Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • 2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend
  • ½ cup Unsalted Butter, softened (1 stick)
  • ½ cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1 cup Light Brown Sugar, packed
  • 1 Large Egg, room temperature
  • ½ cup Pure Pumpkin Purée (canned)
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 4 oz Full-Fat Cream Cheese, softened
  • 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, fully softened
  • 1 cup Powdered Sugar (Icing Sugar), sifted
  • ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract (for filling)

Instructions:

  1. Prep Oven and Dry Ingredients: Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
  2. Cream Fats and Sugars: In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), cream the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Scrape down the sides.
  3. Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until just combined.
  4. Incorporate Pumpkin: Add the pumpkin purée and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Do not overmix at this stage; the mixture will look slightly separated.
  5. Combine Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on the lowest speed until the flour is just combined. Stop immediately once no streaks of flour remain. The dough will be very soft and sticky.
  6. Chill: Cover the dough bowl and chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 45 minutes. This firms the butter and prevents excessive spreading.
  7. Make the Filling: While the dough chills, prepare the cream cheese filling. Beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until the filling is entirely smooth and fluffy, with no lumps remaining.
  8. Scoop and Load: Use a medium cookie scoop (2-tablespoon) to drop mounds of chilled dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving plenty of space (about 2 inches / 5 cm) between them.
  9. Add the Filling: Use a small spoon (about 1 teaspoon) to dollop the cream cheese filling directly onto the center of each dough mound. Gently spread it out slightly, ensuring it stays within the edges of the cookie.
  10. Bake: Bake for 12–14 minutes. The cookies are ready when the edges are lightly set and the cream cheese filling is puffed up and has turned a light golden brown. The center of the cookie will still look very soft.
  11. Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to set up. Transfer gently to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.