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Soft Pumpkin Cookies with a Creamy Cheesecake Swirl Top

Soft pumpkin cookies with a creamy cheesecake swirl have warmly spiced, tender centers and set edges. Chill the dough before baking, then swirl a smooth cream cheese topping into each cookie.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chilling time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 135
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cookies
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar packed, light brown
  • 0.5 cup pumpkin puree canned; not pumpkin pie filling
  • 1 egg yolk large
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2.25 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp ground ginger
  • 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 0.5 tsp salt
For the cheesecake swirl
  • 4 oz cream cheese softened
  • 0.33 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 1 tsp cornstarch

Equipment

  • 2 18x13-inch baking sheets

Method
 

Prepare the oven and cookie dough
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Line two 18x13-inch baking sheets with parchment paper.
  3. Beat the softened butter and packed light brown sugar in a large bowl until creamy, about 2 minutes.
  4. Beat in the canned pumpkin puree, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until combined.
  5. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt in a separate bowl.
  6. Mix the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture just until no dry streaks remain.
  7. Cover and chill the dough for 30 minutes.
Make the cheesecake swirl
  1. Beat the softened cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and cornstarch in a medium bowl until smooth.
Shape and bake the cookies
  1. Scoop the dough into 24 portions, about 2 tablespoons each, and space them 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets.
  2. Flatten each portion to about 1/2 inch thick.
  3. Top each cookie with about 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture.
  4. Gently swirl the cream cheese mixture into the dough with a toothpick.
  5. Bake for 12–15 minutes, switching the sheets between racks and rotating them halfway through, until the cookie edges are set and the centers still look soft.
  6. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 10 minutes.
  7. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

For tender cookies, chill the dough for the full 30 minutes before shaping. Store airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months. For a gluten-free option, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend.