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
Make the Filling and Topping First
In a medium bowl, cream the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Then mix in the egg, pumpkin puree, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice until it’s all well combined. Set this bowl aside.
In a separate small bowl, combine the melted butter and graham cracker crumbs. Set this aside as well.
Mix the Cookie Dough
In a stand mixer, cream the butter, cold cream cheese, and sugar on low speed for ~2-3 minutes, or until it’s light and fluffy.
Mix in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla, scraping down the bowl as needed.
Fold in the flour, baking powder, and salt until it is just combined. The dough will be sticky.
This dough is sticker than a typical cookie dough, so using a cookie scoop will make portioning it much easier.
Form and Fill the Cookies
Scoop the dough into balls (a standard 2-tablespoon scoop works well) and drop each one directly into a bowl of powdered sugar. Toss them until they are fully coated and then place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Use the back of a round tablespoon to press an indent into the center of each dough ball. Fill each indent with about a teaspoon of the pumpkin cheesecake filling.
Sprinkle some of the graham cracker crumbs over the filling on each cookie.
Freeze, Then Bake
Place the baking sheet of cookies in the freezer for at least 4 hours, but overnight is better. Freezing is essential to prevent the filling from melting out during baking.
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F.
Bake the frozen cookies spaced 2 inches apart for ~12-13 minutes. They should look puffed up and the filling should appear matte. They will seem underbaked, but will firm up as they cool on the wire rack.
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.
