Description
Delightfully soft and moist Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies, featuring a perfect blend of warm spices and creamy cheesecake swirls. These cookies are an ideal fall treat combining pumpkin puree with a luscious cream cheese filling, baked to perfection for a tender texture and rich flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cheesecake Swirl
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger until well combined to ensure even distribution of spices and leavening agents.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a separate large bowl, cream the softened butter along with the granulated sugar and brown sugar using an electric mixer or by hand until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, which helps create a tender cookie texture.
- Add Pumpkin and Egg: Mix in the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract into the creamed butter and sugars until fully combined, ensuring a smooth and uniform batter.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing gently just until everything is combined; avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
- Prepare Cheesecake Swirl: In another bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy, to create the luscious cheesecake filling.
- Incorporate Cheesecake Filling: Gently swirl the cream cheese mixture into the cookie dough carefully to create a marbled effect without completely blending the two batters.
- Portion the Dough: Using a cookie scoop or spoon, drop rounded scoops of the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them evenly to allow room for spreading during baking.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the edges are set while the centers remain soft, achieving the ideal chewy texture.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to set, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving to maintain their shape and texture.
Notes
- Make sure the butter and cream cheese are softened to room temperature for easier mixing and better texture.
- Do not overmix the dough after adding flour to prevent dense cookies.
- Swirling the cheesecake filling gently into the dough creates a beautiful marbled look.
- 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 stronger pumpkin flavor, add an additional 1/4 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.
