Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies

Total Time
26 minutes

Ingredients

• 6 oz cold cream cheese
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 0.5 tsp vanilla
• 0.25 cup sugar
• 0.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 0.5 cup pumpkin purée
• 1.75 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• 0.5 tsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp baking soda
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 0.75 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tsp vanilla

Cookware

• 1 baking sheet
• 1 bowl
• 1 electric mixer
• 1 small bowl
• 1 plate
• 1 paper towels
• 1 large mixing bowl
• 1 wire rack

Instructions

Step 1

Line a baking sheet with {}parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat{}. (This reusable silicone baking mat is our editors’ go-to.) Combine the cold cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in a bowl. Mix on medium-high speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Scoop the filling into 16 2 teaspoon sized portions. Transfer the baking sheet to the freezer. Leave the cheesecake balls in the freezer until frozen and very firm.

Step 2

Whisk the sugar and pumpkin pie spice together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Step 3

Spread the pumpkin purée on a plate. Place paper towels on top and lightly press down to absorb the liquid in the pumpkin. Repeat this step four times to reduce the pumpkin down from 1/2 cup to about 1/4 cup, removing the extra liquid. This will ensure the cookies bake properly without being cakey.

Step 4

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk together the all-purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Step 5

In a large mixing bowl, cream the unsalted butter and light brown sugar with an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in the egg yolks and vanilla extract until pale and fluffy, about 1 minute. Mix in the pumpkin.

Step 6

Mix in the dry ingredients mixture on low speed until combined.

Step 7

Using a 2 tablespoon sized cookie scoop, portion and roll the dough into 16 balls. Slightly flatten each ball and place a frozen cheesecake ball in the center. Close the cheesecake ball within the cookie dough, making sure it’s completely covered. Roll it into a ball again. Only remove the cheesecake balls from the freezer once they’re ready to be used for each batch of cookies. Roll each filled ball of cookie dough in pumpkin spice sugar.

Step 8

Place each prepared cookie dough ball on the lined baking sheet. Bake 6 cookies at a time for 12 to 13 minutes. Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

Source

• Taste of Home

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