Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies
Buttery thumbprint cookies with a creamy pumpkin cheesecake center baked right in, finished with a pretty white chocolate drizzle. They taste just like mini pumpkin pies, and they might be the coziest cookie you bake all season!
The second there’s a chill in the air, my brain flips one switch. Pumpkin EVERYTHING.
And these little cookies are hands down my favorite way to celebrate.
Picture a tender, buttery cookie with a creamy pumpkin cheesecake filling nestled right in the center.
One bite and you’ll understand. They taste just like a mini pumpkin pie, crust and all.
No pie pan. No fuss. Just all that cozy pumpkin flavor you’ve been craving, tucked into a poppable little cookie.
Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies
They taste like tiny pumpkin pies, but they come together far easier than a pie ever could.
You get two textures in every bite. A crisp, buttery cookie edge and a smooth, spiced pumpkin center.
They’re honestly fun to make. There’s something so satisfying about pressing each little thumbprint.
And that white chocolate drizzle? It makes them look downright fancy on a holiday cookie tray.
Best of all, they’re the perfect way to get a little pumpkin-pie fix without committing to a whole pie.
Let’s Make These Thumbprint Cookies
Don’t let the two components fool you. This is a simple, relaxing bake.
You’ll start with the cookie dough. Cream your butter and sugar until fluffy, blend in the vanilla, then work in the flour and salt until it all comes together. Wrap it up and let it rest in the fridge for a bit. This makes it so much easier to roll.
While that chills, whip up your pumpkin cheesecake filling. Beat the cream cheese until it’s silky, then blend in the pumpkin, sugar, warm spices, and cream until it’s smooth and dreamy. Pop that in the fridge too.
Now for the fun part. Roll your chilled dough into balls, line them up on your sheets, and press a nice deep well into the center of each one with your thumb or knuckle. Spoon that gorgeous pumpkin filling right into every well.
Bake until the cookies are golden and the filling is set, then let them cool completely.
Once they’re cool, melt your white chocolate with a splash of cream until it’s thin and shiny, and drizzle it back and forth over the tops.
That’s it. Cozy, bakery-worthy cookies, ready to disappear.
Tips for Perfect Thumbprint Cookies
A few little things make all the difference here.
Chill your dough. I know it’s tempting to skip, but cold dough rolls cleaner and holds its shape in the oven.
Press a deep well. You want plenty of room for that generous pumpkin filling, so don’t be shy with your thumbprint.
Wait until they’re fully cool to drizzle. Warm cookies will make your white chocolate slide right off.
For the topping, reach for white chocolate almond bark. It melts beautifully and drizzles like a dream. (And no, despite the name, there are no almonds in it!)
What You’ll Need
Only three little components, and simple ingredients in each.
For the cookie, it’s just butter, sugar, flour, salt, and vanilla. Classic and buttery.
For the filling, you’ll need cream cheese, a can of pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling!), heavy cream, sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. That’s where all the mini-pumpkin-pie magic happens.
And for the topping, just white chocolate and a splash of cream for that pretty finishing drizzle.
More Fall Treats to Bake
In the mood to keep the oven going? Try these next!
These little pumpkin cookies have a way of vanishing off the plate, so you may want to make a double batch.
Scroll down to print the recipe, and happy baking!
And if make-ahead desserts are your thing, our Crazy Easy Desserts Book is packed with more like this one.
Print
Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies
Buttery thumbprint cookies filled with a creamy pumpkin cheesecake center and drizzled with white chocolate. Like mini pumpkin pies in cookie form, perfect for fall!
- Prep Time 25 mins
- Chill Time 30 mins
- Cook Time 35 mins
- Total Time 1 hr 30 mins
- Yield 32 cookies 1x
- Category Dessert, Desserts, Snack, Snacks
- Method Baking
- Cuisine American
Ingredients
Cookie dough
- 3 sticks butter, softened (1½ cups)
- 1 cup sugar
- 3½ cups flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
Filling
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Topping
- 6 oz white chocolate
- 2 tbsp cream (a few drops more if needed)
Instructions
Make the dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Add the vanilla and blend.
- Add the salt to the flour and mix well. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in additions, mixing between each. Once all the flour is in, stop and scrape the sides of the bowl, then blend again until fully combined.
- Wrap the dough in parchment paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Make the filling
- Rinse and dry the mixing bowl. Add the softened cream cheese and beat with the whisk attachment until smooth and creamy.
- Add the pumpkin and blend until smooth. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice and mix until well blended. Add the cream and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Remove the bowl and refrigerate the filling.
Assemble and bake
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll the dough into 2-inch balls and place them on the lined sheets, about 16 cookies per sheet.
- Using your thumb or knuckle (whichever is easiest), press an indentation into the center of each ball.
- Fill each center with the pumpkin filling.
- Bake at 350°F for 30–35 minutes, until the cookies are golden brown and the filling is baked and set. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
Topping
- Once the cookies have completely cooled, place the white chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Melt in 10-second intervals, stirring, until the chocolate begins to melt. Stir until smooth, thin, and shiny.
- Drizzle the chocolate over the cookies in a back-and-forth motion. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- The recipe uses white chocolate almond bark, a melting chocolate found on the baking aisle. Any white chocolate works, but almond bark melts easily and is simple to use. Despite the name it has no almonds, and it comes as a breakable block.
