SOFT CHEESECAKE PUMPKIN COOKIES
These are the most delicious pumpkin cookies! These soft and chewy pumpkin cookies are filled with a creamy cheesecake center and rolled in a pumpkin spice sugar mixture.
Ingredients
FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING
- 170 g cream cheese cold
- 3 tbsp white sugar
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
FOR THE COOKIE BATTER
- 219 g all-purpose flour
- 168 g unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 egg yolks at room temperature
- 1 pack vanilla sugar
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
FOR THE SUGAR COATING
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- Line a small cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, combine the cold cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until fluffy and the sugar has dissolved (about 2 minutes).
- Scoop the cheesecake mixture into 16 portions (about 2 teaspoons each) and place them on the prepared cookie sheet. You may have a little filling left over.
- Freeze the cheesecake balls until they are very firm.
- To ensure the cookies don't turn out cakey, dry the pumpkin purée to remove excess moisture. Spread the pumpkin on a plate and cover it with paper towels. Lightly press down to absorb the liquid. Repeat this process at least four more times until the moisture is significantly reduced (from 1/2 cup to just under 1/4 cup). Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and brown sugar together using an electric hand mixer at high speed until fluffy (about 2 minutes).
- Add the egg yolks and vanilla extract, mixing at medium speed for 1 minute until pale and fluffy.
- Incorporate the dried pumpkin into the mixture and combine on medium speed.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined.
- Scoop the dough into 16 portions using a 2 tbsp cookie scoop. Roll each portion into a ball and slightly flatten it.
- Place a frozen cheesecake ball in the center of each flattened dough ball. Enclose the cheesecake filling completely with the cookie dough and roll it back into a ball.
- Roll the cookie dough balls in the pumpkin spice sugar mixture.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Transfer the cookie dough balls to the prepared baking sheets, baking 6 cookies at a time for 12-13 minutes.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.