Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies are a delicious way to bring all the best fall flavors together in one tasty bite! Soft, spiced pumpkin cookies stuffed with a sweet and creamy cheesecake center—they’re a cozy treat you’ll want to make again and again. Perfect with a cup of coffee or as a fun dessert for any fall gathering!
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These pumpkin and cream cheese cookies combine the warm spices of pumpkin with a rich, tangy cheesecake filling, creating a cookie that’s soft, chewy, and bursting with flavor. It’s like having a slice of pumpkin cheesecake but in a convenient, hand-held treat!
These cookies stand out because they’re not just for fall – their irresistible flavor makes them crave-worthy year-round. Whether you love the creamy center or the warm, spiced dough, these cookies offer something special with every bite. Plus, they’re super easy to make, so you can enjoy that comforting pumpkin spice goodness whenever you want!
Ingredients you’ll Need
- The Usual Cookie Starters – All-purpose flour, sugar, vanilla and unsalted butter. The butter for the cookies will be melted but the butter used in the cream cheese filling will need to be at room temperature.
- Molasses – Gives a deep rich burnt caramel and smoky flavor to the cookies as well as a deeper color.
- Egg – the glue that holds it all together.
- Pumpkin Puree – Fresh pumpkin puree or canned will do.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda – Leveners that give rise to the cookies.
- Pumpkin Spice – The essence of these fall-spiced cookies.
- Cream Cheese – Used to make the creamy cheesecake filling. I would recommend the full-fat kind always. The light version has a higher water content and does work as well.
- Powdered Sugar – Used to sweeten the cream cheese and also provide more structure to the centers.
Step-by-step Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Add 1/2 a cup of warm melted butter, 1 tsp of vanilla and the molasses to a large bowl and mix well to combine. The heat from the warm butter will make it easier to mix into the molasses.
- Add the sugar and egg to the bowl and continue to mix to combine.
- Add the pumpkin puree and mix to combine.
- Place a large sieve over the bowl and add the flour, pumpkin spice, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Use a spoon to stir the dry ingredients through the sieve into the wet ingredients below.
- Mix the wet and dry ingredients until combined.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and a tablespoon of the cookie dough into a ball and place it on the baking sheet. Repeat until the cookie sheet has 12 cookies. This pumpkin cream cheese cookie recipe will make about 2 1/2 dozen so set the rest of the cookie batter aside until these are done baking.
- Bake for 7 minutes and then remove from oven. Using the end of a wooden spoon or your thumb (be careful aka quick the cookies are hot) push a thumb-sized hole in the centre about 1/2 way down to make a space for the cream cheese filling.
- Return the cookies to the oven and continue to bake for another 7 or 8 minutes or until the cookies are firm to touch but have not started to brown.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool completely on a cooling rack. If the centre of the cookie has puffed back up use the end of the spoon again or your thumb to once again make a divot in the centre of the cookie. Do this before the cookies cool.
- Add the cream cheese, 1/4 cup of room temperature butter, and 1 tsp of vanilla to a large bowl to make the filling. Beat on high using a hand or stand mixer until the mixture is smooth and well blended.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar into the bowl using the mixer and continue mixing until all the powdered sugar is combined and the filling is smooth and creamy.
- Once the cookies are completely cool use a piping bag or a small spoon to fill the centre with the cream cheese filling. Let the cookies set on the counter or place them in the fridge to set the cream cheese. These cookies don’t stack all that well when the cream cheese is soft so I recommend storing them in the fridge. Once the cream cheese is set the cookies can be carefully stacked.
storage and Freezing
These Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies can be stored for up to 1 week in the fridge or for 3 months in the freeze. Thaw frozen cookies before serving either by letting them sit on the counter for about 1/2 and hour before serving or overnight in the fridge.
Why Are My Cookies Doughy?
The first time I made these cream cheese filled pumpkin cookies mine turned out doughy as well because they needed to be baked longer since they are a cakier, denser cookie than most.
Do These Cookies Need To Be Filled?
No. If you or someone else isn’t a fan of cream cheese you can leave it out and just enjoy the pumpkin goodness of this easy pumpkin cookie recipe without the cream cheese.
More Pumpkin Spice Treats To Try:
- Pumpkin Spiced Palmiers
- Whole Wheat Pumpkin Banana Muffins
- Crustless Pumpkin Pie with Maple Whip
- Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Energy Bites
Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter; divided
- ¼ cup molasses
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp pumpkin spice
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 4 oz softened cream cheese
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
For The Cookie
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Add 1/2 a cup of warm melted butter, 1 tsp of vanilla and the molasses to a large bowl and mix well to combine. The heat from the warm butter will make it easier to mix into the molasses.
- Add the sugar and egg to the bowl and mix to combine.
- Add the pumpkin puree and mix to combine.
- Place a large sieve over the bowl and add the flour, pumpkin spice, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Use a spoon to stir the dry ingredients through the sieve into the wet ingredients below.
- Mix the wet and dry ingredients together just until combined. Do not overmix.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and a tablespoon of the cookie dough into a ball and place it on the baking sheet. Repeat until the cookie sheet has 12 cookies. This pumpkin cream cheese cookie recipe will make about 2 1/2 dozen so set the rest of the cookie batter aside until these are done baking.
- Bake for 7 minutes and then remove from oven. Using the end of a wooden spoon or your thumb (be careful aka quick the cookies are hot) push a thumb-sized hole in the centre about 1/2 way down to make a space for the cream cheese filling.
- Return the cookies to the oven and continue to bake for another 7 or 8 minutes or until the cookies are firm to touch but have not started to brown.Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool completely on a cooling rack. If the centre of the cookie has puffed back up use the end of the spoon again or your thumb to once again make a divot in the centre of the cookie. Do this before the cookies cool.
For the Filling
- Add the cream cheese, 1/4 cup of room temperature butter, and 1 tsp of vanilla to a large bowl to make the filling. Beat on high using a hand or stand mixer until the mixture is smooth and well blended.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar into the bowl using the mixer and continue mixing until all the powdered sugar is combined and the filling is smooth and creamy.
Assembly
- Once the cookies are completely cool use a piping bag or a small spoon to fill the centre with the cream cheese filling. Let the cookies set on the counter or place them in the fridge to set the cream cheese. These cookies don't stack all that well when the cream cheese is soft so I recommend storing them in the fridge. Once the cream cheese is set the cookies can be carefully stacked.
Nutrition
Notes
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
