Soft and chewy pumpkin snickerdoodles stuffed with creamy cheesecake filling!
Snickerdoodles are a MUST this time of year. From September through December, I can’t get enough of this classic cookie. It has the perfect texture balance of soft to chewy, and there’s really nothing more comforting than its sweet cinnamon flavor.
From Eggnog Snickerdoodles to Snickerdoodle Cupcakes and Snickerdoodle Magic Bars to Peach Snickerdoodle Cobbler, I’ve definitely created my fair share of recipes dedicated to this iconic holiday cookie. However, I was a little shocked to discover that I still had yet to make a pumpkin snickerdoodle recipe. Seriously, how is it that I’ve gone SIX WHOLE YEARS without combining these two extraordinary fall flavors??
Obviously, that needed to change! So this week, I made these…
Cheesecake-Stuffed Pumpkin Snickerdoodles….need I say more?
To make up for the fact that I went so long without sharing a pumpkin snickerdoodle recipe, I decided to add a little something extra to these cookies–cheesecake filling. And honestly, I don’t know why I don’t stuff more of my cookies with cheesecake. It’s super duper simple to do, AND you get a decadent surprise inside each little puff of cinnamon sugar greatness. It’s a win-win, really.
As I’ve mentioned before, hard and crunchy cookies have absolutely no place on this planet. (No one likes to bite into a hockey puck!) These snickerdoodles, on the other hand, are perfectly soft with lightly crisp exteriors. The key is to avoid over-baking them.
Oftentimes, I think people tend to bake snickerdoodles until they look done, which is why they end up being little rocks after they’ve cooled completely. It’s important to consider the residual heat that takes place AFTER they’re removed from the oven. Under-baking by just a minute or two makes all the difference. It also allows the cookies to stay softer and fresher longer.
Another key to thick and puffy cookies–chilling the dough! Allowing the dough to chill prevents the cookies from spreading too quickly in the oven which can lead to overly crisp edges and flat cookies. Moreover, cold dough is much easier to handle when you’re stuffing it with the cheesecake filling. Oh, and speaking of cheesecake filling…
As you can see, these cookies have the perfect ratio of cheesecake filling to pumpkin snickerdoodle. EVERY SINGLE BITE contains creamy cheesecake filling! To make it, you’ll beat some cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together. Once combined, you’ll use two spoons to drop small dollops onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Try to aim for at least 30 dollops–enough to stuff 30 cookies. The dollops need to chill in the freezer for at least an hour so that they can firm up.
When it comes to stuffing the cookies, before you do ANYthing, grease your hands with either non-stick cooking spray or butter. Trust me, you’ll thank me later. Take a golfball-sized portion of cookie dough and flatten it between the palms of your hands. Place one of the cheesecake filling dollops onto the center of the dough and gently wrap the dough around the filling, assuring that every crease is fully sealed and no filling is showing. Carefully, roll it into a ball, then roll it in the cinnamon-sugar.
Without a doubt, these cookies are PERFECT for the holidays coming up. I mean, who doesn’t love a good snickerdoodle? ESPECIALLY when it’s flavored with pumpkin and absolutely brimming with delicious cheesecake filling??
Cheesecake-Stuffed Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Ingredients
Cheesecake Filling:
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Dough:
- 2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Cinnamon-Sugar:
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
Make the Filling:
- Line a baking sheet with wax or parchment paper; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla together until smooth and creamy.
- Using two spoons (one to scoop and another to push filling off of spoon), scoop out the filling and place onto lined baking sheet. Continue with the rest of the filling, aiming for about 30 dollops. Place baking sheet in the freezer for at least one hour.
Make the Dough:
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, spices, and salt together; set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add both sugars and continue beating on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the egg, and beat just until combined. Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla and continue beating. The mixture might look a little odd and curdled at this point, but this will change once you add the dry ingredients.
- Add the flour mixture and beat on low until just combined, about 1 minute. Tightly wrap the dough in plastic wrap, shape into a flat disc, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 5 days. Do not skip this step.
To Assemble:
- Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon.
- Grease your hands with either nonstick cooking spray or butter. Scoop out a small portion of dough about the size of a golfball and flatten in the palm of your hand.
- Place one of the cheesecake filling dollops in the center of the flattened dough, and carefully wrap the dough around the filling. (Make sure that no filling is showing. You don't want the cookies to leak while baking!) Gently roll it into a ball, coat it in the cinnamon-sugar, then place it onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat process with the rest of the dough and filling.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies appear dry--they shouldn't spread much in the oven. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.