Pumpkin Snickerdoodles with Cheesecake Filling
The Starving Chef is supported by Hungry People like you. When you make a purchase through an affiliate link on my site, I may earn a little bit of cash on the side (at no extra cost to you) to help keep my kitchen running. Read our disclosures here.
To say that I am a little excited for it to be fall would be an understatement. I live for jeans and hoodie weather, as those are the clothes I was destined to wear pretty much year round anyways, but it’s all especially comfortable when the leaves are changing colors and there’s just barely a chill in the air… Which speaking of clothes, everyone should try out Stitch Fix for perfect fitting, stylish clothes right on your doorstep. I’m not even sponsored in any way by them, I just love my fixes and wanted to spread the word! Anyways…
We woke up to a bite in the air the other morning, even though it’s only the middle of September, and instantly I was put into the autumn spirit. Even though the next few following days were 90+ degrees outside, I still had a hankering for some flavors of fall. And what better flavor of fall is there than PUMPKIN SPICE EVERYTHING.
Believe it or not, I don’t particularly enjoy pumpkin, or even squash for that matter, but I will tolerate pumpkin in things for approximately the 60ish days of fall where the pumpkin is king. However, pumpkin paired with another flavor such as cheesecake can be quite the lovely combination, so I decided to make pumpkin cookies filled with cheesecake.
Start by mixing together the spices, baking powder, and the flour. Then use a stand mixer to beat together the sugars, softened butter, and egg. Then add in the pumpkin, just a few tablespoons at a time, alternating with flour until you’ve reached the desired ‘cookie consistency’ where the dough should be soft, but not sticky, to the touch.
I used my hands to measure out approximately 2 tablespoons of the dough at a time, then rolled the dough between my palms and flattened it.
I arranged mine on a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat, but you can use parchment, or even leave the baking sheet ungreased, if you don’t have one. Make a little divot in the center of each cookie by using two fingers or the back of a spoon.
Next, beat together the cream cheese, a teaspoon of pumpkin spice, and vanilla extract. Combine the white sugar, pumpkin spice, and cinnamon in a bowl for rolling the cookies in. Measure out another tablespoon of cookie dough and flatten it between your palms. Use a spoon to dollop the cream cheese filling into the center divot of each cookie. Then take the other flattened piece of dough and place it on top. Pinch together the edges firmly and roll into a ball.
Roll the filled dough in the sugar and spices until completely covered. Finally, use the bottom of a heavy glass pan or another baking sheet to gently flatten out the cookies.
Bake the cookies for 10-15 minutes, keeping a close eye on them towards the end. When the tops of the cookies are just beginning to crack, remove them from the oven.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes to finish cooking, then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.
These cookies are delicious served warm, cold, or room temp! Pro tip time: to keep the cookies nice and soft, place a single piece of white bread (even the end piece will do!) in the container with the cookies. You’ll be shocked out soft they stay!
Pumpkin Snickerdoodles with Cheesecake Filling
Ingredients
- 4 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 8 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg room temperature
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon cloves
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin spice mix
FOR CHEESECAKE FILLING:
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice mix
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 2 tablespoons sugar
CINNAMON SUGAR FOR ROLLING:
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, 2 teaspoons of pumpkin spice, and 1 teaspoon of ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Using a stand mixer, beat together the white and brown sugar with the butter until light and fluffy. Then add the egg and mix until blended completely. Add a few tablespoons of the pumpkin puree, alternating with flour, until the cookie dough reaches a nice orange color and is soft but not sticky.
- With your hands, measure out approximately 2 tablespoons of cookie dough. Roll it into a ball and flatten it between your palms. Arrange the flattened dough on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Press two fingers or a spoon into the center of each cookie.
- In a small bowl, use a hand mixer to blend together 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice, 2 tablespoons white sugar, and the cream cheese for a 'cheesecake' filling. Use a spoon of measure out approximately 1 tablespoon of the filling into the center divot of each cookie.
- Measure out another approximate 2 tablespoons of the cookie dough. Roll and flatten, then place onto the tops of each of the cookies with the filling. Pinch the edges together, then roll gently between your palms until a seam can no longer be seen.
- Use the remaining 1/4 cup of white sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice in a small bowl and whisk together. Roll each cookie in the sugar until completely coated.
- Flatten all of the cookies simultaneously by using the bottom of a heavy glass pan or a flat baking sheet. Gently press until the cookies are about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.
- Place the cookies in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies are just beginning to brown and crack. Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet until transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Serve warm, cold, or room temperature. Enjoy! Happy fall!
