Homemade pumpkin cream cheese cookies are delicious. You can make from scratch or as pumpkin cake mix cookies as an easy Fall dessert. Chewy and delicious baked on a sheet pan with cinnamon and sugar on top they are a must bake treat.
If you havenโt made a pumpkin pie cookie yet, or a dozen, these are not just normal but stuffed with more goodness. Two favorite treats in one for Halloween and Thanksgiving time, yes we are doing that right here. Weโll explain two ways to make them. (affiliate links present)
How do you stuff cookies with cream cheese?
You will need to follow two steps. The first is to mix softened cream cheese with vanilla and sugar together. Dropped on to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper you will then freeze these dollops until hard. Once solid you can place on top of the bottom bit of batter and under the top layer before baking!
So with the filling you do get a bit of Impossible Pumpkin Pie vibes with these. I normally will underbake my cookies for sure since they will continue cooking on the hot sheet and stay soft for days. This adds another element of tenderness. Even stored in the fridge they stay tender and yes I have enjoyed for breakfast thereafter. ๐
Ingredients
- 1.5 c all purpose flour for the base
- 1 tsp baking powder allows them to rise
- Salt just a pinch
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Unsalted butter cold, cubed
- 3/4 c brown sugar
- Pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling โ they are different cans
- since you donโt use the whole can just put an open ziploc bag over the top and store pumpkin can in the fridge
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 small and 1 large bowl will be needed
Substitutions
For homemade or the cake mix version you will need a can of pumpkin puree. Another alternative to that would be a can of yams, mashed. Seriously that works so well you almost canโt tell the difference. Baking hack 101 for this time of year to remember. And remember you can always use vegan alternative sticks for Dairy Free Cookies.
Use the timing below but adjust slightly depending on their size. If it looks wet in the center then add 1 more minute, check and continue with this until the edges are slightly cracking and the middle isnโt doughy looking. Another key to the perfect texture is to allow them to cool on the cookie sheet to stiffen up.
You can make the homemade Cream Cheese Filling with a softened block, vanilla and sugar OR bake as is and top with our Cream Cheese Frosting Without Butter.
If you wanted more of a Gingerbread Cheesecake filling of sorts you could add seasonings to flavor the middle as such. Youโd want a pinch of ground allspice, nutmeg and cloves to get those flavors. I like the classic cheesecake taste to amplify the flavor of the outsides instead. For the easy version youโd need;
Mixed together this will make a thick dough too you can use for the outsides. You could fold in 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips into the batter for this one too if you wanted layers upon layers of more flavors. OR you can just make a glaze like our Iced Pumpkin Cookies for the same duo of flavors.
I love using a parchment lined baking sheet for easier clean up and allow to cool to room temperature on the sheet. If you only have one and have to bake in batches you can transfer pumpkin cheesecake cookies to a wire rack but leaving them on for 15 minutes is essential to getting the ideal texture.
How to Make Stuffed Pumpkin Cookies
- Mix the ingredients for the cream cheese filling.
- Form small portions on parchment and place in the freezer (about 2 hours).
- Once frozen mix the ingredients for the cookie dough. In a bowl add dry ingredients, set aside. Beat sugar and butter with a mixer in another bowl.
- Add pumpkin puree and vanilla, beat again.
- Add dry ingredients in small portions, stirring to make sure that the dough does not turn out too thick. Place the dough in the refrigerator and leave it there until the filling freezes.
- Preheat the oven to 360F.
- Place portions of cookie dough (about 1 tbsp) on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Place frozen cream cheese filling in the center of each piece of dough.
- Cover the top of the filling with some of the dough from the bottom of the cookies or add extra bit on top.
- You can sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon mixture right away or doit after the cookies are ready if you like too.
- Bake the cookies for about 15 minutes for chewy cookies or longer (18-20 minutes) if you want them to be firmer and crispier.
Remember that they will stiffen more as they cool on the baking sheet but you donโt want to remove from the oven until the center/middles are no longer looking wet/liquid. Instead of transferring to a wire rack to cool completely I do so on the hot sheet to stiffen up a bit. You can jump to recipe card below to get started.
Cookies with cream cheese like these need to be cooled, then stored in an airtight container in the fridge because of the high dairy content. Without this filling they are best set on the countertop to stay moist and chewy.
1 hour if left in a solid block is necessary to soften cream cheese. If cut into smaller cubes though 20 minutes usually does the trick to soften enough to blend with other ingredients to create a smooth texture.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cookies
Equipment
- 1 baking sheet
- 1 Bowl
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cookies
- 1.5 c all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/3 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 c butter, cold, cubed
- 3/4 c brown sugar
- 1/2 c pumpkin
- 1 tsp vanilla
Cream Cheese Filling
- 1/2 c cream cheese, softened
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3 tbsp sugar
Instructions
- Mix the ingredients for the cream cheese filling. Form small portions on parchment and place in the freezer (about 2 hours).
- Once frozen mix the ingredients for the cookie dough. In a bowl add dry ingredients, set aside. Beat sugar and butter with a mixer in another bowl. Add pumpkin puree and vanilla, beat again.
- Add dry ingredients in small portions, stirring to make sure that the dough does not turn out too thick. Place the dough in the refrigerator and leave it there until the filling freezes.
- Preheat the oven to 360F. Place portions of cookie dough (about 1 tbsp) on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Place frozen cream cheese filling in the center of each piece of dough.
- Cover the top of the filling with some of the dough from the bottom of the cookies or add extra bit on top. You can sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon mixture right away or doit after the cookies are ready if you like too.
- Bake the cookies for about 15 minutes for chewy cookies or longer (18-20 minutes) if you want them to be firmer and crispier.
- Remember that they will stiffen more as they cool on the baking sheet but you don't want to remove until the center/middles are no longer looking wet/liquid.
Video
Notes
Cake Mix Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cookies
If you wanted an easier main dough, follow our Pumpkin Cookies with Cake Mix first. Then follow the directions below to create and freeze the middle filling. Youโre going to layer it essentially, or wrap the center. You donโt want it uber thick, but either way just make sure that they are all the same size so they bake at the same rate using the temp and timing below.- 1 box spice cake mix is best or yellow
- Can of pumpkin 15 oz
- 1 egg
- 1/4 c vegetable oil
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
