Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies Recipes

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk together 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp salt in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
• Cream together 1/2 cup butter, 2/3 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup white sugar with a stand or hand mixer until the mixture lightens in color (about 1 minute). Add 1/3 cup pumpkin puree and mix on a medium speed until combined. If you want your cookies to look orange, add in a drop of orange gel food coloring with the pumpkin puree.
• Mix the dry ingredients into the butter /sugar mixture on a low speed until just combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.
• Use a cookie scoop or spoon to make 2 1/2 Tbsp balls of cookie dough. There should be enough dough to make 12 cookie dough balls. Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and chill in the fridge for about an hour. You can chill the dough longer than this, but it makes the dough a bit more challenging to flatten and fill.
• While the cookie dough chills, make the cheesecake filling. Use an electric mixer to beat together 3/4 cup cream cheese, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Mix on a medium-high speed until combined and smooth.
• Use a spoon to scoop about 12 dollops (each should be about 1 Tbsp) of the cheesecake filling onto a parchment lined plate or tray. Place in the freezer for at least 45 minutes or until they're chilled and easy to handle. They won't become completely hard, but they should become much easier to pick up once they're chilled.
• My oven takes a while to preheat, so I usually turn it on once I've finished making this filling. Preheat your oven to 350 F / 175 C.
• While the dough and the filling chill, make the cinnamon sugar. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp ginger. Set aside.
• If you haven't already, preheat your oven to 350 F / 175 C while the cookie dough chills and line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicon mats.
• Remove the cookie dough and cheesecake dollops from the fridge and freezer.
• Flatten the cookie dough balls in the palm of your hand and place the cheesecake filling in the center. If you have warm hands, flatten the cookie dough between two sheets of parchment paper.
• Place a dollop of cheesecake in the center and wrap the overhanging cookie dough around the filling, doing your best to cover it. If there is a little bit of cheesecake filling peeking through, don't worry! Just make that the bottom of the cookie when you bake them. They'll still bake up just fine! If you notice the cookie dough or cheesecake filling is getting too soft to handle, pop the dough in the fridge and the cheesecake filling in the freezer to make them easier to handle.
• Toss the cookies in the cinnamon sugar until they're fully coated. You'll end up having a bit of cinnamon sugar leftover. I like to sprinkle mine over buttered toast to make cinnamon toast.
• Place the cookie dough balls on the lined baking sheets, spacing them about 3 inches apart. Flatten them a bit with your fingers by gently pressing down on top of each cookie.
• Bake for 16-19 minutes, or until the cookies have set on the outside. Place them on a wire rack to cool, then enjoy!
• Leftover cookies can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days. I like them best cold, straight out of the fridge!