Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies are one of those fall cookies that are extra delicious without being complicated. They’re soft pumpkin spice cookies with a sweet little cheesecake center, and rolling them in pumpkin spice sugar gives them the prettiest finish and that bakery-style look.
We love making these when we want a cookie that stands out on a holiday tray. Freezing the cream cheese filling is the trick that makes them easy to assemble, and blotting the pumpkin keeps the dough from getting too wet so the cookies bake up thick and soft. They’re definitely a new fall favorite.
For more yummy cookies be sure to check out our Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies and Pumpkin Snickerdoodles.
Why you’ll love them + Why they work:
- Incredible. Soft pumpkin spice cookies with a creamy cheesecake center.
- Fall favorite. Great for fall parties, cookie trays, and Thanksgiving desserts.
- Awesome but simple. Unique cookie that still uses simple ingredients.
- Blotting pumpkin prevents soggy dough. Removing extra moisture helps cookies bake up thick, not cakey or wet.
- Frozen filling stays centered. Freezing the cream cheese scoops keeps the filling from melting out while baking.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookie Ingredients
- Cream cheese (8 ounces): Creates the cheesecake filling and makes the center creamy.
- Powdered sugar (½ cup): Sweetens the filling and keeps it smooth.
- Vanilla extract (1½ teaspoons): Adds flavor to both the filling and the cookie dough.
- Canned pumpkin (½ cup): Adds pumpkin flavor and keeps cookies soft. Do not use canned pumpkin pie filling as it already has sugar and spices added. You can also use homemade pumpkin puree, but ensure that it is drained of excess liquid.
- All-purpose flour (1¾ cups): Gives structure so cookies hold the filling.
- Pumpkin pie spice (1 tablespoon, divided): Adds warm fall spice flavor to the dough and coating.
- Baking soda (½ teaspoon): Helps cookies rise and spread slightly.
- Salt (¼ teaspoon): Balances sweetness and brings out flavor.
- Butter, softened (¾ cup): Adds rich flavor and creates a tender cookie texture.
- Brown sugar (¾ cup): Adds moisture and keeps cookies soft and chewy.
- White sugar (½ cup, divided): Sweetens dough and creates the spiced sugar coating.
How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
PREP. Prepare lined baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
CREAM CHEESE FILLING. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and ½ teaspoon vanilla until smooth and well combined.
- Scoop 18 balls of cream cheese using a small cookie scoop (about 2 teaspoons). Freeze for 1 hour.
PREP. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
BATTER. Pour the pumpkin puree onto a plate and blot out all excess moisture. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix flour, two teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat butter on high until smooth. Add brown sugar and ¼ cup white sugar. Beat until combined.
- Combine the pumpkin, butter mixture, and remaining vanilla.
- Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
- In a small bowl, mix the remaining ¼ cup white sugar and 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice.
BAKE. Scoop pumpkin dough with a medium scoop and pat into circles in the palm of your hand. Add a frozen cheesecake ball to the middle, and press the dough around the filling. Roll into a ball and coat in the spiced sugar mixture. Repeat.
- Bake for 12 minutes (Keep the remaining filled dough balls chilled).
- Cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Make sure the cookie dough completely encases and seals in the frozen cheesecake filling. This prevents the filling from leaking out during baking.
- Freeze the cream cheese scoops the full hour so they’re easy to wrap in dough.
- Blot pumpkin really well, extra moisture can make dough too sticky.
- Keep filled dough balls chilled while batches bake so the filling stays put.
- Seal dough fully around the filling so it doesn’t leak.
- Let cookies cool on the pan a few minutes so the centers set before moving.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup canned pumpkin
- 1¾ cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, divided
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup butter, softened
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup white sugar, divided
Instructions
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and ½ teaspoon vanilla until smooth and well combined.
- Scoop cream cheese using a small cookie scoop (about 2 teaspoons) onto the tray (there should be about 18 scoops). Freeze for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Pour the pumpkin onto a plate and blot out all excess moisture until there is no extra moisture. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix flour, two teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat butter on high until smooth. Add brown sugar and ¼ cup white sugar. Beat until combined well.
- Pour the pumpkin into the butter and sugar mixture and the remaining vanilla. Beat until mixed well.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until combined.
- In a small bowl, mix the remaining ¼ cup white sugar and 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice.
- Scoop pumpkin dough with a medium scoop and pat each ball into a 2½ to 3-inch circle in your palm. Add a frozen ball of cream cheese to the middle, and press the dough around the filling. Roll into a ball and then roll into the sugar and pumpkin pie spice mixture.
- Place on the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough.
- Bake for 12 minutes (Keep remaining dough balls with the cream cheese inside chilled while baking).
- Let cool on a baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- The butter and cream cheese need to be at room temperature when mixed, but cold when baked. Otherwise, the cookies will spread excessively in the oven.
- Do not skip or skimp on blotting the pumpkin puree! Pumpkin purees contain a lot of water, and excess moisture will lead to cakey or flat cookies that spread too much.
- Make sure the cookie dough completely encases and seals in the frozen cheesecake filling. This prevents the filling from leaking out during baking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Shape the cookie dough around the frozen cream cheese filling and store them, covered, in the fridge for 1-2 days, or freeze them for up to 2 months. See How to Freeze Cookie Dough for tips. Bake chilled dough for 12 minutes or frozen dough for 14-15 minutes.
Baked cookies must be kept cold due to the cream cheese. Once they have cooled, place the baked cookies in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-5 days, or freeze them for 4-6 weeks.
