Easy Fall Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies in 35 Mins (2025)

If there’s one flavor that screams fall, it’s pumpkin. But what happens when you pair that pumpkin spice magic with a rich, creamy cheesecake center?

You get the ultimate cozy treat: Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies. Soft and chewy on the outside, velvety and tangy on the inside. These cookies bring together the best of both dessert worlds.

Whether you’re a pumpkin enthusiast or cheesecake-obsessed, this recipe is for you. It’s got the spice, the creaminess, the crunch, and that ooey-gooey center that makes everyone say, “Whoa, did you make these?!”

Ready to impress your friends, family, or just yourself with the coziest cookie ever? Let’s get baking.

Why Fall in Love With Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies

If you could capture the cozy feeling of fall in one bite, this cookie would be it. Pumpkin cheesecake cookies combine the bold, spicy notes of pumpkin pie with the creamy indulgence of cheesecake, all wrapped in a soft, chewy cookie shell.

Here’s why you’ll fall hard for them:

🎃 A Dessert That Doubles as a Hug

These cookies are like little bundles of fall warmth. From the cinnamon-sugar coating to the dreamy cheesecake center, they feel like a cozy sweater for your tastebuds. Whether you’re curled up with a book or hosting a Halloween get-together, these treats are the perfect fall companion.

🍰 Cheesecake… in Cookie Form

Let’s be real, making a whole cheesecake can feel like a commitment. This recipe offers the same rich, tangy flavor, but with significantly less work and much more enjoyment.

Additionally, since there’s no egg in the filling, you don’t have to worry about underbaking. You get all the flavor of cheesecake, baked right into the heart of your cookie.

⏱️ Quick to Make, Easy to Love

While it sounds fancy, this recipe is surprisingly simple. The dough doesn’t need to chill, and the filling comes together in minutes. Even with the extra step of stuffing, the whole process is beginner-friendly and stress-free.

💯 Tested and Approved by Pumpkin Skeptics

Not a huge fan of pumpkin? You’re not alone, and guess what? Even the original baker admits she’s not wild about pumpkin.

But add cheesecake to the mix? Game changer. These cookies passed the toughest critics, including seasoned pumpkin lovers and non-pumpkin peeps alike.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Let’s break it down into two parts: the cheesecake filling and the pumpkin cookie dough.

🧀 Cheesecake Filling Ingredients

No eggs required—this keeps the filling smooth, safe to eat, and perfectly creamy.

🎃 Pumpkin Cookie Dough Ingredients

🍂 Cinnamon Sugar Coating (Optional but Recommended)

This coating gives each cookie a warm, spiced crust that screams fall.

🥄 Step-by-Step: How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies

🧁 Step 1: Prepare the Cheesecake Filling

First things first, let’s build the creamy heart of our cookie.

Start by grabbing 6 oz of softened brick-style cream cheese. Skip the kind that comes in a tub; those are often too soft and watery, and don’t hold up well in baking recipes.

Add ¼ cup of granulated sugar to the cream cheese, and start mixing. If your cream cheese is truly soft, you can mix it with a spatula. Otherwise, feel free to use a hand mixer. Your goal is a smooth, lump-free consistency.

Next, stir in 1½ tablespoons of sour cream and ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract. You might be thinking, “Sour cream in a cookie filling?” Yes! It’s the secret that transforms this from a plain cream cheese center to a true cheesecake flavor.

🍰 No eggs here and that’s on purpose. Without eggs, the cheesecake stays extra creamy and you don’t have to worry about raw centers.

Once the mixture is smooth and creamy, it’s time to portion it out. Grab a small baking sheet or plate lined with wax paper.

Use a small cookie scoop or two teaspoons to form small dollops of filling (about 2 teaspoons each). Try to keep them uniform; this will make stuffing the cookies easier later.

Pop the whole tray into the freezer to chill. You’ll want the dollops to be firm before attempting to handle them, or things can get messy quickly.

🧈 Step 2: Melt the Butter and Infuse the Spice

While your cheesecake dollops are chilling out, let’s jump into the dough. Start by melting 1 cup of unsalted butter in a saucepan or microwave-safe bowl.

Once melted, and while it’s still warm (but not boiling), stir in 4 teaspoons of pumpkin spice.

Why now? Because warm butter helps “bloom” the spices, making their flavor deeper and more pronounced. It’s like steeping tea, but with cozy notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

Now, here’s a crucial pause: Let the butter cool down. It shouldn’t feel warm to the touch when you continue, or your sugars will melt, making your dough greasy and your cookies flat.

🎃 Step 3: Blot the Pumpkin Purée

Pumpkin might be the star of the show, but it comes with a problem: water. Lots of it.

Measure out ⅔ cup of canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) and spoon it onto a plate lined with several layers of paper towels. Then, blot.

Press down gently but firmly with additional paper towels to absorb the excess moisture. This takes just a minute or two but makes a huge difference. Less water means:

• Better texture
• Stronger pumpkin flavor
• No cakey or gummy cookies

🧻 Pro tip: For maximum accuracy, start with 194g of pumpkin and adjust it down to approximately 130g using a kitchen scale. Optional, but great if you love baking with precision.

🍯 Step 4: Combine Wet Ingredients

Time to bring together all the flavors.

In a large bowl, mix your cooled spiced butter with:

• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• ⅔ cup of packed light brown sugar

Once that’s combined and looking like a grainy paste, stir in your blotted pumpkin puree.

Next, add 2 large egg yolks, not the whole eggs. Toss the whites or save them for another recipe (like meringue or frosting). Yolks add richness and chewiness, without watering down the dough like egg whites would.

Finally, mix in 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. The baker in the original video even used homemade vanilla, which brings a beautiful depth of flavor.

Stir until everything is fully blended. It should look rich and golden, and smell like the holidays.

⚖️ Step 5: Mix Dry Ingredients Separately

In a second bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients:

• 3¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt

Whisk well to break up any lumps and evenly distribute the leavening agents. You don’t want surprise pockets of baking soda.

Once ready, gradually add the dry mixture to your wet ingredients. Add it in 3–4 parts, mixing each time until just combined. The dough will get thicker with each addition. Don’t be afraid to use some elbow grease.

By the last portion, it’ll start to resemble a firm, moldable dough. You can totally switch to a stand mixer if the arm workout isn’t your thing, but hey, that’s one way to earn your dessert.

💪 “Most people do bicep curls. I make cookie dough.” — A wise baker.

If you’re feeling adventurous (or crave texture), fold in 1 cup of white chocolate chips at the end.

✋ Step 6: Assemble the Cookies

Alright, the fun part! Let’s build our cookies.

Take the chilled cheesecake filling from the freezer, but only a few pieces at a time to keep them firm.

Scoop about 3 tablespoons of cookie dough (using two 1½ tbsp scoops). Roll it into a ball, then press your thumb into the center to make a crater.

Drop in one cheesecake dollop, then fold the dough over and around the filling. You want to seal the cheesecake inside completely. If needed, pinch on a little extra dough.

Once sealed, gently roll the cookie dough back into a ball.

❄️ If your dough is too soft or sticky, pop it in the fridge for 15–20 minutes before continuing.

🌟 Step 7: Coat in Cinnamon Sugar

Before baking, let’s give these cookies a little sparkle.

In a small bowl, mix:

• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

Use a tiny whisk if you’ve got one; it makes mixing a little more fun.

Now, roll each cookie ball in the cinnamon sugar until it is completely coated. This gives each cookie a crunchy, sweet edge that beautifully complements the creamy center.

🔥 Step 8: Bake to Perfection

Line your baking sheet with parchment paper and space the cookies 2 inches apart. Even though they don’t spread much, give them room to bake evenly.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 11 minutes.

These cookies won’t turn golden brown like regular chocolate chip cookies, so how do you know they’re done?

• Gently press the top if it still feels super soft and doughy, give it another minute or two.
• If they hold their shape and feel set, they’re good to go!

⏳ Step 9: Cool… Patiently!

This is the hardest part. But seriously, don’t skip it.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5–10 minutes before moving them. Then, transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

🧨 The cheesecake centers are lava-hot right out of the oven. If you cut them open too soon, they’ll be a melty mess.

Once fully cooled, the filling sets into a creamy, luscious bite surrounded by tender, spiced pumpkin cookies. You’ll see the swirl of cheesecake inside, and trust us, it’s as dreamy as it looks.

Tips for Perfect Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies Every Time

Making pumpkin cheesecake cookies may sound fancy, but with the right know-how, they’re super manageable even for beginner bakers.

🎃 1. Always Use Brick-Style Cream Cheese

Avoid the kind that comes in a tub. It’s too soft and aerated for this type of recipe and won’t retain its shape when frozen or baked. The brick-style cream cheese gives the filling a firm, creamy consistency that’s ideal for stuffing inside cookies.

🍬 2. Mix the Cheesecake Filling Until Completely Smooth

Lumps in your cream cheese filling will result in uneven texture and inconsistent flavor. So, whether you’re using a spatula or an electric mixer, take the time to stir until the mixture is silky. This makes every bite of the cheesecake center melt-in-your-mouth good.

🧊 3. Freeze the Cheesecake Dollops

This step is non-negotiable. Frozen filling is easier to stuff and won’t leak out or melt too early in the oven. You can even freeze the filling in advance and store it in a sealed bag until you’re ready to bake.

💡 Quick Tip: Work in small batches only pull 2–3 cheesecake dollops from the freezer at a time while assembling cookies so they stay firm and manageable.

🔥 4. Let the Butter Cool Before Mixing

Warm butter might seem harmless, but if it’s too hot when mixed with sugar, it melts the sugar and causes greasy, flat cookies. Always check the temperature by touching the bowl; if it still feels warm, give it more time to cool.

🧻 5. Blot the Pumpkin Purée

Pumpkin is about 90% water, and all that moisture leads to cakey or dry cookies. Blotting the purée with paper towels removes excess water, concentrating the flavor and ensuring a tender but chewy cookie, not one that crumbles or puffs like a muffin top.

📏 Want precision? Start with 194g of pumpkin puree and blot it down to 130g.

Tasty Variations to Try

Want to give your pumpkin cheesecake cookies a fun twist? These add-ins and swaps make it easy to personalize your batch or create unique holiday cookie trays.

Final Thoughts: Cozy, Creamy, and Completely Irresistible

These pumpkin cheesecake cookies are what fall dessert dreams are made of. They’re soft, creamy, and rich in warm spice, the cookie version of a big, cozy sweater.

And the best part? They’re easier to make than they look. Even if you’re not a pumpkin person, that creamy center will win you over.

So go ahead, bake a batch, pour a mug of cider, and treat yourself. Just don’t forget to share… unless you “accidentally” eat them all. 😉

You Might Also Love:

Here are more fall-inspired cookie recipes we think you’ll adore, each made with busy moms and festive cravings in mind:

🎃 Easy 20-Min Pumpkin Sugar Cookies for Fall Moms

Fast, fun, and full of cozy spice, perfect for lunchboxes or a quick fall treat.

🍁 The Best Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe

Soft, chewy, cinnamon-coated goodness with a brown butter twist.

🌾 Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies for Moms

Made with oats and fall flavors, these are guilt-free and totally satisfying.

Ella Foster

Ella Foster, co-founder of FoodBears.com, is a skilled writer whose love for cooking fuels her creative work. Her passion for experimenting in the kitchen brings authentic flavor and culinary inspiration to every piece she crafts for the platform.