Ingredients
For the Cheesecake Filling
- 8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
For the Pumpkin Cookies
- 1 stick Unsalted Butter
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
- 3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar, packed
- 1 Large Egg Yolk
- 1/2 cup Pumpkin Purée
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 cups All-purpose Flour
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
Make and Freeze the Cheesecake Filling
Start with the filling, as it needs a couple of hours to freeze solid. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, mix the softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until the mixture is completely smooth.
Drop rounded teaspoons of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. You should get about 24 portions. Don’t worry about making them perfectly round; the goal is to have equal-sized portions.
Place the baking sheet in the freezer for at least 2 hours, or until the cheesecake drops are frozen solid.
Make the Pumpkin Cookie Dough
This cookie dough uses melted butter. An important first step is to blot the pumpkin purée to remove excess water. Spread the purée in a thin layer on a plate and press paper towels on top. Keep replacing the paper towels until they come away mostly dry. This step is key to preventing the dough from being too sticky and the final cookies from being cakey.
Melt the stick of butter in the microwave. In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and the blotted pumpkin purée.
Mix in the egg yolk and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. Add these dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined into a soft dough.
Cover the dough and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Assemble and Bake the Cookies
Set your oven to 350F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Take about a tablespoon of the chilled cookie dough and roll it into a ball. Flatten the ball into a disc and press a dent into the center with your thumb.
Place one of the frozen cheesecake balls into the dent.
Take another tablespoon of dough, flatten it into a disc, and place it on top. Pinch the edges of the two dough discs together to completely seal the cheesecake filling inside. Roll the entire thing gently in your hands to form a smooth ball.
Place the stuffed cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, leaving some space between them to spread.
Bake for ~12-15 minutes. The cookies should be golden brown at the edges and look set in the center.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Moving them too soon can cause them to break.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cheesecake Filling
- 8 oz Cream Cheese softened
- 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
For the Pumpkin Cookies
- 1 stick Unsalted Butter
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
- 3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar packed
- 1 Large Egg Yolk
- 1/2 cup Pumpkin Purée
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 cups All-purpose Flour
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
Instructions
- Mix cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
- Drop teaspoon-sized portions onto lined baking sheet, making 24 portions.
- Freeze cheesecake portions for 2 hours until solid.
- Blot pumpkin purée with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
- Combine melted butter, sugars, and blotted pumpkin in large bowl.
- Mix in egg yolk and vanilla.
- Whisk dry ingredients together, then combine with wet ingredients until just mixed.
- Chill dough for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Form tablespoon of dough into disc, make thumb indent.
- Place frozen cheesecake ball in center.
- Cover with second dough disc, seal edges, and roll into ball.
- Place on lined baking sheet.
- Bake 12-15 minutes until edges are golden.
- Cool on sheet 10 minutes before transferring to rack.