Description
Soft and chewy pumpkin spice cookies filled with a creamy vanilla cheesecake center and rolled in sparkling pumpkin spice sugar. These bakery-style stuffed cookies make an impressive fall dessert for Halloween, Thanksgiving, cookie swaps, and cozy weekend baking.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 ounces cold full-fat cream cheese
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar, for rolling
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, for rolling
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Line a small tray with parchment paper.
- Beat the cold cream cheese, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract with an electric mixer for about 2 minutes, until fluffy and smooth.
- Scoop the cheesecake mixture into 16 portions, using about 2 teaspoons for each. Place them on the prepared tray and freeze until firm.
- Whisk 1/4 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice in a shallow bowl. Set aside.
- Spread the pumpkin puree on a plate. Press paper towels over the puree to absorb moisture, replace the towels, and repeat at least 4 times. Continue until the puree measures just under 1/4 cup and feels thick.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk the flour, 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Beat the softened butter and brown sugar on high speed for about 2 minutes, until pale and fluffy.
- Add the egg yolks and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Beat for 1 minute.
- Mix in the dried pumpkin puree until evenly combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until no flour streaks remain.
- Divide the dough into 16 portions with a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop.
- Flatten one dough portion in your palm and place a frozen cheesecake portion in the center. Pull the dough around the filling, pinch every seam closed, and roll it into a ball.
- Roll the stuffed dough ball in the pumpkin spice sugar. Repeat with the remaining dough while keeping unused cheesecake portions frozen.
- Arrange 6 cookies at a time on a prepared baking sheet, leaving space between them.
- Bake for 12 to 13 minutes, until the edges look set but the centers remain soft.
- Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Blot the pumpkin puree thoroughly. Excess moisture will produce cakey cookies and may cause spreading.
- Use full-fat block cream cheese rather than whipped cream cheese from a tub.
- Keep the cheesecake portions frozen until you stuff the dough.
- Seal every seam completely so the cheesecake filling does not leak.
- Measure the flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling the top.
- Do not overbake the cookies. Their centers should look soft when they leave the oven.
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months and thaw them overnight in the refrigerator.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 284
- Sugar: 22
- Sodium: 151
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Unsaturated Fat: 5
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 37
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 3
- Cholesterol: 60