These pumpkin cheesecake cookies bake up so soft and fluffy, and are filled with cheesecake!

Dust them in a bit of cinnamon sugar and they’re completely irresistible!!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookie Ingredients & Substitutions

I love this recipe just the way it is but I know some people might not have all these ingredients on hand! Or you might have food restrictions or allergies.

Below are some swaps and variations that can be made in this recipe.

• All Purpose Flour – You can use a gluten-free flour blend if needed in place of the AP flour in this recipe.
• Ground Spices – Ground cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg really amp up the flavor of these cookies. The cinnamon is a must, but you can omit the ginger and nutmeg if you don’t have them on hand.
• Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter, you can use it and omit the salt that this recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter.
• Brown Sugar – I like using light brown sugar but dark brown sugar will work too.
• Granulated Sugar – This recipe turns out best with a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar but you can also use additional light brown sugar in place of the granulated sugar if that’s what you have on hand.
• Pumpkin Puree – This cookie recipe uses unsweetened pumpkin puree in place of eggs! It gives them an amazing flavor and the softest texture.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookie Troubleshooting

While these cookies are absolutely worth the effort, filling and rolling them can be a bit challenging. It’s also a messy process, so get ready to get your hands dirty!

The dough is easiest to flatten and roll after it’s been in the fridge for an hour. The cheesecake filling needs at least 45 minutes in the freezer, and can be made in advance or chilled overnight.

My hands are always cold so it’s pretty easy for me to flatten the dough in the palm of my hand. If your hands run warm, flatten the cookie dough between two pieces of parchment paper.

If there is a bit (or a lot) of cheesecake filling peeking through the cookie dough, don’t worry! Just make that the bottom of the cookie when you bake them. They’ll still bake up great.

Or if you notice the cookie dough or cheesecake filling is getting too soft, pop the dough in the fridge and the cheesecake filling in the freezer to make them easier to handle.

Tips for Making the Best Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies

• Chilling the cookie dough is a must! It’s almost impossible to fill these cookies if the dough isn’t chilled. I find they’re easiest to roll out when they’ve been in the fridge for about an hour.
• Use a cookie scoop to make sure your cookies are uniformly sized.
• Thoroughly coat each cookie with cinnamon sugar. It really adds to the texture and flavor of these cookies.
• Add in a small squirt of orange gel food coloring when you mix in the pumpkin puree to give these cookies a little pop of color.
• If you have warm hands, flatten the cookie dough between two sheets of parchment paper.
• Don’t worry if there’s a little bit of cheesecake filling peeking through a small crack in the cookie dough. It will bake up just fine and be covered with cinnamon sugar!
• Space your cookies about 3 inches apart before baking them. They will spread as they bake.
• Don’t over-bake your cookies! They don’t really brown, so you have to keep an eye on the texture of the top of the cookie. Even if they seem a bit soft coming out of the oven, they will continue to bake and set on the tray once they’re out of the oven.

How Many Cookies Does this Recipe Make?

The recipe makes about 12 cookies (2.5 Tbsp of dough per cookie). However, you can also make mini pumpkin cheesecake cookies that are half the size!

Scoop 20 cookie dough balls (about 1.5 Tbsp each) and bake for 12-14 minutes at 350 F / 175 C.

Making These Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies in Advance & Storage Tips

If you have leftover cookies or if you make these ahead of time, they can be stored in an airtight container for up to 10 days in the fridge. They age super well, and I swear they actually taste best a couple days in!

You can also freeze baked cookies for up to a month. I like to thaw them in the fridge overnight, then enjoy straight from the fridge.

If you make the cookie dough in advance, you can freeze stuffed (and unbaked) cookies in an airtight container for up to a month. Let the cookies thaw in the fridge overnight, then bake as instructed.

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you try this recipe for pumpkin cheesecake cookies, I’d love to hear what you think!

Please leave a rating and comment below.

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