Pumpkin spice meets cheesecake in these warm and cozy pumpkin cheesecake cookies. It’s about that time when myself and many others go full fall mode the second September even thinks about showing up. Pumpkin spice latte? Yes. Pumpkin candles? Already burning. Pumpkin cheesecake? Don’t test me, I’ll eat it for breakfast haha! But my husband? Not so much. He has this rule that the only pumpkin dessert he’ll even touch is his mom’s famous pumpkin cream cheese roll-up. He’ll politely decline pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving but will devour her roll-up like it’s his last meal. So this year, I made it my mission to sneak him into my pumpkin-loving world with something familiar but still new. Enter: Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies.

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These little gems are basically a soft and chewy pumpkin spice cookie stuffed with a creamy vanilla cheesecake filling.

Now back to the story about my husband – when he came home from work, I convinced him to try one cookie and it quickly turned into trying three! He followed it up with asking if he could bring some to work to share with “the guys” because he thought they were THAT good. I of course said yes.

Mission: accomplished.

If you’re a fall fanatic like me, or maybe you’ve got a pumpkin skeptic in your life (like my husband) that you’re trying to win over, these cookies are your golden ticket. They’re cozy, a little indulgent, and just the right mix of sweet, spiced, and creamy.

Tips and Tricks to The Best Soft and Chewy Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Let’s get into the good stuff—how to make these pumpkin cheesecake cookies come out soft and chewy. The first step is properly preparing the pumpkin purée. The thing with pumpkin purée is it has a lot of moisture, which means your cookie dough can get a little too wet and end up cakey. That’s why it’s a non-negotiable step to blot the pumpkin with paper towels to achieve the desired texture in this recipe. If we don’t do this, the result is a cake-like cookie, which is not a bad thing, but it’s not what we’re going for in this recipe :).

Here are my top tricks:

Blot the pumpkin – Yep, sounds weird, but grab some paper towels and blot the excess liquid out of your pumpkin purée before mixing it in. This keeps the dough from getting too soft.
Spoon the flour – Why does every food blog say this? Because it’s true! Using the right amount of flour makes or breaks the way a cookie turns out. You want to avoid packing the flour and can do so by using a spoon to scoop the correct amount into your measuring cups before adding to the bowl.
Don’t overbake – These cookies are meant to be soft and chewy, so take them out when the edges are just set. It’ll be hard to tell if the edges are turning brown by looking at them because the cookie dough is already so dark. Just know that they’ll firm up as they cool. (Tip: If you’re unsure of the best baking time for your oven, bake one cookie in the oven for 14 minutes and let it cool. If it’s not raw inside and the edges feel a little stiff/crunchy, then you have the right amount of time. You can adjust from there if the cookie looks raw or overbaked and you’ll have success with the rest of the dough!)
Cheesecake filling hack – Freeze the little dollops of cheesecake filling for at least an hour up to overnight before stuffing them into the dough. It makes the whole process way less messy and ensures the filling stays creamy in the middle instead of oozing out.

Follow these tips and you’ll get bakery-level pumpkin spice cookies with that gooey cheesecake surprise in the center. Chef’s kiss baby!

The Best Time To Make Pumpkin Spice Cookies (Stuffed with A Cheesecake Filling!)

Listen, I’ll eat pumpkin cheesecake cookies year-round with zero shame. But there’s something about biting into one of these soft, spiced cookies right when the temperature starts to break from the heat of July and August (iykyk). When the kids go back to school I think it’s best to move into Fall mode fast so the goodbye to summer isn’t a long, hard goodbye. Fall has its own perks and I think baking some pumpkin spice cookies can be just what everyone needs to get into the fall spirit. I really don’t know anyone who hasn’t liked their house smelling like cinnamon and sugar, afterall. That’s just part of the fall magic, right?

These cookies are perfect for:

Thanksgiving dessert tables – Forget the plain pumpkin pie (okay not really, but these would be a perfect addition to the dessert table). Show up with these, and you’ll be the hero.

Fall gatherings and potlucks – They travel well and stand out from the sea of chocolate chip cookies!
Cozy nights in – Light that fall candle, grab your favorite blanket, turn on some Hocus Pocus or your favorite fall show (ahem, Gilmore Girls) and enjoy your little sweet treat. Whether you’re alone, with the kiddos, your hubby, or girlfriends, there’s no reason as to why these cookies shouldn’t be part of your fall night in.

Andddd remember, these cookies make even the pumpkin spice skeptics pause at the realization that pumpkin can be good. And maybe, just maybe, they will admit it out loud to you and thank you for changing their outlook on pumpkin. What a beautiful moment that could be, LOL!

Everything You Need To Make These Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Cookies

For the cheesecake filling:

Cream cheese (full fat)
Flour
Vanilla Extract
Powdered sugar

For the Pumpkin Spice Cookies:

Unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 egg and 1 egg yolk
Dark brown sugar
Granulated white sugar
Pumpkin puree (Make sure it’s 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)
Pumpkin spice blend
Cinnamon
Salt
Flour
Baking Soda

How To Make Them

Detailed instructions can be found in the recipe card of this post but here’s a high level visual of key steps to make these Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies!

Cheesecake Filling

Wet Ingredients

Dry Ingredients, Adding the Cheesecake Dollops and Rolling in Cinnamon Sugar

Bake, cool, and enjoy!

Storing and Freezing

To store: If you make these with the cheesecake filling, they need to be refrigerated. After the cookies are cooled, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Any cookies without the cheesecake filling can be stored on the counter in an airtight container for 5 days.
To freeze baked cookies: If you want to store these cookies longer than 5 days, you can freeze them in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
To freeze the cookie dough: Place the stuffed cookie dough rounds in a single layer in an airtight container or gallon freezer ziplock bag for up to 3 months. You can bake them from frozen later on, the may need 2 minutes longer in the oven to fully bake.