Description
Delight in these soft and flavorful Pumpkin Pie Cookies featuring a spiced cream cheese pumpkin filling nestled in a tender buttery cookie base. Perfect for fall celebrations or cozy afternoons, these cookies combine classic pumpkin pie flavors with a delightful cookie twist, topped optionally with whipped cream for an extra indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour (337g)
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
Cookie Dough
- 3 oz cream cheese, room temperature (86g)
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature (6oz)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (110g)
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed (112g)
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup coarse sugar for rolling (78g)
Pumpkin Pie Filling
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ¼ cup brown sugar (56g)
- Pinch of table salt
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin spice
- ¼ cup whole milk (2oz)
- ½ cup pumpkin puree (122g)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional
- Whipped cream for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Preheat your oven to 350℉ (175℃). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set it aside to prepare for baking.
- Mix dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, pumpkin spice, and salt until well combined. Set this dry mixture aside for later use in the dough.
- Prepare cookie dough base. In a large mixing bowl, combine the room-temperature cream cheese, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Beat on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. Remember to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing. Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated.
- Add flour mixture to dough. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in three additions, folding gently with a spatula between additions. Scrape down the bowl sides as needed and fold a few times to ensure there are no dry flour pockets. The resulting cookie dough will be thick.
- Prepare pumpkin pie filling. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the large egg, brown sugar, pinch of salt, pumpkin spice, whole milk, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract until smooth and fully blended. Set this filling mixture aside.
- Form dough balls. Using a medium cookie scoop, portion the dough into 2-tablespoon-sized balls (approximately 36g each). Roll each ball in the coarse sugar to evenly coat them. Arrange the coated dough balls on the prepared cookie sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each.
- Create wells and fill cookies. Using a 1-tablespoon measuring spoon, gently press down in the center of each dough ball to form a well. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the pumpkin pie filling into each well, filling the indentation without overflowing.
- Bake the cookies. Bake the filled cookies in the preheated oven for 14 to 17 minutes or until the cookies are set and the bottoms turn a light golden brown. Once baked, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Repeat with remaining dough. Allow your cookie sheet to cool before repeating the process with any remaining dough, ensuring consistent baking results.
- Serve and garnish. When ready to serve, optionally pipe or dollop whipped cream on top of each cooled cookie. For an extra touch, sprinkle additional pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon over the whipped cream and enjoy your seasonal treat.
Notes
- Ensure butter and cream cheese are at room temperature for smooth mixing.
- Use fresh pumpkin puree for best flavor; canned can be substituted if preferred.
- Coarse sugar helps create a sparkling crispy coating on the cookies.
- Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to a week.
- For a dairy-free option, substitute cream cheese and butter with plant-based alternatives and use a non-dairy milk.
- Whipped cream topping is optional but adds a delightful, creamy contrast to the spiced filling.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 65 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
Keywords: pumpkin pie cookies, pumpkin spice cookies, fall dessert, pumpkin cookies with filling, holiday cookies
