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image of a pumpkin cheesecake cookie that's been drizzled with cream cheese glaze
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5 from 135 ratings

Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies

These pumpkin cheesecake cookies bake up so soft and are filled with cheesecake! Dust them in a bit of cinnamon sugar and they're completely irresistible!!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time16 minutes
Additional Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 31 minutes
Course: Cookies
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12
Calories: 306kcal
Author: Chelsey White

Equipment

Ingredients

Pumpkin Cookies

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 195g
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda 3g
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 2g
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger 1g
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 1g
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt 1g
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 113g
  • 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar 133g
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar 50g
  • 1/3 cup pumpkin puree 75g
  • orange gel food coloring - optional

Cheesecake Filling

  • 3/4 cup (6 oz) cream cheese, room temp 170g
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar 50g
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g

Cinnamon Sugar Coating

  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar 66g
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 2g
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger 1g

Cream Cheese Glaze (Optional)

  • 1/4 cup cream cheese, softened 56g
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 180g
  • 3 Tbsp milk of your choice 45g
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract 5g
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt

Instructions

Pumpkin Cookies

  • Whisk together 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp salt in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
  • Cream together 1/2 cup butter, 2/3 cup packed brown sugar, and 1/4 cup white sugar with a stand or hand mixer until the mixture lightens in color (about 1 minute).
  • Scoop 1/3 cup pumpkin puree onto a paper towel and squeeze it gently to remove excess moisture. Add this to the butter/sugar mixture and mix on a medium speed until combined. If you want your cookies to look orange, add a drop of orange gel food coloring with the pumpkin puree.
  • Then mix the dry ingredients into the butter/sugar mixture on a low speed until just combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.
  • Use a cookie scoop or spoon to make 2 1/2 Tbsp balls of cookie dough. There should be enough dough to make 12 cookie dough balls. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill in the fridge for about an hour. You can chill the dough longer than this, but it makes the dough a bit more challenging to flatten and fill.

Cheesecake Filling

  • While the cookie dough chills, make the cheesecake filling. Use an electric mixer to beat together 3/4 cup cream cheese, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Mix on a medium-high speed until combined and smooth.
  • Use a spoon to scoop about 12 dollops (each should be about 1 1/2 Tbsp) of the cheesecake filling onto a parchment-lined plate or tray. Place in the freezer for at least 45 minutes or until they're chilled and easy to handle. They won't become completely hard, but they should become much easier to pick up once they're chilled.
  • My oven takes a while to preheat, so I usually turn it on once I've finished making this filling. Preheat your oven to 350°F/175°C.

Cinnamon Sugar Coating

  • While the dough and the filling chill, make the cinnamon sugar. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp ginger. Set aside.

Filling the Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies

  • If you haven't already, preheat your oven to 350°F/175°C while the cookie dough chills, and line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicon mats.
  • Remove the cookie dough and cheesecake dollops from the fridge and freezer.
  • Flatten the cookie dough balls in the palm of your hand and place the cheesecake filling in the center. If you have warm hands, flatten the cookie dough between two sheets of parchment paper.
  • Place a dollop of cheesecake in the center and wrap the overhanging cookie dough around the filling, doing your best to fully cover it. If there is a little bit of cheesecake filling peeking through, don't worry! Just make sure that part is the bottom of the cookie when you bake them. They'll still bake up just fine! If you notice the cookie dough or cheesecake filling is getting too soft to handle, pop the dough in the fridge and the cheesecake filling in the freezer to make it easier to handle.
  • Toss each cookie in the cinnamon sugar until it's fully coated. You'll end up having a bit of cinnamon sugar left over. I like to sprinkle mine over buttered toast to make cinnamon toast.
  • Place the cookie dough balls on the lined baking sheets, spacing them about 3 inches apart. Flatten them a bit with your fingers by gently pressing down on top of each cookie.
  • Bake for 16-19 minutes, or until the cookies have set on the outside. Place them on a wire rack to cool.

Cream Cheese Drizzle (optional)

  • While the cookies bake and cool, work on the cream cheese drizzle. In a medium-sized bowl, use an electric hand mixer to combine 1/4 cup of softened cream cheese, 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar, 3 Tbsp milk of your choice (I use whole milk), 1 tsp of vanilla extract, and 1/4 tsp of fine salt. Mix on a medium speed until smooth. If the glaze seems too thick, add an extra Tbsp of milk. If it seems too thin, add an extra 1/4 cup of powdered sugar. The thickness can vary a lot based on the temperature of the ingredients and the type of milk you use.
  • Drizzle the glaze over the fully cooled cookies, then enjoy! Leftover cookies can sit at room temperature for a few hours, but should be stored in the fridge after that. They can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days. I like them best cold, straight out of the fridge!

Video

Notes

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 a small squirt of orange gel food coloring when you mix in the pumpkin puree to give these colors a little pop of color.
  • If you have warm hands, flatten the cookie dough between two sheets of parchment paper.
  • 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.
 

Making These Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies in Advance and Storing Them

Leftover cookies can sit at room temperature for a few hours, but should be stored in the fridge after that.
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 of days in!
The glaze doesn't set completely firmly, so place parchment paper between the cookies if you plan to stack them.
You can also freeze baked cookies for up to a month. I like to thaw them in the fridge overnight, then heat them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to make the centers gooey again.
If you make the cookie dough in advance, you can freeze stuffed cookies in an airtight container for up to a month. Let the cookies thaw in the fridge overnight, then bake as instructed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 306kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 224mg | Potassium: 65mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 1367IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1mg