Can I make these ahead of time?

Yes. You can freeze the shaped, unbaked cookies or freeze them after baking. Just thaw before baking or serving.

Do I need to use canned pumpkin purée?

Yes. Make sure it’s plain pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. The pie filling has added sugar and spices that will throw off the flavor and texture.

You can, but it turns the cookie into more of a classic pumpkin spice cookie. Still delicious, but no creamy center.

Soft-baked pumpkin cookies filled with a creamy cheesecake center. Warm, spiced, and perfect for fall.

Scale

**Cheesecake Filling:**

8 oz cream cheese (room temperature)

½ cup powdered sugar

**Pumpkin Cookie Dough:**

1 cup unsalted butter (cold, 2 sticks)

1 cup brown sugar (tightly packed)

½ cup granulated sugar

¾ cup pumpkin purée (not pie filling)

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 ⅔ cups all-purpose or gluten-free 1-to-1 flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp pumpkin pie spice

Pinch of sea salt

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1. Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.

2. Scoop ½-inch balls of filling onto parchment-lined pan. Freeze 30 minutes.

3. In another bowl, cream cold butter with brown and white sugar.

4. Mix in pumpkin purée, egg, and vanilla.

5. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt to form dough.

6. Chill dough for 30–60 minutes.

7. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

8. Flatten a dough ball. Place frozen cheesecake ball in center, top with another dough piece. Seal edges.

9. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake in two batches.

10. Bake 9–11 minutes or until just set.

11. Cool on pan for 15 minutes before moving.

Dough may be sticky—this is normal. Chill it well before shaping.

Use cold butter and room temperature cream cheese for best texture.

These cookies are soft—handle gently when transferring.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and maple syrup, or cooled with coffee.

Store in fridge due to cream cheese filling. Freeze up to 1 month.