Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cookies
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Made with warm autumn spices, brown sugar, and real puréed pumpkin, these pumpkin cream cheese cookies are one of my favorite fall bakes. Featuring a creamy pumpkin cheesecake filling wrapped in spiced pumpkin cookie dough and rolled in crunchy Demerara sugar, these easy-to-make cookies capture all of the comfy, cozy feelings of autumn, especially when paired with a cup of coffee or tea on a chilly October afternoon. If you’re looking for an early autumn recipe for a bake sale or weeknight dessert, these pumpkin cream cheese cookies are a must-make.
Key Ingredients
- Cream Cheese – For the thickest, creamiest filling, choose full-fat cream cheese, not low fat. I’ve tested this recipe using both American block-style cream cheese, and spreadable, British “soft cheese.” Unlike cream cheese frosting, which requires significant alteration to account for the higher water content in British cream cheese, I found that both types work reasonably well for the filling. If using British cream cheese, you might find that you need to increase the freezing time by 10-15 minutes to account for the extra moisture.
- Pumpkin Purée – You need to use pure puréed pumpkin for this recipe, rather than pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling already contains spices and seasonings; you’ll be adding your own so it’s important to start with a blank slate. In the UK, Sainsbury’s stocks tins of plain puréed pumpkin in their “American foods” section.
- Sugars – This recipe requires several types of sugar: Confectioner’s sugar to sweeten the creamy filling; brown sugar for the cookies (I prefer dark brown sugar for its deep caramel flavor, but light brown also works); and Demerara sugar to give the pumpkin cookies their crunchy exterior coating. See this post for suggested sugar replacements.
- Spices – You’ll need pumpkin pie spice, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground nutmeg, plus a bit of fine sea salt to flavor the filling and the cookie dough. If you’re in the UK and can’t find jarred pumpkin spice, use this recipe to make your own pumpkin spice blend at home.
Tips, Tricks, and Variations
- Keep things cold. Keep both the dough and the cream cheese filling cold at all times. If at any point the dough or balls of filling feel warm or soft, pop them in a freezer to firm up. If either is too warm/soft, they’ll mush together and you’ll lack definition between the cream cheese filling and the pumpkin cookie exterior.
- Scoop with a cookie scoop. While you can divide the dough with a teaspoon (or your fingers!) I like to use a melon baller or cookie scoop with release to keep all of my portions evenly-sized.
- Don’t overbake. I think these cookies taste best when they’re soft and moist and slightly gooey in the middle. Overbaking gives the cookie dough a dry texture.
- Check for gaps. This is crucial! When rolling the dough balls, it is very important to double-check to make sure that the cream cheese is completely hidden. If there are any gaps, the filling will leak as the cookies bake.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cookies
- Total Time45 minutes (+ chilling time)
- Yield12 3-inch round cookies 1x
A pumpkin cream cheese cookies recipe made with warm autumn spices, brown sugar, and real puréed pumpkin. These cream cheese stuffed pumpkin cookies are perfect for fall!
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling:
85 grams cream cheese, softened (3 ounces)
40 grams pumpkin purée (2 tablespoons)
20 grams confectioner’s sugar (2 tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon homemade pumpkin spice or pumpkin pie spice
Cookie Dough:
256 grams all purpose flour (2 cups)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
175 grams unsalted butter, softened (1 1/2 sticks)
100 grams dark brown sugar (1/2 cup)
60 grams pumpkin purée (3 tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Turbinado sugar or Demerara sugar, for rolling
Instructions
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling:
Line a small tray with baking parchment, wax paper, or a silicone baking mat.
In a mixing bowl, whisk cream cheese and pumpkin purée until smooth and creamy. Add the confectioner’s sugar and pumpkin pie spice and whisk until well combined.
Witrh a teaspoon, spoon the pumpkin cream cheese filling onto prepared tray. You should have a total of twelve (12) equally-sized dollops of cream cheese. Freeze until ready to use.
Cookie Dough:
In a mixing bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, and nutmeg.
In a separate bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, mix butter and brown sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add pumpkin purée and vanilla bean paste and mix on low speed until well combined.
Add dry ingredients and mix on low speed until a soft dough forms.
Cover and refrigerate 1 hour, or overnight.
Assembly
Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C). Line a baking tray with parchment or a silicone baking mat.
With your hands or a small cookie scoop, divide dough into twenty four (24) equally-sized balls.
Portion out twelve (12) balls, and use your thumb to make an indentation in the center of each.
Place one frozen cream cheese dollop in each thumbprint indentation.
Cover cream cheese dollops with a second ball of dough. With your hands, roll the top and bottom dough pieces together, completely covering the cream cheese filling. Arrange on prepared tray. Freeze 10 minutes.
Roll each ball in Demerara sugar.
Bake in preheated oven for 13-16 minutes, or until puffy and lightly golden brown.
Cool on tray for 5-10 minutes, then use a metal spatula to transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Spiced pumpkin cream cheese cookies are best enjoyed on the day they are made. Store leftover pumpkin cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Chilling Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Biscuits and Cookies
- Method: Oven
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
To make ahead: The cookie dough can be made in advance, covered, and refrigerated overnight. The dollops of cream cheese filling can also be frozen overnight.
To store: These pumpkin cream cheese cookies are best enjoyed on the day they are made. Store leftover pumpkin cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
To freeze: Layer baked and cooled cookies between sheets of parchment or wax paper. Freeze in an airtight container for up to three months.
Other Pumpkin Recipes You Might Enjoy
Spiced Pumpkin Seed Brittle
Pumpkin Spice Caramels
Pumpkin Hand Pies
Spiced Pumpkin Butter
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
