Pumpkin Cream Cheese Snickerdoodle Cookies

Freeze the Cheesecake Filling

1. In a small mixing bowl, stir the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla together with a spoon or small spatula until the mixture is completely smooth and glossy with no lumps. Scoop it into 12 small portions of about 2 teaspoons each and set them on a parchment-lined plate. Freeze for 30 to 45 minutes, until each portion feels firm and can be lifted without losing its shape. Starting here gives the filling time to freeze while you make the dough.

Blot the Pumpkin

1. Spoon the pumpkin puree onto several layers of paper towel and press more paper towel gently over the top. Replace the damp paper towels and repeat until the pumpkin looks thick and darkened, closer to a paste than a loose puree, and measures about 1/4 cup. This takes 2 to 3 minutes and is the single most important step for a chewy cookie, so take your time with it.

Mix the Wet Ingredients

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the melted, cooled butter together with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until the mixture looks glossy and slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Make sure the butter has cooled to room temperature first, as warm butter will begin to cook the egg yolk. Add the blotted pumpkin, egg yolk, and vanilla, and whisk again until smooth and evenly colored. No mixer is needed for this recipe.

Add the Dry Ingredients

1. In a second bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and fold gently with a rubber spatula, stopping as soon as the last streaks of flour disappear. The dough will feel soft and slightly sticky at this stage. This is normal and it will firm up in the fridge.

Chill the Dough

1. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days. Dough made with melted butter is loose when first mixed and needs this time to firm up. Chilled dough is also far easier to flatten and seal around the filling without tearing.

Prepare the Oven and Baking Sheets

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. These are big, stuffed cookies that spread as they bake, so plan on 6 per sheet with several inches between them.

Make the Spiced Sugar

1. In a small shallow bowl, stir together the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice until evenly combined and fragrant. Set the bowl beside your work area so each cookie can be coated straight after filling, and reserve about a teaspoon of the mixture for finishing.

Fill and Seal the Cookies

1. Scoop about 3 tablespoons of chilled dough and flatten it into a thick disk in your palm. Place one frozen filling portion in the center, then bring the dough up and around it, pinching firmly until the filling is completely enclosed. Roll the ball gently between your hands to smooth the seam and check the whole surface for any exposed cream cheese, as gaps are where the filling escapes during baking. Work with a few frozen portions at a time and keep the rest in the freezer.

Coat the Cookies

1. Roll each sealed ball generously in the spiced sugar until fully covered, then place 6 on each prepared baking sheet. A thick, even coating gives the finished cookie its sparkly crust and classic snickerdoodle flavor.

Bake Until Set

1. Bake one sheet at a time for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden and the tops no longer show any patches of shiny raw dough. Give them the full time, as underbaked cookies will have a loose rather than creamy center. Sprinkle the reserved spiced sugar over the cookies as soon as they come out of the oven.

Cool Completely

1. Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 10 minutes so they can firm up, then transfer them to a wire rack with a thin spatula. Let them cool completely before eating, which gives the cheesecake center time to set into a soft, creamy filling.