When you can't decide between pumpkin cheesecake and pumpkin cookies, why not have both! These Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies have pumpkin cheesecake wrapped inside a pumpkin cookie dough, resulting in a soft and tangy, delicious fall cookie. They're super simple to make and will be a big hit all pumpkin season long!
These Raspberry Cheesecake Cookies are a bright and fresh alternative flavor!
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These cookies are AMAZING!!! I love the texture and it is a great fall cookie!
- Mike
🍭 Short & Sweet Recipe Overview
- ⏲️ Time: 1 hour of freezer time, then just 30 minutes to prep and bake
- 🛒 Ingredients: Needs just 11 ingredients, many of which are pantry staples
- 🍽️ Servings: Makes 24 cookies
- 🥣 Difficulty: Super Simple
- 👩🍳 Prep: Can be made in advance
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Why You'll Love this Recipe
- The best fall treat, a soft pumpkin cookie surrounding a creamy cheesecake filling, combining two delicious desserts into one perfect bite
- Perfect for holidays, great for fall potlucks or bake sales, or a Thanksgiving dessert, and they even make really great gifts, just like these simple White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
- Made from pantry staples/simple ingredients
- Customizable, these cheesecake-stuffed cookies can be loaded with pumpkin filling, or adjusted to have a more even cookie-to-filling balance
- Freezer-Friendly, great for prepping ahead
Looking for more unique Thanksgiving desserts? We've got you. This Sweet Potato Cake is easy and delicious, these Biscoff Blondies are sure to be a big hit, and this Maple Cupcakes recipe is simple to make but packs so much flavor.
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Ingredients and Notes
Pumpkin - These soft and tangy cookies use canned pumpkin puree. It should be 100% pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.
Pumpkin Spice - The pumpkin alone has a subtle flavor so pumpkin pie spice adds the perfect pop of flavor to these Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies. These Homemade Pumpkin Spice Marshmallows are loaded with the flavor of pumpkin pie spice!
Cream Cheese - The cream cheese is what gives these fall cookies the tangy taste of cheesecake. Be sure to use a block of cream cheese and not a tub.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients.
Substitutions & Variations
Pumpkin Pie Spice - I use a pre-made pumpkin pie spice in this fall cookie recipe, but you can also make your own, or use a combination of spices that excites you. Recipes vary slightly, but generally all include cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Many also use ginger, and I've seen some that use black pepper or mace as well. Play around with it and go with what you like best!
Pumpkin - I recommend using canned pumpkin puree, not fresh pureed pumpkin. What's in a can of pumpkin puree is not actually pumpkin, it's squash, so using fresh pumpkin will impact the flavor. Additionally, pureeing a fresh pumpkin or a squash may also have different moisture levels than what's in the canned which could impact the texture.
Glaze - For an extra touch of sweetness, drizzle a simple glaze onto baked and cooled cookies. A glaze is made by combining about 1 cup of powdered sugar to one tablespoon of milk. Adjust the thickness of the glaze as needed by adding powdered sugar to thicken, or milk to make a bit thinner. A melted chocolate or melted white chocolate would also make a delicious glaze for these soft, cheesecake-stuffed pumpkin cookies.
Cheesecake Topping - In a pinch, you can skip the piping and freezing of the pumpkin cheesecake filling. Instead, you can bake the cookies without the filling inside and then spread the tangy pumpkin spice cheesecake on top of the soft baked and cooled cookies.
How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
- Step 1: Beat together all the pumpkin cheesecake filling ingredients.
- Step 2: Pipe 24 dollops of cheesecake filling onto parchment paper and freeze for about an hour.
- Step 3: Beat together the butter and sugars.
- Step 4: Add egg and pumpkin and mix well.
- Step 5: Add the flour, salt, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice, and mix until just combined.
- Step 6: Scoop about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough, roll into a ball, and press flat. Place a frozen dollop of pumpkin cream cheese filling in the center.
- Step 7: Fold the edges of the cookie dough around the pumpkin cheesecake filling and press dough together until the filling is fully covered.
- Step 8: Place on cookie sheet and bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes. Cool completely on the baking sheet.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies Tips & Tricks
Tip #1: A piping bag isn't necessary to pipe out the cheesecake filling. Cutting the corner off of a zip-top bag will work great or you can even spoon out the filling.
Tip #2: The dough is slightly sticky, but very forgiving. You should easily be able to work the dough around the frozen filling. I find it helpful to wear gloves, but it's not necessary.
Tip #3: Be sure to keep the pumpkin cheesecake filling in the freezer between batches of cookies. If it defrosts it will be too soft to work with. The dough should also stay as close to room temperature as possible so don't keep it too close to the oven. If the dough gets too soft, pop it in the fridge for a few minutes to chill.
Tip #4: You can play around with the ratio of cookie to cheesecake filling that you like. If you like more cheesecake filling, use less dough for each cookie. If you prefer more cookie, use more dough around the filling or pipe smaller dollops of filling.
Tip #5: Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies need to fully cool on the baking sheet. If you have two or three baking sheets that you can rotate, that's ideal. Otherwise, you'll have to wait for the first batch to cool before baking the next batch.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Canned 100% pure pumpkin is pureed pumpkin (though some may also include purees of other squashes as well). Alternatively, pumpkin pie filling is pureed pumpkin that has been sweetened and has spices added, and is not interchangeable with pure pumpkin or pumpkin puree.
If you like pumpkin pie, Bourbon Pumpkin Pie is a super simple and delicious use. For extra spice, try this Fireball Pumpkin Pie. And for an easy twist on a classic, this Pumpkin Pie with Graham Cracker Crust is a simple and delicious favorite! For options that aren't pie, try this Pumpkin Chai Bread or Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake.
The filling will warm up as the cookies bake so it is imperative that the filling is fully frozen before wrapping it in the cookie dough. When wrapping the filling in the cookie dough, I highly suggest not taking more than a few of the filling dollops out of the freezer at a time. They will warm up quickly once they're out of the freezer, and especially as you're working the dough around them. Also be sure that the dough is fully sealed around the filling. If you're still having issues with the filling leaking, increase the amount of powdered sugar in your filling to help solidify it more.
Yes! Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3-5 days. They can also be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Alternatively, you can make the balls of cheesecake-stuffed cookie dough and freeze them on a baking sheet. Once frozen, they can be stored in an air-tight zip-top baggie and baked from frozen. I would recommend writing the name and baking instructions on the zip-top baggie for easy reference, and note that bake time may need to increase a minute or two.
More Cheesecake Recipes to try!
👩🍳 If you tried these Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I love hearing from you!
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- stand or hand mixer
- Baking sheet
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
- 8 oz block of cream cheese
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Pumpkin Cookie
- 2 sticks butter 16 tablespoons
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoon pumpkin
- 3 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
- Combine all filling ingredients in a small mixing bowl and beat until well combined.8 oz block of cream cheese, ½ cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons pumpkin, ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- Pipe the cream cheese mixture into 24 dollops on parchment paper and freeze for 1 hour.
Pumpkin Cookie
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Beat together butter and sugars.2 sticks butter, ½ cup sugar, ½ cup brown sugar
- Add egg and pumpkin and mix well.1 egg, 2 tablespoon pumpkin
- Mix in flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice, and mix until just combined.3 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- Scoop out approximately two tablespoons of cookie dough, roll into a ball, and flatten.
- Place a frozen dollop of cheesecake filling in the center of the dough.
- Fold the edges of the dough around the frozen cream cheese, and continue pressing the dough together until the cream cheese is fully covered.
- Place on lined baking sheet and bake 10-12 minutes.
- Cool completely on the baking sheet. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated so should only be used as an estimate. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Liz Pollio says
Is it even fall without pumpkin spice desserts? Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies are soft and sweet with the perfect balance of pumpkin spice.
Mike says
These cookies are AMAZING!!! I love the texture and it is a great fall cookie!