My pumpkin cheesecake cookies have a soft, chewy texture and rich pumpkin flavor my whole family adores! I created them to combine the creamy richness of cheesecake with the cozy spices of pumpkin pie for a perfect fall treat.
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My All-Time Favorite Pumpkin Cookies
I still remember the first batch of pumpkin cheesecake cookies I made in chilly October. As the smell of pumpkin and spices wafted through the house, I suddenly couldn’t keep the rest of my family out of the kitchen. They all wanted to know what smelled so good!
Every year, as soon as the leaves start to turn, my little ones start asking for pumpkin cookies. As they’ve gotten older, they’ve even started helping me roll the cookie dough balls in the graham cracker crumbs! My daughter loves to sneak bites of the cheesecake filling too.
Pumpkin spice may be the darling of fall, but in my house, I’m all about pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting. It’s my favorite way to celebrate the season!
And, if you love a good pumpkin recipe, try my recipes for pumpkin bread with cake mix, air fryer pumpkin seeds, pumpkin dip with Cool Whip, and pumpkin snickerdoodles.
Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
- Butter
- Light brown sugar
- Pumpkin pie filling mix – I love to use Libby’s in a can from the store
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- Graham cracker crumbs
- Flour
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Baking soda
- Cream cheese
- Powdered sugar
How to Make Pumpkin Cookies
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
STEP TWO: In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla, egg, and pumpkin pie filling, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the flour and the baking soda, along with 1 ¼ cup of the graham crackers crumbs and 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice. Mix until ingredients are just combined.
STEP THREE: Using a cookie scoop, scoop out portions of the dough, about 2 tablespoons each, and roll them into smooth balls.
STEP FOUR: In a small bowl, combine the remaining pumpkin pie spice and graham cracker crumbs. Roll each cookie dough ball in the mixture, then place them on the prepared baking sheet. Flatten each cookie to about ½ inch thick.
STEP FIVE: Bake the cookies until the edges of the cookies are just set, about 10-12 minutes. Cool them completely on wire racks.
STEP SIX: While the cookies are baking, it’s time to make the cheesecake frosting. In a stand mixer, beat the pumpkin pie mix, softened cream cheese, and softened butter at medium speed for about 1 minute or until well combined. Turn the speed down to low and slowly add the powdered sugar and then the vanilla extract. Increase the electric mixer speed to medium-high and beat the frosting until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides as needed.
STEP SEVEN: Allow the cookies to cool, then pipe on the frosting and sprinkle with the remainder of the pumpkin spice-graham cracker mixture. Serve and enjoy immediately.
Tips for the Best Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
- Use room temperature ingredients to ensure the cookie batter mixes easily. I find it requires me to mix the batter less, which is the key to soft cookies!
- I recommend the spoon and level method to measure the dry ingredients. I used to scoop the flour straight into a measuring cup and my cookies came out inconsistent each time I baked, but I no longer have that issue with this method.
- Use parchment paper to line the baking sheets for easy removal without the cookies sticking. I love using parchment paper every time I bake for less cleanup too.
- Underbake the cookies slightly for that gooey, soft center that makes these cookies just irresistible. I pull mine as soon as the edges start to set.
- Let the cookies cool completely before frosting. I once made the mistake of trying to frost them while the cookies were still a little warm, and the cream cheese completely melted!
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cookie Variations and substitutions
- Add chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts for a little bit of crunchy texture.
- Switch up the frosting and use your favorite canned or homemade frosting and add a good pinch of pumpkin spice and pumpkin pie filling to it. I’ve done this with my Cool Whip cream cheese frosting recipe.
- Mix in white chocolate chips for a touch of sweetness. White chocolate and pumpkin go together so well!
- Use pumpkin puree in place of the pumpkin pie mix. I always have leftover pumpkin pie filling, but I substitute pumpkin puree in when needed. I just add a little more pumpkin spice in!
- Stir in semi-sweet chocolate chips for a richer flavor combination. I am a chocoholic, so any time I add chocolate to a cookie, it’s delicious.
- For an even more warm spice flavor, add a pinch more of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, cloves, or allspice. I like to do this when I’m baking on chilly fall days.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies FAQs
Why are my pumpkin cookies falling apart?
Crumbling cookies can happen when the dry ingredients aren’t correctly measured. I always use the spoon and level method to get everything as accurate as possible so the cookies rise without getting dry.
Also, it’s important to always let the cookies cool fully on a wire rack so they can set.
Can I Substitute Fresh Pumpkin for Pumpkin Pie Filling?
Absolutely! I prefer to use pumpkin pie mix because it’s so convenient, and the spices are already perfectly balanced, but this recipe would work with fresh pumpkin too with a little more added pumpkin spice.
The key will be prepping the pumpkin meat properly and getting a lot of the moisture out so the dough isn’t too runny. I use paper towels or a tea towel for this.
How Do I Get Perfectly Soft Pumpkin Cookies with cream cheese frosting?
The secret to wonderfully soft pumpkin cheesecake cookies is not to over bake them. I pull them out of the oven just as the edges set so they stay soft and chewy in the center. I also recommend letting them fully cool on a wire rack so the texture can set.
How many cookies does this Pumpkin Cookie Recipe make?
My recipe yields about 24 cookies, so it’s perfect for sharing at family gatherings or with friends on a cozy fall evening. Whenever I make these for a crowd, I usually double the batch because they disappear so quickly!
How to Store Leftover pumpkin cream cheese cookies
My recipe keeps beautifully in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I make sure to lay a piece of parchment paper between the layers to prevent the frosting from sticking. They also freeze for up to 3 months!
Can I make pumpkin cheesecake Cookies without the cream cheese frosting?
Pumpkin cookies are delicious all on their own! I sometimes skip the frosting so the rich, spiced pumpkin flavor can really shine.
I also like topping them with Cool Whip frosting or even chocolate cream cheese frosting when I’m in the mood for something a little different!
More Fall Dessert Recipes
- Apple cobbler recipe
- Butterscotch cookies
- Cream cheese fruit dip
- Apple crumble cheesecake
- Sweet potato pie with condensed milk
- 3 ingredient banana pudding
- Peach pie with canned peaches recipe
- Apple turnover
- Pecan pie without corn syrup
Soft Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Spice Cookies
- 1 stick ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- ¼ cup pumpkin pie filling
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups graham cracker crumbs divided
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice divided
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
For the Cheesecake Frosting
- 6 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie filling
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Pumpkin Spice Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line a large baking sheet (or two) with parchment paper.
- Add the softened butter and light brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat it on medium speed until light and fluffy– about 2 minutes.
- Next, add the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla. Mix again until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs, along with the flour, 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, and baking soda. Mix until just blended.
- Scoop out 2 tablespoon sized portions and roll them into smooth balls.
- In a small bowl, stir together the remaining ½ cup graham cracker crumbs and ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Roll the cookie dough balls in the graham cracker crumbs and then place them on the parchment lined baking sheet (make sure to place them at least 2” apart). Press each dough ball into a ½” thick disc.
- Bake them for 10-12 minutes, or just until the edges of the cookies are set.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.
For the Cheesecake Frosting
- Add the softened cream cheese, softened butter, and pumpkin pie mix to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until well combined– about 1 minute.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar, followed by the vanilla extract.
- Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and whip until the frosting is light and fluffy– about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag.
- When the cookies are cool, pipe the frosting over the cookies and sprinkle with any remaining graham cracker-pumpkin pie spice mixture.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients to ensure the cookie batter mixes easily.
- Scoop the dry ingredients using the spoon and level method.
- Underbake the cookies slightly for that gooey, soft center that makes these cookies just irresistible. I pull mine as soon as the edges start to set.
- Let the cookies cool completely before frosting.
Nutrition
This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.
Hi Samantha – I’m from the UK so we can’t get pumpkin pie mix here unfortunately. I’m a little confused, I can find ingredients to make pumpkin pie spice but is the pumpkin pie mix a can of pumpkin purée? I’d love to make pumpkin these cookies!!
Hi Julie, the pumpkin pie mix is a little different than pumpkin puree since it has some of the pumpkin pie spices inside of it already. You can use the pumpkin puree in this recipe, but I recommend looking up a homemade pumpkin pie spice to make. It’s pretty easy and uses spices such as ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and allspice.
Hi Samantha,
I’ve read your recipe and your suggestion to look up a pumpkin pie mix recipe. Would you kindly give us that recipe? This recipe looks outstanding, as written and I don’t want to use the wrong ingredients. Thank you.
Hi Dawn, I buy Libby’s canned pumpkin pie mix to use in this recipe. I don’t currently have a recipe for a homemade version of pumpkin pie. Best wishes!
I made these for church and I couldn’t believe how many people raved about them. Will definitely be making these a lot more.
Wow, that’s great! I’m so thrilled everyone enjoyed the recipe!