We’re loving these Pumpkin Thumbprint Cookies for our holiday cookie platters! These cake-like cookies with a sweet cream cheese center are full of pumpkin spice flavor!
Easy Pumpkin Cookie Recipe For Holiday Desserts
These Pumpkin Thumbprint Cookies are so easy to make! They taste like biting into a tiny little pumpkin cheesecake, much more of a cake-like cookie than their typical buttery thumbprint friends.
I saw these cookies years ago on the Food Network and they’ve been on my list to make ever since. Only about 5 minutes of prep and these pumpkin cookies are ready to hit the oven!
How To Make Pumpkin Thumbprint Cookies
Make the batter: Add the wet ingredients (eggs, brown sugar, pumpkin puree, vanilla, vegetable oil) to a bowl and whisk together until incorporated. Add the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt) into another bowl and whisk to combine.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold together until smooth.
Bake: Drop tablespoons of batter (we used a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop) onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes, rotating the baking sheet in between cooking time.
Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a baking rack. Use a spoon to make an indent in the center of the cookies.
Make the cream cheese filling: Beat cream cheese with butter, confectioner’s sugar and vanilla until smooth. Fill the centers of the cookies.
Do These Cookies Need To Be Refrigerated?
Because these pumpkin thumbprints have a cream cheese center they do need to be refrigerated. The cookies can sit out at room temperature for a couple of hours, but then they should be stored back in the refrigerator.
Can You Freeze This Cookie Recipe?
This cookie recipe is not my favorite for freezing. The delicate, cake-like texture that these pumpkin thumbprints have doesn’t taste it’s best after being frozen.
The good news is that this is such and easy cookie recipe to make, you won’t have to do it that far ahead of time! However, you can certainly make the batter a day or two in advance and bake when ready.
Looking For More Easy Dessert Recipes?
- No-Bake Pumpkin Pie
- Caramel Apple Dip
- Air Fryer Donuts
- Easy Apple Crisp Recipe
- Polish Cream Cheese Cookies
Pumpkin Tumbprints
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 13 minutes
- Yield: 2 dozen 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeThese Pumpkin Thumbprint Cookies are so east to make! A sweet cream cheese center fills this cake-like pumpkin cookie!
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Cinnamon sugar for dusting (optional)
For The Cream Cheese Filling:
- 4 ounces softened cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons softened butter
- 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Add the flour baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt to a large bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add the brown sugar, pumpkin puree, oil, egg and vanilla to another bowl and whisk until smooth. Add the flour to the wet ingredients, a little at a time and mix until just incorporated.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop, portion out the batter 2 inches apart onto the baking sheets.
- Bake for 8 minutes, rotating the pans in between baking. Remove the cookies from the oven and then use a spoon to make an indent in the center of each cookie. Transfer the cookies to baking racks and let cool.
- Make the filling by adding the cream cheese, butter, sugar and vanilla extract to a bowl, mixing with a beater until smooth.
- Once the cookies have cooled completely, use a small spoon or a piping bag to fill the centers of the cookies.
- Dust the cookies with cinnamon sugar and serve.
Recipe Notes
Store: Store these cookies in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
