Featured Recipe

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cookies

Name: Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cookies
Prep time: 1 h 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 1 h 22 min
Yield: 28 cookies
Ingredients: 4 oz cream cheese softened; ½ cup powdered sugar; 1 tbsp all-purpose flour; 1 tsp vanilla extract; Pinch salt; ½ cup pumpkin puree blotted to ⅓ cup; 6 tbsp unsalted butter melted; ¾ cup packed brown sugar; ¼ cup granulated sugar; 1 large egg plus 1 yolk; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour; 1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice; ½ tsp ground cinnamon; ½ tsp baking soda; ¼ tsp salt; ½ cup granulated sugar mixed with 1 tsp cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice

By Kate

Created on 17 January 2026

Cheesecake filling frozen to prevent leakage. Pumpkin puree blotted to cut moisture for chewy, not cakey cookies. Dough chilled to control spread. Cinnamon sugar boost on dough balls for texture and spice. Bake until set edges, soft centers. Quick cookie shaping with scooting tool while warm. Frozen filling ensures solid centers, no oozing. Brown sugar adds depth. Vanilla and spices layered thoughtfully. Yield feeds two dozen-plus.

Prep: 1h 10min

Cook: 12 min

Total: 1h 22min

Serves: 28 cookies

cookies dessert pumpkin baking fall

Introduction

Cream cheese filling frozen tight stops leak disasters. Blot pumpkin puree or dough gums up like glue. Brown sugars add caramel notes. Dough gets chilled so it won’t run on sheets. Work gently folding wet into dry to dodge toughness. Bake until edges hold but center jiggles slightly. Use scoot tool right from oven keeps edges tidy, no cracks. Cooling sets flavors and texture, firm cheesecake seats inside soft pumpkin dough casing. Don’t skip chilling filling; it’s key for neat assembly and solid centers. Vanilla and spice layered; cinnamon sugar crust adds crunch and pop — kitchen smells like fall candy. Flavor blend keeps it from being flat or one-note.

Ingredients

4 oz cream cheese softened

½ cup powdered sugar

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch salt

½ cup pumpkin puree blotted to ⅓ cup

6 tbsp unsalted butter melted

¾ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 large egg plus 1 yolk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour

1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

½ cup granulated sugar mixed with 1 tsp cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice

About the ingredients

Cream cheese must be softened for easy beating; cold lumps make filling gritty. A touch of flour stabilizes the filling so it won’t ooze out mid-bake. Blotting pumpkin puree is essential; watery pumpkin ruins dough structure, makes cookies cakey and spreads too much. If fresh pumpkin isn’t available, canned pumpkin works but check moisture levels. Brown sugar introduces moisture and depth, granulated sugar adds crunch and sweetness; swapping half brown for coconut sugar gives subtle caramel without bulk. Vanilla extracts layered in filling and dough for complexity. Flour plus baking soda and spice balance leavening and flavor. Cinnamon sugar coating is optional, but enhances texture and aroma. Salt is key in both dough and filling to brighten flavors.

Method

Cheesecake Filling

Beat cream cheese with powdered sugar, 1 tbsp flour, vanilla, salt until mixture is fluffy, 2–4 minutes. Look for creamy texture without lumps. If cream cheese cold, soften longer or risk lumps.
Portion teaspoon-sized dollops onto parchment-lined tray. Freeze solid at least 90 minutes; can hold up to 72 hours sealed. Freeze well or filling runs and tanks cookies.

Prepare Pumpkin

Spread tablespoonful pumpkin puree on plate. Blot with several paper towels until down to ⅓ cup. Moisture pulls gluten and thickens dough too much, makes cookies cakey. Dry pumpkin lasts longer too.

Wet Ingredients

Whisk melted butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until shiny and uniform. No grittiness. Butter must be cool but still liquid to avoid cooking egg too soon.
Add blotted pumpkin, whole egg, yolk, vanilla extract; beat until homogenous, glossy.

Dry Ingredients

Whisk flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda, salt in separate bowl. Even distribution prevents random spice pockets or uneven rising.

Dough

Fold dry mix gradually into wet using spatula or wooden spoon. Stir just enough to moisten ingredients; don’t beat. Overworking activates gluten, tough cookies. Stop when no streaks remain.
Cover dough, chill 30 minutes to 1 day. Chilling firms dough, controls spread, makes stuffing easier. Cold dough sticks less and holds shape better during bake.

Preheat Oven

Set oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare sheets with parchment to prevent sticking and browning bottoms.

Assembly

Mix ½ cup sugar with cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice in small bowl.
Portion dough into 1.5–2 tbsp balls, about medium scoop size.
Flatten each ball into a disk, coat lightly with cinnamon sugar if sticky—it helps shaping.
Place frozen cheesecake ball in center. Wrap dough fully around, seal edges tightly. Roll into smooth spheres and toss in cinnamon sugar again for even coating.

Bake

Arrange balls spaced 2 inches apart on sheets. Bake 9–12 minutes until edges faintly golden but centers still soft. Dough will continue to firm on sheet. Overbaking wastes softness and can dry filling.

Finishing Touch

Immediately after oven, use round cutter or wide glass to 'scoot' cookies into perfect rounds while warm and flexible, about 30 seconds post-bake. Sets visually uniform cookies. Otherwise edges can dry irregularly.

Cooling

Cool on sheets 2–3 minutes before transferring to racks. Filling sets as cookies cool but still moist and chewy.
Sprinkle with extra cinnamon sugar if desired once cool.

Technique Tips

Start with filling to freeze in advance; firm balls freeze cleanly and hold shape. Blot pumpkin carefully—too dry and dough cracks; too wet and cookies spread like pancakes. Melted butter not hot; warm enough to blend sugars without cooking egg serum. Folding dough carefully—giant mistake is overmixing, leads to tough cookies. Chilling dough is must-have for neat shaping and controlled spread. Assemble quickly; if dough warms or filling melts, stuffing is messier. Baking: Edges should set to light gold but centers still look soft, slightly jiggly. Cookie scooting right after baking sharpens shape; do not wait long, dough gels too fast. Cooling times depend on kitchen; watch filling, firm texture means done. Extra cinnamon sugar post-cool adds complimentary crunch and makes cookies look finished.

Chef's Notes

💡 For softer cookies, ensure cream cheese is softened well. Lumps? They'll ruin filling texture. Use a hand mixer for fluffiness but don’t overmix. Cream cheese and sugar need to be airy and creamy.
💡 Blot pumpkin well to avoid watery dough. Too much moisture causes spreading. Aim for firm yet pliable dough for shaping. Check texture. If too wet, cookies spread thin and won’t hold centers.
💡 Chill dough. Helps with shaping and keeps centers solid. Longer chilling means better results. Dough should feel firmer yet workable once chilled. Don’t skip this step, messes with bake.
💡 Cinnamon sugar crust adds good texture. Coat dough balls while forming. Even distribute for more crunch. Tackle stickiness with flour if needed while rolling. Helps keep surfaces cleaner.
💡 Scoring cookies post-bake creates tidier edges. Use a round cutter right after taking them out. Don’t wait too long; cooling dough firms very fast. Aim for visually pleasing shapes.