Can I make these Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies ahead of time?

Yes. Both the baked cookies and the raw dough balls freeze well, so you can prep them well in advance of a holiday gathering or bake sale.

Why do I need to blot the pumpkin puree?

Pumpkin puree holds a surprising amount of moisture, and blotting it removes the excess so your dough doesn't turn out too wet or cakey.

Can I skip chilling the dough?

It's not recommended. Warm dough spreads in the oven, which flattens the cookies and can cause the cream cheese center to leak out during baking.

Are these good for a Thanksgiving dessert table?

Absolutely — they're one of those flexible Things To Make For Thanksgiving Dessert that feel festive without requiring a full pie crust or hours of prep.

Can I use this as a base for other seasonal baking?

Definitely. The dough and technique here work well as a jumping-off point for other Fall Themed Baking projects if you want to experiment with different fillings or spice blends.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies – The Coziest Fall Dessert for Thanksgiving

Description

Soft, spiced pumpkin cookies wrapped around a sweet, creamy cheesecake center — an easy fall baking project that turns into your new favorite holiday treat.

Ingredients

Scale

For the cheesecake filling

6 ounces Chilled cream cheese
3 tablespoons Granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract

For the pumpkin cookie dough

1/2 cup unsalted Unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1/2 cup Dark brown sugar
1/4 cup Granulated sugar
1/3 cup Pumpkin puree, blotted dry with paper towels
One egg yolk
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking powder
1/4 teaspoon Baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Pumpkin pie spice

For the spiced sugar coating

1/4 cup Granulated sugar
1 teaspoon Pumpkin pie spice

Instructions

Start with the cheesecake centers. In a mixing bowl, combine the chilled cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract, then beat with a stand mixer or hand mixer until the mixture is completely smooth and free of lumps. Using a small cookie scoop, portion the mixture into approximately 1½-teaspoon balls and set them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Slide the tray into the freezer and let the filling firm up for a minimum of 30 minutes. It’s normal to end up with a small amount of extra filling once you’ve portioned enough for your dough — any leftover can simply be discarded.
While the filling chills, prepare the cookie dough. Melt the butter in a medium mixing bowl and allow it to cool slightly so it won’t scramble the egg yolk later. Whisk in the dark brown sugar and granulated sugar until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Add the pumpkin puree — making sure it’s been thoroughly blotted with paper towels beforehand to remove excess moisture — along with the egg yolk and vanilla extract, whisking until fully incorporated. Next, whisk in the baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt directly into the wet mixture. Switch to a rubber spatula and gently fold in the all-purpose flour just until no dry streaks remain; the resulting dough will be quite sticky, which is exactly what you want. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 45 minutes, or place it in the freezer for at least 20 minutes if you need to speed things along.
Once the dough has chilled, preheat your oven to 350°F. In a small separate bowl, stir together the granulated sugar and pumpkin pie spice reserved for the coating, mixing until evenly combined.
To assemble each cookie, use a cookie scoop to measure out roughly 2 tablespoons of the chilled dough. Flatten the portion into a disc in the palm of your hand, then place one frozen cream cheese ball in the center. Bring the edges of the dough up and around the filling, pinching and smoothing the seams so the cheesecake center is completely sealed inside. Roll the filled dough into a round ball, then roll that ball through the pumpkin pie spice sugar mixture until it’s evenly coated on all sides. Arrange the finished cookies about 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake for 12 to 14 minutes — 13 minutes tends to be the sweet spot. If you’re baking multiple trays, keep any remaining dough covered and chilled in the refrigerator between batches so it stays firm and workable.
Once baked, allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling completely. Store finished cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator, where they’ll stay fresh for up to 5 days. Enjoy!

Notes

Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months — let them come to room temperature first, then store in a freezer bag and thaw overnight in the refrigerator when you’re ready to enjoy them.

The raw cookie dough balls can also be frozen individually on a tray before being transferred to a freezer bag, where they’ll keep for up to 2 months. There’s no need to thaw them first; simply bake straight from frozen, adding an extra 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time.

To avoid flat cookies, be careful not to overmix the flour into the dough — stop as soon as it’s just combined. Also make sure both the dough and the cream cheese centers are well chilled before baking, since warm dough will spread too much in the oven.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1
Calories: 220
Sugar: 17g
Sodium: 158mg
Fat: 11g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Unsaturated Fat: 4g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 28g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 2g
Cholesterol: 43mg