Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
These Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies are soft, spiced fall cookies with a creamy cheesecake center hiding inside. That first bite is the whole show.
A soft pumpkin cookie rolled in pumpkin spice sugar and stuffed with a sweet cream cheese filling.
I bake a batch on the first cool weekend of September, and they never last long. My husband pairs his with a cold glass of milk. I’ll take mine with an afternoon coffee.
Recipe Highlights
- A creamy cheesecake center in every bite
- The filling freezes while the dough chills
- Stuff and freeze the dough weeks ahead
- Twelve big cookies from one batch
- A fall favorite from September through Thanksgiving
Ingredient Notes
Please check the recipe card below for a detailed, printable ingredient list.
CREAM CHEESE – Use half of an 8-ounce block, softened on the counter. Full-fat blocks make the smoothest, creamiest filling.
PUMPKIN PUREE – Grab 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Blot it on a few paper towels for a minute or two before measuring, and the cookies bake up thick and chewy instead of cakey.
BUTTER – I use unsalted butter for nearly all my baking, and this recipe is calibrated for it. If salted is all you have, skip the ¼ teaspoon of salt.
PUMPKIN PIE SPICE – One jar covers the dough and the coating. Make sure it’s the spice blend, not plain cinnamon.
FLOUR – Spoon the flour into the cup and level it off. The dough should feel thick and a little stiff, and that’s exactly right.
How To Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
Please check the printable recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
- Mix the cheesecake filling and freeze it in small dollops.
- Beat the butter, sugars, and pumpkin, then mix in the dry ingredients.
- Wrap the chilled dough around the frozen filling and roll in spiced sugar.
- Bake until puffed, then cool on the pan before moving to a rack.
Leftovers and Storage
STORE – Keep the cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The cheesecake centers stay creamy and fresh that way. Let them sit out for 15 to 20 minutes before serving so they soften back up.
FREEZE – Freeze baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, or on the counter for about an hour.
REHEAT – These don’t need reheating, but 10 seconds in the microwave turns the center into warm cheesecake. Highly recommended.
MAKE AHEAD – Assemble and coat the cookies, then freeze the unbaked balls solid on a sheet pan. Transfer them to a freezer bag for up to 3 months and bake straight from frozen, adding a few extra minutes.
More Cookie Recipes
Serving Suggestions
MILK AND COOKIES – The classic pairing, and the one these were made for. Pour a cold glass and watch the plate empty out.
COFFEE BREAK – These cookies fit a quiet afternoon coffee just right. Baking for a weekend crowd? Add a batch of Pumpkin Muffins and call it a fall brunch.
THANKSGIVING DESSERT TABLE – Set a plate of these next to the Pumpkin Pie. The cookie crowd and the pie crowd both leave happy.
FALL POTLUCK – These travel well and hold their looks. Bring a Pumpkin Dump Cake for the table and these for the grab-and-go crowd.
Recipe Success Tips
SEAL – Pinch the dough completely closed around each filling dollop. A fully sealed cookie keeps every bit of that creamy center right where it belongs.
FROZEN FILLING – Work with the dollops straight from the freezer. Firm filling tucks into the dough cleanly and holds its shape in the oven.
EXPERT TIP – Give the baked cookies a 10-minute rest on the pan. The centers settle into a soft cheesecake texture, and the cookies firm up enough to move without breaking.
DONENESS – Pull the cookies when the middles look puffed and the edges are set. They finish firming up as they cool.
Commonly Asked Questions
Why Are There No Eggs in These Cookies?
Skipping the egg keeps these cookies thick and chewy instead of cakey. Pumpkin brings plenty of moisture on its own, so the blotted puree handles the binding an egg usually does. That’s also why draining the puree matters so much. Wet pumpkin plus egg is how pumpkin cookies turn fluffy.
Can I Use Pumpkin Pie Filling Instead of Pumpkin Puree?
No, this recipe needs 100% pumpkin puree. Pie filling comes pre-sweetened and pre-spiced, so the dough turns out too sweet and too soft to wrap around the filling. Check the label for a single ingredient, pumpkin. Then blot it on paper towels before measuring for the best texture.
Can I Make These Without a Stand Mixer?
Yes, a hand mixer works just fine for this dough. Cream the butter and sugars well, then take your time once the flour goes in. The dough gets thick near the end, so finish with a sturdy spoon if your mixer starts to strain. The cookies turn out the same.
Do Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies Need to Be Refrigerated?
Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies belong in the refrigerator because of the cream cheese center. Store them in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Set them out 15 to 20 minutes before serving, and the cookies soften right back up while the centers stay creamy.
More Pumpkin Desserts
Pumpkin season never needs to end at cookies. Here are a few more favorites to bake through fall.
Pumpkin Cheesecake – A rich, creamy showstopper that skips the water bath.
Pumpkin Delight – A no-bake layered dessert that feeds a crowd with almost no effort.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies – Fudgy brownies swirled with the same pumpkin and cream cheese pairing.
Pumpkin Tiramisu – A fun fall twist on the classic, and a great make-ahead.
Pumpkin Dip – A 5-minute sweet dip for apples, pretzels, and graham crackers.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cheesecake Filling
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Pumpkin Cookie Dough
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ⅔ cup brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup pumpkin puree blotted dry
For the Coating
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
Make the Cream Cheese Filling
- Line a small baking sheet or large plate with parchment paper.
- Stir the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla with a fork until smooth.
- Spoon 12 dollops, about 1 tablespoon each, onto the lined pan. Freeze for 45 minutes.
Make the Dough
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy. Add the pumpkin. Beat in the pumpkin puree until combined.
- Mix in the flour mixture on medium speed until no streaks remain. The dough will be very thick. Chill the dough. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Assemble and Coat
- Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk the coating sugar and pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal balls, one rounded large cookie scoop each. Press a deep well into each ball, add a frozen filling dollop, and seal the dough completely around it. Coat. Roll each ball in the spiced sugar.
Bake and Finish
- Place 6 balls per sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, until puffed in the center and set at the edges. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes, then move to a wire rack.
Equipment
Notes
CHILL TIME
Freeze the filling for 45 minutes and chill the dough for 30. The dough chills while the filling finishes freezing. Chill time is not included in the total time.Nutritional Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Cheerful Cook team members are not trained nutritionists or medical professionals. Calorie information and nutritional values are estimates. If you have nutritional concerns, we recommend using a nutritional calculator.
Maike Corbett grew up in German kitchens learning to cook and bake alongside her Omas before spending over a decade running full-service restaurants in the US. She founded Cheerful Cook in 2017 to share practical, tested comfort food recipes that actually work on busy weeknights, drawing on both her American restaurant experience and her German home-cooking roots. Her work has been featured on MSN, Yahoo, the Associated Press, and other major media outlets.