Pumpkin and cheesecake are a delicious combination, especially when tucked inside a freshly baked cookie. These pumpkin cheesecake cookies feature a tender, lightly chewy exterior, warm autumn spices and a smooth cream cheese centre.

A coating of cinnamon sugar adds a delicate sweetness, while brown sugar and pumpkin purée keep the dough soft and flavourful. Perfect for family gatherings, seasonal celebrations or afternoon tea, these cookies are surprisingly easy to prepare with a little patience.

What You'll Need

Servings: 18 cookies

Total time: Approximately 2 hours, including chilling

Baking time: 12–14 minutes

Calories: Approximately 176 per cookie

For the pumpkin cookie dough:

180g plain flour

1½ tsp pumpkin pie spice

1½ tsp cream of tartar

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

¼ tsp kosher salt

115g unsalted butter, softened

52g light brown sugar

100g caster sugar

1 large egg yolk

1 tsp vanilla extract

60g unsweetened pumpkin purée

For the cheesecake filling:

170g full-fat cream cheese, softened

37g caster sugar

For the cinnamon coating:

⅓ cup cinnamon sugar

1. Prepare The Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, cream of tartar, bicarbonate of soda and salt.

Whisk thoroughly until the ingredients are evenly distributed. This ensures that the warm spices and raising agents are incorporated throughout the dough.

The cream of tartar helps create the soft, chewy texture associated with traditional snickerdoodle cookies.

2. Make The Pumpkin Dough

Place the softened butter, brown sugar and 100g caster sugar in a large mixing bowl.

Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat for approximately one minute until light and fluffy.

Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated.

Stir in the pumpkin purée, followed by the dry ingredients. Beat on medium-low speed until a soft dough forms.

Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for at least one hour, or overnight.

3. Prepare The Cheesecake Filling

In a separate bowl, combine the softened cream cheese with the remaining 37g caster sugar.

Stir until completely smooth and creamy, with no visible lumps.

Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour, or overnight. Keeping the filling cold makes the cookies easier to assemble and helps prevent the cheesecake mixture from spreading during baking.

4. Shape The Filled Cookies

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/350°F. Position two oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.

Line two large baking trays with baking paper.

Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and divide it into level tablespoon-sized portions.

Take two portions and flatten each into a small disc. Place two level teaspoons of cheesecake filling in the centre of one disc, then cover with the second.

Carefully pinch the edges together to seal the filling inside. Gently roll the assembled dough between your palms to create a smooth ball.

Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

5. Coat With Cinnamon Sugar

Pour the cinnamon sugar into a wide, shallow bowl.

Roll each filled cookie ball in the mixture until evenly coated.

Arrange the cookies on the prepared baking trays, leaving enough space between them to spread.

The cinnamon coating adds sweetness and creates a lightly crisp surface that complements the soft pumpkin dough.

6. Bake Until Golden

Bake for 12–14 minutes, rotating and swapping the trays halfway through to ensure even cooking.

The cookies are ready when their surfaces turn golden brown and begin to develop small cracks.

Immediately after removing them from the oven, firmly tap each baking tray against a heatproof worktop a few times. This helps flatten the cookies slightly and creates their characteristic appearance.

Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and allow them to cool.

Tips For Perfect Results

Use pure, unsweetened pumpkin purée rather than pumpkin pie filling, which contains additional sugar and spices.

Chilling the dough is essential because pumpkin adds moisture, making the mixture softer and stickier than ordinary cookie dough.

If the dough becomes difficult to handle, lightly dampen your hands before shaping each portion.

For the cheesecake centre, choose full-fat cream cheese to achieve a rich, smooth consistency.

Avoid overbaking. The cookies should have lightly golden edges while remaining soft and tender inside.

How To Store The Cookies

Because the filling contains cream cheese, store the cooled cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

For a softer texture, allow them to stand at room temperature briefly before serving.

With their fragrant pumpkin spice dough, creamy cheesecake centre and sweet cinnamon coating, these cookies bring together comforting autumn flavours in a dessert that is perfect for sharing.