For the Cheesecake Center:
- 4 ounces softened cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pumpkin Cookie Dough:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup pumpkin puree, pressed to reduce to ¼ cup
- 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla essence
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice blend
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Creating the Dessert:
- Blend the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Form into small balls and freeze until solid.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Blot the pumpkin puree on a paper plate to remove excess moisture.
- Cream the butter and sugars in a mixer, then incorporate the pumpkin, egg yolk, and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Gradually add them to the wet mixture until just mixed.
- Combine the sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice in a bowl.
- For each cookie, scoop the dough and encase a ball of the frozen cheesecake mixture, then roll in the sugar-spice mix.
- Arrange the cookies on the baking sheets, ensuring they have space to spread.
- Bake until the cookies are just set with a golden edge, being careful to fully cook the cheesecake inside.
- Sprinkle the warm cookies with extra sugar mixture and cool before serving.
Baker's Tips:
- Blotting the pumpkin ensures a denser, chewier cookie.
- The dough may be sticky; if necessary, work in a bit more flour for manageability.
- Keep the cheesecake filling frozen until the moment you embed it into the cookies to maintain its shape during baking.
- For precise baking results, weigh your ingredients, especially flour.
