Description
Delight in these soft and flavorful Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies featuring a luscious cream cheese filling, spiced pumpkin cookie dough, and a cinnamon-sugar coating. Perfect for fall gatherings or a cozy treat any time of year.
Ingredients
Scale
Cream Cheese Filling
- 6 oz (170 g) cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons sour cream
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Cookies
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
- 4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup (140 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
- ⅔ cup (194 g) pumpkin puree
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 ¾ cups (468 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (170 g) white chocolate chips plus additional for topping, if desired
Topping
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Prepare filling: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese and granulated sugar. Stir until smooth and creamy. Then add sour cream and vanilla extract, stirring until well-combined. Dollop the mixture by 2-teaspoon sized portions onto a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Place the sheet in the freezer while preparing the cookie dough.
- Prepare cookie dough: Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt the unsalted butter in 20-second intervals, stirring between each until fully melted. Stir in pumpkin pie spice and let the mixture cool until no longer warm. Meanwhile, spread pumpkin puree on a plate and blot excess moisture using folded paper towels.
- Combine wet ingredients: Once cooled, add granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and the blotted pumpkin puree to the butter mixture. Stir until well combined. Next, mix in egg yolks and vanilla extract until uniform.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add these dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until a uniform dough forms. Fold in white chocolate chips.
- Assemble cookies: Using a cookie scoop, portion 3 tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball. Make a large crater in the center using your thumb. Remove a cream cheese dollop from the freezer and press it into the crater. Fold dough over to fully enclose the cream cheese and roll gently into a smooth ball without cracks. If dough is sticky, refrigerate wrapped for 30 minutes before continuing.
- Add topping and bake: Mix granulated sugar and cinnamon to create the topping. Roll each cookie ball thoroughly in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake at 350F (175C) for 11 minutes. Within 2 minutes after baking, if desired, press additional white chocolate chips on top of the cookies.
- Cool and serve: Allow cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before serving to enjoy the perfect texture and flavors.
Notes
- Store cooled cookies tightly wrapped or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Cookies can be frozen when tightly wrapped and kept for several months without losing flavor or texture.
- Blotting the pumpkin puree is essential to avoid excess moisture, which can affect cookie texture.
- If dough is too sticky to handle, chilling it for 30 minutes improves manageability.
- Additional white chocolate chips on top add an attractive finish and extra sweetness but are optional.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
