Description
Big, thick, and warmly spiced cookies with a crisp underside and a silky pumpkin custard tucked into the center. These generous thumbprint-style cookies taste like mini pumpkin pies and make a lovely addition to any holiday dessert spread.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie dough
- 2 2/3 cups (337 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 oz (86 g) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 12 tablespoons (6 oz / 170 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (110 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (112 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup (78 g) coarse sugar for rolling
Pumpkin filling
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1/4 cup (56 g) brown sugar
- Pinch of table salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) whole milk
- 1/2 cup (122 g) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional: whipped cream for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice and salt; set this dry mix aside.
- In a large mixing bowl (stand mixer or with a hand mixer), cream the softened cream cheese, room-temperature butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium–high until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Scrape the bowl, then mix in the egg yolk and vanilla until incorporated.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet in three portions, mixing gently until just combined. Finish folding with a spatula to make sure no dry streaks remain. The dough will be fairly thick and scoopable.
- Whisk together the filling: combine the egg, brown sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice, milk, pumpkin puree and vanilla in a small bowl, stirring until smooth. Set aside.
- Portion the dough into roughly 2-tablespoon mounds (about 36 g each). Roll each piece in coarse sugar until coated and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheet pan.
- Use a 1-tablespoon measuring spoon (or the bottom of a small plastic cup) to press a shallow well into the center of each dough ball. Spoon roughly 1 tablespoon of the pumpkin filling into each indentation.
- Bake for 14–17 minutes, until the cookies are set and the bottoms are a light golden color. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Repeat with remaining dough, allowing the baking sheet to cool between batches if necessary.
- If serving, top each cooled cookie with a dollop or piped swirl of whipped cream just before presenting, and sprinkle a little extra pumpkin spice or cinnamon over the top.
Notes
- A small plastic medicine cup works great to form the wells in the dough if you don’t have a measuring spoon.
- Only add whipped cream to cookies you’ll serve right away; added cream will soften the cookie over time.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage refrigerate, and bring to room temperature before serving.
- These cookies freeze well: separate layers with wax paper and seal in an airtight container for best results.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
Nutrition
- Calories: 184kcal
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 70mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 35mg