These are the best pumpkin cheesecake cookies! They are super chewy pumpkin cookies, stuffed with creamy cheesecake filling and rolled in pumpkin spice sugar. They're the perfect fall treat and every pumpkin lover will adore them!
If you're looking for other pumpkin desserts, try my OG chewy pumpkin cookies, pumpkin cold foam, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin bundt cake or pumpkin blondies!
Why You'll Love These Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
They have the best texture- These cookies are super chewy and not at all fluffy pumpkin cookies. Pumpkin is hard to get right in cookies because it adds so much moisture to baked goods, but by drying it before adding it to the dough, the cookies keep their perfect chewy texture.
They have a creamy cheesecake layer- The centers are stuffed full of delicious, sweetened cream cheese. It's the best part about these cookies!
They have the perfect amount of pumpkin spice. The dough is flavored with the perfect amount of pumpkin pie spice and then is rolled in spiced sugar before baking. Each bite will taste like fall!
Ingredients for Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
- Unsalted Butter- make sure it's softened, room temperature butter
- Light Brown Sugar- we're using only brown sugar in the pumpkin cookie dough to keep these cookies extra chewy
- Egg Yolks- make sure they're room temperature
- Vanilla- as always I recommend vanilla bean paste for the best flavor, but vanilla extract will work perfectly fine as well
- Canned Pumpkin Puree- I highly recommend using Libby's canned pumpkin. It's the best pumpkin to use because almost all cans of it I've used have had the same consistency and are not too wet.
- Flour- just the right amount of all purpose flour helps give these cookies their perfect texture
- Pumpkin Pie Spice- a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger and cloves is used to bring warm fall flavors to these cookies
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder- equal parts are used to just slightly leaven these cookies
- Salt- brings out all the flavors in these cookies
- Granulated White Sugar- used for the cheesecake filling and spiced sugar
- Cream Cheese- used to make the delicious cream cheese filling
Step by Step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the complete recipe, including measurements and baking time!
STEP ONE: Add the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla to a small bowl. Mix on medium-high speed with an electric mixer until fluffy and the sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes. Scoop the cheesecake filling into 16, 2 teaspoon portions onto a small parchment paper lined baking sheet. Freeze the cheesecake balls until they are frozen and very firm.
STEP TWO: Then dry your pumpkin to get rid of excess moisture. This may seem weird but it is the only way these cookies will bake properly and not turn out cakey! Spread your pumpkin on a plate and place paper towels over the top. Lightly press to absorb the liquid. Repeat the step at least four more times until hardly any liquid transfers to the paper towel. (It needs to reduce down to just under ¼ cup from ½ cup). Then set aside.
STEP THREE: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Then set aside the flour mixture.
STEP FOUR: In a large bowl cream the softened butter and brown sugar together with an electric hand mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
STEP FIVE: Add in the egg yolks and vanilla and mix for one minute on medium speed until pale and fluffy.
STEP SIX: Add in the pumpkin and combine on medium speed.
STEP SEVEN: Add in the dry ingredients and combine on low speed.
STEP SEVEN: Scoop the dough into 16 portions with a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop, then roll into balls. Slightly flatten out each then place the frozen cheesecake ball in the center. Then close the cheesecake ball in with the cookie dough and roll into a ball again. Make sure the cheesecake is completely covered in cookie dough. Roll the cookie dough balls in pumpkin spice sugar.
STEP EIGHT: Transfer the cookie dough to a prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 6 cookies at a time. Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer the baked cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Then serve!
FAQs
Why did my cookies come out cakey? The number one reason this could happen is because not enough moisture was removed from the pumpkin. It absolutely has to be pressed with paper towels prior to being added to the batter or the cookies will not bake properly. Wet cookie dough equals cakey cookies. The pumpkin should be dry enough that it goes from being ½ cup dried down to just under a ¼ cup. Hardly any liquid should transfer onto a paper towel once it has been dried enough. Like stated above, try to use Libby's canned pumpkin as almost all cans of it have the same consistency and are not too wet. Other brands of pumpkin can be really soupy in my opinion.
Can I use my own pumpkin puree? I would say no because fresh pumpkin puree tends to be even more liquidy than canned. It may cause the cookies to bake incorrectly.
How do I store these cookies? Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to three days, or freeze them for up to two weeks!
Pro Tips
For best results, measure your flour properly. This is always my #1 baking tip. Do not ever scoop a measuring cup into your flour. This will always lead to using too much flour. Instead, sprinkle spoonfuls of flour into your measuring cup and swipe excess flour off with the back of a knife. Or better yet, weigh your flour. 1 cup of flour equals 125 grams.
Make sure to completely freeze the cheesecake balls. This will ensure no cheesecake filling leaks out of the cookies while baking. Keep the cheesecake balls in the freezer just until you're ready to use for each batch of cookies.
Let the cookies cool completely before eating. This will allow the cheesecake filling to firm up and not be runny.
When the cookies are straight out of the oven, scoot a large circular cookie cutter around them to give them a perfect circular shape!
Make sure to beat your eggs into the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale in color and fluffy, not just until it's combined. Doing this will help give you perfectly textured cookies.
If you make these cookies please, please leave a star rating! Tag me on Instagram @inbloombakery_ and follow me on Pinterest also for other dessert ideas!
Other Recipes to Try
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cheesecake Filling
- 6 oz (170 g) cream cheese, cold
- 3 tablespoon (38 g) granulated white sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
For the Spiced Sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated white sugar
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
For the Pumpkin Cookies
- ½ cup (122 g) canned pumpkin puree Libby's
- 1 ¾ cups (219 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (220 g) light brown sugar
- 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
For the Cheesecake Filling
- Line a small cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla to a small bowl. Mix on medium-high speed with an electric mixer until fluffy and the sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes.6 oz (170 g) cream cheese, cold, 3 tablespoon (38 g) granulated white sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla
- Scoop the cheesecake filling into 16, 2 teaspoon portions onto the baking sheet. (There will be a little bit left over in the bowl.)
- Pop the cheesecake balls into the freezer until they are frozen and very firm.
For the Spiced Sugar
- Add the sugar and pumpkin pie spice to a small bowl. Whisk to combine then set aside.¼ cup (50 g) granulated white sugar, ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
For the Pumpkin Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Dry your pumpkin to get rid of excess moisture. This may seem weird but it is the only way these cookies will bake properly and not turn out cakey! Spread your pumpkin on a plate and place paper towels over the top. Lightly press to absorb the liquid. Repeat the step at least four more times until hardly any liquid transfers to the paper towel. (It needs to reduce down to just under ¼ cup from ½ cup). Then set aside.½ cup (122 g) canned pumpkin puree
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Then set aside the flour mixture.1 ¾ cups (219 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl cream the softened butter and brown sugar together with an electric hand mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.¾ cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened, 1 cup (220 g) light brown sugar
- Add in the egg yolks and vanilla and mix for one minute on medium speed until pale and fluffy.2 egg yolks, at room temperature, 2 teaspoon vanilla
- Add in the dried pumpkin and combine on medium speed.
- Add in the dry ingredients and combine on low speed.
- Scoop the dough into 16 portions with a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop, then roll into balls. Slightly flatten out each then place a frozen cheesecake ball in the center. Then close the cheesecake ball in with the cookie dough and roll into a ball again. Make sure the cheesecake is completely covered in cookie dough. Roll the cookie dough balls in pumpkin spice sugar. (Keep the cheesecake balls in the freezer until ready to use for each batch of cookies.)
- Transfer the cookie dough balls to the prepared baking sheet. Bake 6 cookies at a time for 12-13 minutes.
- Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer the baked cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Then serve!
My husband and I Love These!!!!! Absolutely worth the bit of work that goes into them 🙂
Wanted to ask, do you refrigerate them?
I've made this recipie two times, and about to do a 3rd one. they are my favorite foreveeer! i really love your page, it has helped me so many times with delicious desserts and now my family is always asking for more recipies! A really good job. you're my favorite recipie account ever!!
Greetings all the way from Mexico!
Hello! Your comment brought a big smile to my face! I am so glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe!! Thank you so much for making my recipes. I'm so happy you and your family liked the cookies.
I’m not sure why but my batter came out very wet. Do I just add more flour?
If the batter is too wet it's most likely because the pumpkin was not dried enough. Please see the photos above for reference as to how dry the pumpkin needs to be.
These cookies were so good! i am a pumpkin lover and i think they can be eaten any time of the year not just fall!! they came out a bit fluffier than the pictures, maybe i didn’t dry the pumpkin enough. nonetheless they were amazing and i’d love to make them again sometime. definitely try these! 🥰
Literally fall in a ball! The cookie mix tasted amazing and the entire family enjoyed them! Thanks for the recipe!
How do store them? I know I will have to make multiple batches if they are half as good as they are saying here. I know I will love them, nothing in them not to like!
Omg. I just made these (literally ten minutes ago, lol) and they are DIVINE. I am so impressed at how easy you made the recipe to follow. I hope you put out a cookie cookbook or something of the sort soon!! Would buy in a heartbeat 🙂
Hi Nance! Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to three days, or freeze them for up to two weeks!
Hi Rach! I'm SO happy you liked them!! Thanks for trying them out! 🙂
These cookies are dangerous they are so delicious. My mom and I just downed the first batch of 6. Oops! The directions and pictures are great. I can’t wait to make them for my sister!
Just made these for the second time. We are gluten free so I subbed the flour for Bobs Red Mill 1:1 GF flour, they are delicious! My daughter said “you seriously put magic into these cookies.”
I found In Bloom on Instagram last year and decided to try these cookies out because they looked absolutely amazing! I've made them a few times last fall and I have gotten many compliments about these cookies! I'm making them this fall again many times because they truly look and taste amazing! They're also fun to make! I rate these cookies a 12/10! I need to try the lemon cheesecake and Oreo cheesecake cookies next!
Hi! Just curious why do we use softened butter instead of browned butter? If i use browned butter instead will i get denser, chewier cookies?
I’ve never seen someone leave the specific measurements under each instruction. You’re an angel!
Can these be made into larger cookies? If so how could
I adjust the bake time
Hi Clarissa. I have not tested this recipe with brown butter. I don't know that it would make them chewier. They are already very chewy cookies. If you try it with brown butter let us know how it went!
Do you know what adjustments need to be made to these cookies for high altitude. They look delicious and would really like to try them. Thanks!
Hello! Thank you for the recipe! I was just wondering why my cookies may came out a little fluffy and cakey? Your picture looks like the cookies are flatter and more dense.
My cookies went soggy the next day. I put them in a bag to store and in the morning were super soggy where the cream cheese was. Any way to prevent that?
Maybe store them in the refrigerator?
Absolutely love these cookies, I had to put them in the freezer so we wouldn't eat the whole batch.
I have a similar question as Paige, my cookies are also cakey and fluffy (not that it's a bad thing), how are yours more dense? I do live near the water in the Pacific North West, are you at a higher altitude/dryer area?
And how do you get the cream cheese to spread out? I freeze the cheese like you suggest but the cookie dough spreads out and the cheese stays more in the center. Its still good but I think it would be better with the cheese not being a bit of a lump in the middle. The same thing happens when I make the Lemon cheese cookies.
Amazing! Very thorough and easy to follow recipe. Cookies turned out so good!! Love this recipe. I look forward to trying many more inbloombakery treats this season!
Made these cookies for my family this week and they were a huge hit! Everyone loved them. So soft and delicious. Recipe and instructions were super easy to follow.
These cookies look amazing, I am going to make them tonight! I only have salted butter though- will they still turn out? Should I omit the salt in the recipe?
Delicious recipe!!!!