Delicious Fall cookies that combine the warm spices of pumpkin pie with the creamy decadence of cheesecake!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookie Recipe

I married a man who stops for squirrels. And frogs and snakes. And he stops traffic to help snapping turtles cross the road. He is an animal lover to the extreme!

He once caught a mouse in a trap he had set in the garage. When he went to the garage for another reason he saw the mouse trying to escape with the trap stuck to it’s tail! He drove it out to a field and set it free! I kid you not.

He was so relieved! But then it turned into me making several phone calls for advice and help over trying to save this hawk! The police department was kind enough to check on it (because it was along the highway) and after starring at it for a short time it flew away! All of that time spent on trying to help it and he flew away?! Silly hawk.

I have a million stories like this. Like the time we stopped in the middle of a bike ride so he could save a baby snake from getting hit in the road. I love animals too and I go out of my way not to hit them, but I am not ever going to pick up a snake and transfer it to safety!

Thankfully no animals are harmed in the making of these Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies! If I had to choose my top favorite Fall cookie recipe, this would be it!

Some of my other favorite pumpkin recipes are Pumpkin French Toast Casserole , Pumpkin Roll , Pumpkin French Toast , Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars , and Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes !

What You’ll Need for the Cheesecake Filling

6 oz Cream Cheese, Cold

3 tbsp Sugar

1/2 tsp Vanilla

And the Spiced Sugar

1/4 cup Sugar

1/2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

For the Cookie Dough

1 3/4 cups Flour

1 tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

3/4 cup Butter, Softened

1 cup Brown Sugar

2 Egg Yolks

2 tsp Vanilla

1/4 cup Pumpkin Puree

How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a small bowl, beat together 6 oz cold cream cheese, 3 tbsp sugar, and 1/2 tsp vanilla.

Scoop the cheesecake filling into 16, 2 tsp portions onto the prepared pan. Place in the freezer until frozen and firm. Keep there until just before ready to use them.

Make the spiced sugar in a small bowl by whisking together 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lay a piece of parchment paper on the counter. This will hold the cookie dough balls until ready to bake.

In a small bowl, whisk together 1 3/4 cups flour, 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt.

In a large bowl, beat together 3/4 cup softened butter and 1 cup brown sugar.

Add in 2 egg yolks and 2 tsp vanilla and beat until fluffy.

Add in 1/4 cup pumpkin puree and beat until well combined.

Beat the dry ingredients into the wet until cookie dough forms.

Scoop dough into 16, 2 tbsp portions onto the parchment paper.

Remove frozen cheesecake balls from the freezer.

Slightly flatten out cookie dough balls in your hand and place a cheesecake ball into the centers. Close the cookie dough around the cheesecake filling so it’s completely covered.

Roll the cookie dough balls in the pumpkin spice sugar.

Bake 6 at a time on a parchment paper lined baking sheet for 12 minutes.