Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies

I know I say everything I make is delicious but you guys…these Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies are so freakin’ good! I first made these back before I had a blog so this recipe has just been sitting and waiting for the leaves change colors. We’re still a couple months away but Target is already putting out their Fall decorations and the NFL preseason is almost over so it’s close enough. I just couldn’t wait any longer! With a soft pumpkin cookie stuffed with a cream cheese center and streusel topping, you can understand why I’m pushing for pumpkin early this year.

How to make a stuffed cookie

Making stuffed cookies can seem a little daunting. You have to make sure the center doesn’t seep out and that you don’t over bake the actual cookie. Plus, how the heck do you even get that cream cheese in there? Trust me, it’s so easy to do…but a little messy. Just a little! The key is to pre-scoop and freeze the cream cheese portion of the cookie. You make that first then pop them into the freezer to set. This keeps them from turning into a soupy mess in the oven and allows your cookie to stay in tact while baking.

Now, I say it’s a little messy because of the cookie dough itself. Because it’s such a soft cookie and you’re working with pumpkin, it can get pretty sticky. To help with the mess, you also want to pre-scoop the cookie dough and refrigerate it for 1-2 hours. It will still be a little sticky but no where near what it would be if you tried to assemble them right away. And believe me…I’ve tried. When ready, you just press the frozen cream cheese into the chilled cookie dough, seal, and bake. Easy peasy!

The streusel on top is a little added bonus but it also helps with the texture. With a soft pumpkin cookie and a soft cream cheese center, the streusel breaks up the monotony with a little added crunch. You can also think of these as a pumpkin cream cheese coffee cake…but, you know, in cookie form. The best of both worlds!

If you’re yearning for Fall like me, these Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies are for you. And for even MORE Fall baking, you should also check out my Caramel Apple Muffins. If you make these cookies, make sure to tag me on Instagram! You can also pin this cookie recipe using the button on the recipe card, the buttons above or below this post, or through any of the photos. Happy baking!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies

• Author: Jenna | Butternut Bakery
• Prep Time: 2 hours
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
• Yield: 15 cookies 1x

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Description

These soft pumpkin cheesecake cookies are stuffed with cream cheese and sprinkled with a streusel topping. They’re the perfect Fall cookie!

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

Cream Cheese Center

• 8 oz cream cheese, room temp
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Streusel Topping

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, room temp
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 6 tbsp all-purpose flour
• Pinch of salt

Pumpkin Cookies

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup pure canned pumpkin
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

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Instructions

Cream Cheese Center

1. In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Your cream cheese should be soft enough to where you can mix it together with a spoon.
2. Use a small cookie scoop (or about 1 tbsp) and scoop out the cream cheese onto a plate lined with wax paper. You should get about 16 scoops. Pop those in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour or until they’re frozen solid.

Streusel Topping

1. Add all of the ingredients to a medium sized bowl and crumble together with your fingers. Place this in the fridge while you make the pumpkin cookies.

Pumpkin Cookies

1. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
2. In a bowl using an electric mixer, cream together the cold butter and sugars until smooth and well combined. When measuring out the pumpkin, make sure you don’t level it off to an exact 1/2 cup. If it’s over the top by a smidge, that’s OK! Add the pumpkin and vanilla to the butter and sugar and mix to combine. It might look a little curdled but the flour with smooth it out.
3. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients until just combined. Don’t over mix.
4. Using a large ice cream scoop like this one to scoop out the cookie dough and prep for chilling. If you don’t have a large ice cream scoop, you can use a 1/3 measuring cup. You should get about 15 cookies. Place in the fridge for 1-2 hours to chill.

Assemble and Bake

1. When ready, preheat the oven to 325F and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Prepare about 4-5 cookies at a time and place everything back in the fridge or freeze in between bakes.
2. Take a cookie in your hand and push one of the cream cheese scoops into the center. Spread the cookie dough over the top to seal. It might get a little stick but just make sure no cream cheese is showing. Smooth it out the best you can and place on the cookie sheet. Top with a small mound of crumbled streusel.
3. Bake for 20-23 minutes or until the top is no longer shiny. The edges will not brown so make sure you don’t over bake them. Place the cookies on a cooling rack and assemble the next batch.
4. Store in the fridge and serve cold or at room temp. Enjoy!

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Keywords: pumpkin cookies, fall desserts, pumpkin cheesecake

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