If your kitchen could smell like fall on command, these Pumpkin Pie Cookies would be the button you press. Think tender, spiced cookie dough with a creamy pumpkin-pie center, a whisper of vanilla, and a buttery finish. They’re part cookie, part mini tart—soft in the middle, lightly crisp at the edges, and absolutely perfect with coffee. We’ll make a simple cream cheese + whole eggs custardy filling, swirl in warm pumpkin pie spice, and, if you’re feeling fancy, top each cookie with a kiss of vanilla whipped cream. Cozy, quick, and very bake-sale cute.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love these Pumpkin Pie Cookies
- Pumpkin pie—no fork required: All the autumn flavors of classic pie tucked into a handheld cookie.
- Soft & creamy: A tender cookie base + silky cream-cheese pumpkin filling (hello, filled cookies heaven).
- Beginner friendly: No rolling or chilling marathons; just mix, scoop, press, and bake.
- Make-ahead magic: The flavors deepen overnight; they travel well and freeze beautifully.
- Vegetarian-friendly: Made with dairy (a.k.a. vegetarian cheese like cream cheese) and whole eggs—no gelatin.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup neutral oil (or additional butter)
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 whole egg, room temp
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup pumpkin purée (not pie filling)
Pumpkin Pie Filling
- 6 oz cream cheese, softened (classic dairy/“vegetarian cheese”)
- ⅓ cup pumpkin purée
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 whole egg (a.k.a. cream cheese + eggs mixture for silkiness)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- Pinch fine sea salt
Optional Vanilla Whipped Cream (for topping)
- ½ cup heavy cream, very cold
- 1 Tbsp powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract (vanilla whipped cream = extra cozy)
Step-by-step instructions
- Preheat & prep
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. - Whisk dry
In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. - Cream wet
In a large bowl, beat butter, oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until fluffy, 2 minutes. Beat in egg, vanilla, then pumpkin purée until smooth. - Make the dough
Mix dry into wet just until combined. Dough will be soft but scoopable. - Make the filling
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin purée, sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and salt; mix until silky. (This is the luscious cream cheese + eggs custard that bakes up creamy.) - Scoop & indent
Scoop 1 ½ Tbsp dough mounds onto sheets (12 per sheet). Use a lightly floured thumb or a 1-tbsp measuring spoon to press a deep well in each center (re-form edges if they crack). - Fill
Spoon ~1 tsp pumpkin filling into each well. Don’t overfill; it will puff as it bakes. - Bake
Bake 10–12 minutes, rotating pans halfway. Edges set; centers look slightly soft—that’s perfect. Cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack. - Vanilla whipped cream (optional)
Whip cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to soft peaks. Pipe a tiny rosette on cooled cookies just before serving. - Finish
Dust with extra pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon sugar. Enjoy warm or at room temp.
How to serve Pumpkin Pie Cookies
Serve these little beauties slightly warm for the silkiest center, or room-temperature for a tidy bite. They shine on dessert boards beside fresh apple slices and candied pecans, and they’re lovely gifts tucked into parchment-lined tins. For a festive platter, alternate cookies topped with vanilla whipped cream and cookies dusted with cinnamon-sugar—easy variety, same base batch. Pair with black tea, chai, or a light roast coffee so the autumn flavors sing.
If you’re building a whole pumpkin dessert spread, learn more about playful handhelds with these Pumpkin Pie Tacos—same cozy flavor profile, different (adorable) format.
How to store Pumpkin Pie Cookies
- Room temp (same day): Keep uncovered for 1 hour to set, then loosely covered up to 6 hours.
- Refrigerate (best for filled cookies): Store in an airtight container up to 4 days. The filling contains cream cheese and eggs, so chilling keeps them safe and creamy.
- Freeze: Arrange on a sheet to freeze solid, then bag for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight; refresh with a 2–3 minute warm-up at 300°F (150°C).
- Whipped cream: Add vanilla whipped cream just before serving so it stays fluffy.
Tips for perfect Pumpkin Pie Cookies
- Deep wells = more custard: Press a generous center without cracking edges; re-shape any splits.
- Measure pumpkin: Too much pumpkin can make dough cakey. Stick to the amounts for the right balance.
- Spice to taste: Start with the listed pumpkin pie spice; add a pinch more nutmeg for bolder bakery vibes.
- Clean edges: Use a small offset spatula to tidy the filled centers for that bakery-window look.
- Chill the topping: If topping with vanilla whipped cream, keep it cold and pipe right before serving.
- Test cookie: Bake one cookie first to gauge fill level and timing in your oven.
Variations (make them yours)
- Maple glaze: Whisk ½ cup powdered sugar with 1–2 Tbsp maple syrup and a pinch of salt; drizzle over cooled cookies.
- Pecan crunch: Press chopped toasted pecans around the outer ring before baking for texture.
- Brown-butter base: Swap melted brown butter for half the fat in the dough; chill 15 minutes before scooping.
- Chai spice: Replace pumpkin pie spice with chai spice for a tea-time twist.
- Mini pies: Bake in a mini muffin tin with liners; fill wells and bake 1–2 minutes longer.
FAQs
Can I make these without cream cheese?
Yes. Replace the filling with ¼ cup pumpkin purée + 2 Tbsp brown sugar + ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice + 1 Tbsp heavy cream (no egg). Softer set, still delicious.
Are these vegetarian?
Yes—made with dairy and whole eggs (i.e., no meat/gelatin). Cream cheese is a dairy “vegetarian cheese,” which fits a standard lacto-ovo vegetarian diet.
Why did my filling run?
Usually overfilling or shallow wells. Press deeper centers and stick to ~1 tsp filling per cookie.
Can I add chocolate?
Absolutely. Fold ½ cup mini chips into the dough, or bake classic chocolate-studded fall cookies like these Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies.
More cozy pumpkin desserts you’ll love
- Discover great hand-helds like Pumpkin Pie Tacos.
- Don’t miss our tender, cocoa-kissed Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes.
- Looking for bars? Try the chewy-spiced Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Blondies.
- Check out the cozy classic Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies for an easy bake.
Final thoughts
These Pumpkin Pie Cookies pack everything I love about fall into one sweet, two-bite treat—warm spice, creamy centers, and that comforting aroma that pulls everyone into the kitchen. Bake a batch for movie night or double it for the bake sale; either way, you’ll taste pure autumn flavors in every bite.
Follow me on Facebook and Pinterest where I share cozy, easy-to-make baking recipes just like this one.
Print
Pumpkin Pie Cookies
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Tender, spiced Pumpkin Pie Cookies with a creamy pumpkin custard center made from cream cheese and whole eggs, finished with pumpkin pie spice and optional vanilla whipped cream.
Ingredients
COOKIE DOUGH
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup neutral oil (or additional butter)
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 whole egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup pumpkin purée (not pie filling)
PUMPKIN PIE FILLING
- 6 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup pumpkin purée
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 whole egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- Pinch fine sea salt
OPTIONAL VANILLA WHIPPED CREAM
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, very cold
- 1 Tbsp powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
3. Beat butter, oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until fluffy; beat in egg, vanilla, and pumpkin purée.
4. Mix dry into wet just until combined.
5. Beat cream cheese until smooth; add pumpkin purée, sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and salt; mix until silky.
6. Scoop 1 1/2 Tbsp dough mounds; press a deep well in each.
7. Spoon ~1 tsp filling into each well.
8. Bake 10–12 minutes until edges set and centers are slightly soft. Cool 5 minutes on sheets, then transfer to a rack.
9. Whip cream with powdered sugar and vanilla to soft peaks; pipe on cooled cookies if desired.
Notes
Press deep wells for more filling without overflow.
Measure pumpkin carefully for best texture.
Top with vanilla whipped cream just before serving.
Store chilled up to 4 days; freeze up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 25mg