Pumpkin Cheesecake Snickerdoodles | Recipe

Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and 2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice in a bowl.

In a second bowl, beat the butter and the sugars with a hand mixer until the mixture is lighter (about 1 minute). Add the pumpkin puree and beat on medium speed until everything is combined.

Mix the dry ingredients into the butter and sugar mixture briefly on low speed.

Use an ice cream scoop to shape the dough into 12 balls. Place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper and put them in the fridge for about 1 hour.

While the cookie dough is chilling, you can prepare the cheesecake filling. Using a mixer, blend the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract on medium speed until smooth. Use a spoon to make 12 blobs (about 1 tbsp each) of the cream cheese filling on a plate lined with baking paper. Place these in the freezer for at least 45 minutes until chilled and easy to handle. (They won’t be completely hard, but should be ready to pick up as soon as they have cooled.)

Preheat the oven to fan 175°C.

To make the sugar coating, mix the sugar with 1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice and set aside.

Line two large baking trays with baking paper. Take the cookie dough and cream cheese blobs out of the fridge and freezer. Flatten the dough balls in the palm of your hand, or, if you have warm hands, flatten the dough between two sheets of baking paper.

Place a blob of cream cheese in the centre and wrap the overhanging biscuit dough around the filling, trying to cover it as best as you can. (If a little bit of the cream cheese filling is visible through the dough, don’t worry! Make that spot the bottom of the cookie when you bake them.)

Roll the biscuits in the sugar mixture until they are completely coated. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, keeping a space of about 8 cm between them. Flatten them slightly with your fingers. Bake for 16–19 minutes or until the cookies are firm on the outside. Place them on a wire rack to cool.

Leftover cookies can stay at room temperature for a few hours but should be kept in the fridge afterwards. They can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days.