It seems as though every time I’m on Pinterest, this cookie pops up. I think I may have emailed my mom the link to the recipe with the subject “omg”.
Last night, while it was SNOWING, these were in my oven. They were so excellent I even had one for breakfast today.
The cookie dough would be fabulous rolled in cinnamon sugar (or even cinnamon-powdered sugar), and baked, as is. The cookies themselves are very soft, tender, plump, and the perfect balance of pumpkin and spices. But the genius in charge of this concoction decided to take a slightly sweetened cream cheese ball and surround it with the pumpkin cookie dough- leaving a cheesecake layer ‘surprise’ in the middle.
The recipe advises taking a tablespoon of cookie dough, flattening it (a little flour helps), then putting a ball of the cream cheese in the center, and topping it with another flattened tablespoon. I found that I could flatten each tablespoon to make a little cup, and I just sealed the edges up around the cream cheese. I felt it was less work that way. The quicker you get them to the oven, the sooner you get to devour!
Despite the snow showers touching down into Vail valley last night, this morning’s sunshine worked hard to clear everything up. The air was a bit crisp this afternoon, but the aspens are turning a dazzling, yellow gold.
Enjoy.
How to make this high altitude adjusted recipe:
Pumpkin Cheesecake Snickerdoodle Cookies
Adapted from The Recipe Critic
- COOKIE DOUGH:
- 3¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup (8 oz) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- CHEESECAKE FILLING:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- CINNAMON SUGAR:
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
- To make the cookies, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together.
- Cream the butter with the sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the pumpkin puree and beat until smooth.
- Add the egg and vanilla and mix until blended.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until a soft dough forms. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least one hour.
- Meanwhile, combine the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Wrap in plastic and chill in the refrigerator at least one hour.
- Make the cinnamon sugar by combining the sugar and spices, set aside.
- When the cookie dough is chilled, preheat your oven to 350 F.
- Take tablespoon-sized balls of dough and flatten them. Place a teaspoonful of cream cheese in the center and surround with the cookie dough. Alternately, you can also sandwich the cream cheese filling between two flattened cookie dough discs.
- Roll into balls and toss in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Place the balls 2" apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Use the bottom of a drinking glass to flatten the balls.
- Bake for 10-14 minutes, until puffed and the bottoms are barely golden brown.
- Makes 24 cookies.
Note: This recipe was adapted for high altitude baking. To make these at sea level, increase the baking powder to 1 1/2 teaspoons, and sugar to 1 cup.
