Description
These Stuffed Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies combine the warm, spicy flavors of pumpkin pie spice with creamy, sweet cream cheese filling, all enveloped in a soft, cinnamon-sugar coated cookie. Perfect for fall or any cozy occasion, these cookies offer a delightful blend of textures and flavors.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ teaspoon cream of tartar
Cookie Dough
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- ⅝ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- ⅜ cup pumpkin purée (room temperature)
Filling
- ½ cup cream cheese (room temperature)
- 2½ Tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Coating
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, salt, and cream of tartar. Set this mixture aside for later use.
- Beat Butter and Sugars: Using an electric mixer, beat the unsalted butter along with the granulated sugar and brown sugar until the mixture is creamy and smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add Egg and Pumpkin: Beat in the egg and pumpkin purée until fully incorporated into the butter and sugar mixture.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients carefully until just combined to form the cookie dough.
- Refrigerate Dough: Cover the cookie dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour to firm up, making it easier to handle.
- Preheat Oven: While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 350℉ (177℃).
- Prepare Baking Sheets: Line two sheet pans with parchment paper and set aside for baking the cookies.
- Make Filling: On a separate sheet pan lined with parchment paper, beat the cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Portion Filling: Using a 1½ teaspoon measure, portion the cream cheese filling onto the prepared pan, spacing portions apart, and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the filling until needed to keep it firm.
- Prepare Coating: In a small bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and pumpkin pie spice to make the sugar-spice coating for rolling the cookies.
- Scoop Cookie Dough: Use a 3 tablespoon scoop to portion out the chilled cookie dough onto a clean working surface or bowl.
- Create Indentation: Form an indentation in the center of each portioned dough ball using your thumb or the back of a spoon to hold the filling.
- Fill Cookies: Place one portion of the cream cheese filling into the indentation of each dough ball.
- Enclose Filling: Carefully enclose the filling by folding the dough around it and rolling everything gently into a ball, sealing the filling inside.
- Roll in Coating: Roll each filled cookie ball in the sugar and pumpkin pie spice mixture until evenly coated.
- Arrange on Baking Sheets: Place the coated cookie balls onto the prepared parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them appropriately to allow for spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 18 minutes or until the cookies are cooked through and slightly golden around the edges.
- Cool: Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Make sure all room temperature ingredients are truly at room temperature for best mixing results.
- Refrigerating the dough is essential to help the cookies maintain shape and prevent spreading.
- The cream cheese filling can be prepared a day ahead and kept refrigerated.
- For a stronger pumpkin flavor, consider using a bit more pumpkin purée or adding a touch of maple syrup to the dough.
- Store leftover cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
