Ingredients (~18 cookies)
For the Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
- 1.5 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened
- 2 1/4 tsp granulated sugar
- 3/4 tsp light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp whisked egg, room temperature
- 1 1/2 tbsp pumpkin puree
- 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
For the Graham Cracker Topping
- 3 tbsp graham cracker crumbs
- 2 1/4 tsp unsalted butter, melted
For the Cookie Dough
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2.5 ounces cold full-fat cream cheese
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- Powdered sugar, for rolling
Beginning with the Filling and Topping
In a large bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth.
Then add the egg, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, and pumpkin pie spice until blended well.
Set this mixture aside for now.
In a second small bowl, combine the melted butter with the graham cracker crumbs and set aside.
Making the Cookie Dough
Start by creaming together the room temperature butter, cold cream cheese, and sugar on low speed using a standing mixer for about 2 to 3 minutes until light in colour with a fluffy texture.
Next, add both the egg and egg yolk along with the vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary.
Using a spatula, fold in the flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined.
Your cookie dough will now have a thick, sticky texture.
Because the cookie dough is much stickier than normal, it will be easier for you to portion out your dough using a cookie scoop rather than using your hands.
How to Shape and Fill the Cookies
Using a standard 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop out balls of dough and place each ball into a bowl filled with powdered sugar.
Toss the dough balls around in the powdered sugar until they are coated, and then put them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Using the back of a round tablespoon, create an indent in the centre of each dough ball.
Using about 1 teaspoon, fill each indent with the cream cheese filling.
Top each cookie with a sprinkle of graham cracker crumbs over the filling.
Freezing the Cookies and Baking
After making the cream cheese filling and rolling the cookie dough into balls, place your baking tray containing your cookies into the freezer for at least 4 hours.
The best way to prevent the cream cheese filling from oozing out while baking is to freeze your cookies overnight.
When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat your oven to 350°F.
Bake the frozen cookies on a baking tray fitted with parchment paper for approximately 12-13 minutes, spacing each cookie 2 inches apart from each other.
After baking, the cookies will look puffy and the filling will have a dull finish.
The cookies will look slightly underdone after baking, but as they cool on a wire rack, they will firm up nicely.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
- 1.5 ounces full-fat cream cheese softened
- 2 1/4 tsp granulated sugar
- 3/4 tsp light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp whisked egg room temperature
- 1 1/2 tbsp pumpkin puree
- 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
For the Graham Cracker Topping
- 3 tbsp graham cracker crumbs
- 2 1/4 tsp unsalted butter melted
For the Cookie Dough
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
- 2.5 ounces cold full-fat cream cheese
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- Powdered sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Beat cream cheese, sugars, egg, pumpkin, vanilla, and spices until smooth for filling. Set aside.
- Mix melted butter with graham cracker crumbs. Set aside.
- Cream butter, cold cream cheese, and sugar until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add eggs and vanilla, scraping bowl as needed.
- Fold in flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined.
- Scoop 2-tablespoon dough balls and roll in powdered sugar.
- Make indents in centers with back of spoon.
- Fill each indent with 1 teaspoon pumpkin mixture.
- Top with graham cracker mixture.
- Freeze cookies at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Bake frozen cookies 2 inches apart for 12-13 minutes until puffed and filling is matte.
- Cool completely on wire rack.
