead. Get a head start of Fall baking!
- Easy to customize. Mix up the spices, the filling etc to make your own spin on this recipe.
- Fun to make. Yep, there’s a few moving parts, but you can do them in parts, and involve the family as well.
Step-by-step photos and tips and tricks are below. Jump to the full recipe card instead
Key Recipe Ingredients
Note: This highlights some ingredients. Full list is in the recipe card.
- Cream cheese. Softened cream cheese is easier to mix than cold cream cheese, but make sure not to let the cream cheese stay at room temperature for longer than 2 hours.
- Pumpkin puree. You’ll want to drain the canned pumpkin puree until it’s reduced to ¼ cup. This is not pumpkin pie filling.
- Egg yolk. We are not using the whites for this recipe.
- Flour. Plain, all-purpose flour
- Pumpkin pie spice. Grab this at the store, or use my homemade pumpkin pie spice recipe.
- Baking soda. Helps the cookies spread and brown while baking. Make sure not to use baking powder. It will have a different effect on the cookies.
- Butter. If you use salted butter, make sure to reduce the added salt to ¼ teaspoon so the cookies don’t come out too salty.
- White sugar and brown sugar. I use plain white sugar, and I use light brown sugar. I don’t recommend using dark brown sugar for this recipe. The extra molasses in dark brown sugar may cause the cookies to spread too much.
- Vanilla extract. You’ll use this in the cookie and the filling.
How to make this recipe
This is a step-by-step photo guide. Full ingredients and instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
JumpMake Pumpkin Spice Sugar
Stir the sugar and pumpkin pie spice together in a small bowl, set aside.
Make the cheesecake mixture
In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to mix the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract together until smooth.
Use a tablespoon to scoop out 16 scoops of the mixture and drop them onto a small cutting board or baking sheet lined with parchment paper. They don’t have to be perfectly shaped.
Place the cream cheese scoops in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
Remove moisture from pumpkin
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Spread the pumpkin puree onto a paper towel lined plate and press another paper towel on top to squeeze out the moisture. Blot the pumpkin as much as is necessary until the puree is noticeably drier and reduced to ¼ cup. Set it aside.
Make the pumpkin cookie dough
Whisk together the dry ingredient (flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt) in a medium bowl until well combined, and set it aside.
In a separate large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter and brown sugar until fluffy.
Add the pumpkin puree, egg yolks and vanilla extract, and continue beating until well-mixed.
Gradually add the flour mixture until the dough is crumbly. It should be a little sticky.
Scoop, shape and roll
Use a cookie scoop to scoop out 16 scoops of dough (2 tablespoons of dough each), roll them into balls with your hands and place them on a small, parchment-lined baking sheet or cutting board.
Flatten them out slightly, then place the frozen of cream cheese ball in the center of each dough disc.
Carefully wrap the cookie dough around the cream cheese and roll them into round balls with your hands. It’s okay if a little bit of the cream cheese shows through the cracks.
Roll each ball of cookie dough in the sugar, making sure the sugar mixture coats them completely.
Freeze
Place the dough balls in the freezer for at least 30 minutes, but no more than 24 hours.
Bake
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, and place the cookie dough balls at least 2 inches apart on each baking sheet.
Bake the cookies for 15-18 minutes or until they have spread and start to turn brown around the edges.
Let the cookies cool
Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes (the cookies will flatten out as they cool) and serve.
Kylee’s Notes
The cream cheese will start to thaw and spread a little as you are wrapping the cookie dough around it. This will be fine and won’t affect the outcome of the cookies.
It’s important to make sure the cream cheese mixture is smooth and lump-free when you are mixing it with the sugar to make sure you don’t have clumps of sour cream cheese in the cookies.
Enjoy these cookies chilled or at room temperature, but don’t let them stay at room temperature for longer than 2 hours due to the cream cheese in the middle.
The pumpkin puree needs to be noticeably drier after draining it, but some moisture is fine. You’ll want it to be pliable (like playdough) and have it reduced to ¼ cup.
How to store the cookies
Counter: Because there is cream cheese in the middle of the cookies, you don’t want them to be at room temperature for longer than 2 hours.
Refrigerator: Pack the cookies in an airtight container, and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezer: All the cookies to cool completely, then wrap the cookies individually in plastic wrap and store them in an airtight container. Store them in the freezer for up to 2 months and thaw them overnight in the fridge before serving. They may get a little soggy during the thawing process.
FAQs
Removing moisture from the pumpkin puree helps to ensure the cookies have the right texture. Too much moisture can make the dough too wet, resulting in cookies that spread too much and have a soggy texture.
Yes, you can prepare both the dough and the cheesecake filling ahead of time. Freeze the dough balls with the cheesecake filling inside, and bake them directly from the freezer when you’re ready.
Full-fat cream cheese is recommended for the best texture and flavor, but you can use low-fat cream cheese if you prefer. The filling might be slightly less rich and creamy.
Yes, you can use homemade pumpkin puree. Just make sure to drain it well to remove excess moisture, as fresh pumpkin puree tends to be more watery than canned.
More delicious pumpkin recipes:
- Pumpkin Smoothie. Loaded with the warm spices of a pumpkin pie, the yummy flavor of pumpkin (apple and banana), and tastes like heaven in a glass.
- Pumpkin Muffins. Moist and delicious pumpkin muffins, studded with white chocolate chips, and drizzled with white chocolate. The yummiest Fall treat!
- Pumpkin Martini. Get your pumpkin martini on! This boozy Fall drink that tastes like pie will be a favorite this season!
- Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe. Grab this easy recipe for how to make a Pumpkin Spice Latte at home and skip the line at your local coffee shop! Hello, Fall!
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Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
Equipment
- Medium bowl
- Stand Mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment
- Small cutting board or baking sheet (something flat that will fit in the freezer)
Ingredients
Pumpkin Spice Sugar
- ¼ cup granulated white sugar
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
Cheesecake Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pumpkin Cookies
- ½ cup pumpkin puree drained
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons butter softened (1.5 sticks)
- 1 ½ cups light brown sugar packed
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make Pumpkin Spice Sugar
- Stir ¼ cup granulated white sugar and 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice together in a small bowl, set aside.
Make the cheesecake filling
- In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to mix8 ounces cream cheese, ¼ cup white sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract together until smooth.
- Use a tablespoon to scoop out 16 scoops of the mixture and drop them onto a small cutting board or baking sheet lined with parchment paper. They don’t have to be perfectly shaped.
- Place the cream cheese scoops in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
Remove moisture from pumpkin
- Spread ½ cup pumpkin puree onto a paper towel lined plate and press another paper towel on top to squeeze out the moisture. Repeat this at least 2 more times or until the puree is noticeably drier and reduced to ¼ cup. Set it aside.
Make the cookie dough
- Whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl, and set it aside.
- In a separate large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream 12 tablespoons butter and 1 ½ cups light brown sugar until fluffy.
- Add 2 large egg yolks, ½ cup pumpkin puree and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and continue beating until well-mixed. Gradually add the flour mixture until the dough is crumbly. It should be a little sticky.
Scoop, shape and roll
- Use a cookie scoop to scoop out 16 scoops of dough (2 tablespoons of dough each), roll them into balls with your hands and place them on a small, parchment-lined baking sheet or cutting board.
- Flatten them out slightly, then place the frozen scoops of cream cheese onto each dough disc. Carefully wrap the cookie dough around the cream cheese and roll them into round balls with your hands. It’s okay if a little bit of the cream cheese shows through the cracks.
- Roll each cookie dough ball in the pumpkin spice sugar, making sure the sugar mixture coats them completely.
Freeze
- Place the dough balls in the freezer for at least 30 minutes, but no more than 24 hours.
Bake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, and place the cookie dough balls at least 2 inches apart on each baking sheet.
- Bake the cookies for 15-18 minutes or until they have spread and start to turn brown around the edges.
Cool
- Let the cookies cool for 30 minutes (the cookies will flatten out as they cool) and serve.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
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Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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About Kylee Ayotte
I am a born and raised New Zealander (a Kiwi), now living in Phoenix, Arizona. I’m happily married to the love of my life – a hot American boy I met while traveling the world. I’m a mama to 2 awesome little boys and love red things, rugby, cheesecake, and bacon. Mmmmm. Bacon. Meet Kylee
