These homemade pumpkin cheesecake cookies are soft baked, gooey, and delicious! They taste like biting into a warm pumpkin pie. They are perfect for the fall season, but enjoyable all year long. My friends and family go crazy for this cookie recipe. These cookies are warm, perfectly spiced, and the ultimate fall dessert. Be sure to try this Pumpkin Cheesecake Bread too!

Pumpkin cheesecake cookies.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • These pumpkin cheesecake cookies are perfectly flavored.
  • They are soft baked and gooey.
  • These cookies are not dry or boring.
  • They taste like a pumpkin roll cookie!
  • They are not overly sweet.
  • The pumpkin and cream flavors work so well together. So does chocolate and cream like these Chocolate Cheesecake Cookies!
  • These easy cheesecake cookies are perfect for fall or any time of the year.
  • The flavors are warm and cozy.
  • These cream cheese filled cookies can be made with regular all purpose flour or gluten free 1 to 1 flour.
  • If using gluten free flour, this recipe is both gluten free and nut free.
  • Check out these Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies for another great dessert!

Ingredients & Substitutions

These are the main ingredients and substitutions for pumpkin cheesecake cookies. Scroll down to the recipe card for full ingredients list and instructions.

Room temperature cream cheese and powdered sugar make up the cheesecake filling. Allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature before using. Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until creamy.

For the cookies, use cold butter straight from the fridge. Do not use softened or melted butter. For this recipe, use 1 cup which is 2 sticks.

Tightly pack brown sugar. In addition, granulated sugar adds sweetness. I have not tried this recipe using a sugar alternative.

Use pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling.

Only one egg is needed. For an egg free pumpkin cookie, check out these Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Vanilla extract adds a delicious warmth.

Use either all purpose flour or gluten free 1 to 1 flour. Both work equally well.

Baking soda helps these cookies rise slightly.

Both cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice add the best flavor. If you cannot find pumpkin pie spice, substitute with more cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg.

Add in a pinch of sea salt if desired.

Pumpkin and other baking ingredients.

Taste & Texture

These pumpkin cheesecake cookies are warmly spiced. They taste mostly of pumpkin, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. The filling is reminiscent of vanilla cheesecake.

These cookies are soft baked. They do not get crispy or chewy. These cookies are gooey, creamy, soft and fragile. They melt in your mouth!

How to Make

Step 1

First, make cheesecake filling. Add room temperature cream cheese and powdered sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on high until fully creamy.

Cream cheese filling in bowl.

Step 2

Scoop out ½ inch balls of cheesecake filling. Place on parchment lined pan. Place pan in freezer for 30 minutes.

Cream cheese balls.

Step 3

Then, make pumpkin cookie dough. Add cold butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar to a clean bowl of a stand mixer. Mix until no clumps of butter remain.

Creamed cold butter and sugars.

Step 4

Add in pumpkin purée, egg and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.

Gooey pumpkin dough.

Step 5

Add in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and sea salt. Stir until a thick cookie dough is formed.

Pumpkin cookie dough.

Step 6

Place bowl of cookie dough in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Step 7

After 30 minutes, remove cookie dough from fridge and remove cheesecake balls from freezer. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.

Step 8

Scoop out ball of cookie dough. Place on lined pan. Flatten with hands.

Flattened orange cookie.

Step 9

Then, place a frozen cheesecake ball in the center of the cookie dough. Place another flattened ball of cookie dough on top of cheesecake.

Step 10

Then, use hands to fully enclose the cheesecake ball with cookie dough. Continue for remaining dough, baking the pumpkin cheesecake cookies in 2 batches.

Orange cookie ball.

Step 11

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until cookies look set in the middle.

Baked pumpkin cheesecake cookies.

Step 12

Finally, remove the pumpkin cheesecake cookies from oven. Allow cookies to cool on pan for 15 minutes before carefully removing to a cooling rack.

Expert Tips & Tricks

For best results, carefully measure all ingredients.

Follow the step by step photos above for the best pumpkin cheesecake cookies.

Use room temperature cream cheese. Do not use cold cream cheese.

The cheesecake filling balls do not have to look perfect. Make them roughly ½ inch in size.

For the cookies, use cold butter straight from your fridge. This helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much while baking.

The cookie dough may be slightly sticky, even after chilling. It should not be very sticky, only slightly so.

Chill the cookie dough for 30 to 60 minutes. Do not skip this step.

Handle these spiced pumpkin cheesecake cookies carefully. They are large, soft, and gooey.

Gooey pumpkin cheesecake cookies.

How to Serve & Store

Serve pumpkin spice cheesecake cookies once cooled. They are soft!

These cookies pair well with milk or coffee.

For the ultimate dessert, warm up cookies and serve with vanilla ice cream. In fact, drizzle maple syrup on top!

Store cookies in the fridge. Due to the cream cheese filling, they are safest in the fridge.

Freeze pumpkin cheesecake cookies for up to 1 month.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big are these cookies?

These cookies are large! They are about 3 inches in diameter.

Which flour should I use?

Use either all purpose flour or gluten free 1 to 1 flour. Both work well.

Are they gluten free?

Use gluten free flour to make gluten free pumpkin cheesecake cookies.

Can I replace pumpkin pie spice?

Sure! Replace with more cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg.

Do I have to chill the dough?

Yes, this step is mandatory. This helps these pumpkin spice stuffed cookies maintain their shape while baking.

Creamy pumpkin cookies.

You May Also Like

If you make these pumpkin cheesecake cookies, I would really appreciate a review! You can find me on InstagramFacebook, and Pinterest. I would love for you to follow along!  For more ideas, check out these Dessert Recipes.

Pumpkin cheesecake cookies.

Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies

These pumpkin cheesecake cookies are gooey, creamy and soft baked! They are truly the best fall dessert. They are warmly spiced and taste like pumpkin pie!
5 from 17 votes

Ingredients

Cheesecake Filling

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • ½ cup powdered sugar

Pumpkin Cookies

Instructions 

  • First, make cheesecake filling. Add room temperature cream cheese and powdered sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on high until fully creamy.
  • Scoop out ½ inch balls of cheesecake filling. Make 12 small balls. Place on parchment lined pan. Place pan in freezer for 30 minutes.
  • Then, make pumpkin cookie dough. Add cold butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar to a clean bowl of a stand mixer. Mix until no clumps of butter remain.
  • Add in pumpkin purée, egg and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.
  • Add in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and sea salt. Stir until a thick dough is formed.
  • Place bowl of cookie dough in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
  • After 30 minutes, remove cookie dough from fridge and remove cheesecake balls from freezer. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
  • Scoop out ball of cookie dough. Place on lined pan. Flatten with hands.
  • Then, place a frozen cheesecake ball in the center of the cookie dough. Place another flattened ball of cookie dough on top of cheesecake.
  • Then, use hands to fully enclose the cheesecake ball with cookie dough. Continue for remaining dough, baking the cookies in 2 batches.
  • Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until cookies look set in the middle.
  • Finally, remove from oven. Allow cookies to cool on pan for 15 minutes before carefully removing to a cooling rack.

Notes

  • Use room temperature cream cheese.  Cold cream cheese will not cream well.
  • Scoop out ½ inch balls of cheesecake filling.  They do not have to look perfect.
  • Use cold butter right from the fridge.  Do not use softened or melted butter.
  • Both gluten free 1 to 1 flour and all purpose flour work well.
  • The cookie dough will be slightly sticky before chilling.
  • Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes up to 1 hour.  This alleviates the sticky dough.
  • See photos within the blog post for how to assemble cookies.
  • These cookies are soft baked and fragile.  Handle with care.
  • For best results, store cookies in the fridge.
  • These cookies are large!
  • They freeze well.
Calories: 464kcal, Carbohydrates: 68g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.001g, Cholesterol: 26mg, Sodium: 164mg, Potassium: 246mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 35g, Vitamin A: 2648IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 57mg, Iron: 3mg

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