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These Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies are the definition of the perfect fall dessert! Soft pumpkin spice cookies stuffed with a creamy cheesecake filling to make the best decadent treat. All you need is 12 simple ingredients! 

stacked pumpkin cheesecake cookies with cream filling showing
dairy-free cream cheese, brown sugar, vegan butter, all purpose flour, pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, non-dairy milk, powdered sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, baking soda

Cheesecake stuffed cookies have been trending over the last couple of years, and we wanted to put our vegan spin on it. With a few simple swaps and a bit of recipe testing, we’ve nailed a vegan version of the popular cookie idea that no one would guess is vegan. These delicious pumpkin cookies are equally decadent and creamy as the original – you might want to make a double batch because they will disappear fast! 

pumpkin cheesecake cookies stacked with one broken in half on top

If you’re a pumpkin lover, make sure to check out these popular pumpkin recipes: Vegan Pumpkin French ToastVegan Pumpkin BreadVegan Pumpkin Pie Pudding, or Fluffy Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients You’ll Need 

  • Vegan butter: When baking, we recommend using vegan butter sticks over buttery spreads. They are typically higher in fat and lower in water, which helps prevent the cookies from overspreading. We typically use Country Crock Plant Butter or Earth Balance Butter and highly recommend both brands. 
  • Sugar: A combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar. Granulated sugar helps create crispy edges whereas brown sugar adds additional moisture and helps the cookies remain soft and chewy. Brown sugar also adds a molasses, caramel-like flavor that enhances the pumpkin flavor. 
  • Pumpkin puréePure pumpkin purée is best. You won’t want to use pumpkin pie filling as this canned product contains added sugars and is meant to be used as the pumpkin filling in a pie crust.
  • Flour: We have only tested these cookies using classic all-purpose flour. If you’d like to test a gluten-free version on your own, we would recommend using a gluten-free flour blend such as Bob’s Red Mll 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. Note that we are unsure if this would work well, but it is likely your best bet. 
  • Spices: You’ll need a simple blend of ground cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. These warming, aromatic spices enhance the pumpkin spice flavors and make these cookies the perfect fall treat! If you prefer to use a pre-mixed pumpkin pie spice blend, replace these spices with 1 tablespoon of a spice blend. 
  • Leavening agents: These fluffy pumpkin cookies use both baking soda and baking powder to help the cookies brown and be as light and fluffy as possible. 
  • Vegan cream cheese: We recommend the brands Tofutti’s and Kite Hill Cream Cheese. Tofutti’s is a great option if you’d like to make these cookies nut-free.  

Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe instructions and ingredient measurements. 

Equipment Needed

overhead of iced pumpkin cheesecake cookies

How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies

Dry the Pumpkin purée

Pumpkins are naturally water-heavy winter squashes and contain a good amount of excess water content. 

In order to make these chewy pumpkin cookies the right texture, you’ll need to dry the pumpkin purée before measuring and using it in the cookie batter.

To dry your pumpkin purée, scoop the pumpkin purée onto a paper towel (or a few paper towels!). Wrap the towel around the pumpkin purée and ring it out over the sink to remove the excess moisture. Continue the process until you have 1/2 cup of thick pumpkin puree. 

Prepare the cream cheese filling

In a medium bowl, add the vegan cream cheese and granulated sugar. Mix until completely smooth, then dollop 2 teaspoon-sized scoops of the mixture onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet or plate. This mixture should make 20 scoops of cream cheese. Place the baking sheet or plate into the freezer and freeze until completely solid, about 1 hour. 

  1. Cream the butter and sugar. In a large mixing bowl, add the vegan butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. With an electric mixer or stand mixer, cream together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. 
  2. Add the pumpkin purée and vanilla. In the same bowl, add the pumpkin purée and vanilla extract and beat together for another minute, or until well combined. 
  3. Add the dry ingredients. Next, add the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix together with a spatula until just combined. 
  4. Chill the cookie dough for at least 1 hour. Cover and place the pumpkin cookie dough into the refrigerator and chill for at least 1-2 hours, or overnight. 
  5. Fill the cookies. Once the dough is sufficiently chilled, scoop the cookie dough into 20 even-sized balls. Take a ball of dough and place it in the palm of your hand. Flatten it out, then place a frozen cheesecake ball in the center. Mold the cookie dough around it and roll the ball in your hand a few times to make sure the cream cheese is entirely encased. Place the cookie dough ball on the baking sheet and continue until you’ve formed 6 cookie dough balls. 
  6. Bake. Bake the pumpkin cheesecake cookies (just 6 cookies at a time) for 13-15 minutes, or until golden on the edges. Transfer the baked cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat the process with the remaining batter until all of the cookies are baked. 
  7. Serve. Allow the cookies to cool slightly, then enjoy slightly warm or room temperature. Enjoy! 

Topping Ideas 

These pumpkin cheesecake cookies are delicious on they’re own, but can be made even more decadent with the right topping! Here are a few of our favorite ideas: 

  • Roll the cookies in pumpkin spice sugar. If you’ve made our Strawberry Sugar Cookies or Ube Sugar Cookies and love that crunchy sugar outside, coat the outside of your pumpkin cookies in a simple pumpkin spice sugar (mix 1/4 cup granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice). 
  • Drizzle with homemade maple glaze. To make, combine all of the glaze ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and whisk together until smooth. Then, once the cookies are cool, drizzle the glaze over top, as desired. 
  • Roll the cookies in crushed graham cracker crumbs. If your favorite part of a NY Style Cheesecake is the graham cracker crust, you can lightly roll your pumpkin cheesecake cookies in crushed vegan graham crackers before baking.
cookies on tray with several cut open and cream showing

Recipe FAQs

How do I prevent my cookies from spreading too much?

The best way to prevent these cookies from over-spreading is sufficiently chilling both the cream cheese filling and the cookie dough. If the dough is too warm, it will over-spread, and the cream cheese filling is much more likely to spill out. For this reason, it is best to keep the cookie dough and filling in the refrigerator between baking batches. 

Can I make this cookie dough ahead of time?

Yes! Both the cheesecake balls and the cookie dough can be made 1-2 days in advance and refrigerated/frozen until ready to bake.

Can I make these cookies without the cheesecake filling?

Absolutely. If you prefer to make these pumpkin cookies without the cheesecake filling, they will bake well without the filling.

What can I use instead of canned pumpkin purée? 

If you do not have access to canned pumpkin purée or your store is simply out, you can make your own Homemade Pumpkin Purée, or replace the purée with a can of Butternut Squash purée or Sweet Potato purée.

stacked pumpkin cheesecake cookies

Storage Instructions

Since these cookies are filled with cream cheese, it is best to store leftover pumpkin cheesecake cookies in the refrigerator. Before storing them, let the cookies cool completely, then cover and seal them in an airtight container. 

When stored properly these cookies will keep for up to 5 days. 

close up of iced pumpkin cheese cake cookies

More Easy Pumpkin Desserts You May Enjoy:

Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you make this recipe. We love to see your photos! 

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stacked pumpkin cheesecake cookies

Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies (Vegan)


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  • Author: Sweet Simple Vegan
  • Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
  • Yield: 20 cookies

Description

These Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies are the definition of the perfect fall dessert! Soft pumpkin spice cookies stuffed with a creamy cheesecake filling to make the best decadent treat. All you need is 12 simple ingredients!


Ingredients

Cheesecake filling:

  • 8 ounces vegan cream cheese
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Pumpkin cookies:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) vegan butter, softened
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup (165g) brown sugar
  • ½ cup pumpkin purée, dried (see notes)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ginger
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Maple glaze (optional):

  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Dry the pumpkin purée. The ½ cup of pumpkin purée should be measured after it is dried. To dry it, scoop it onto a towel or a few paper towels. Wrap the towel around it and ring it out over the sink to eliminate the excess moisture. Continue until you get ½ cup–you might have to do this in a few batches. The remaining purée should be much thicker and pliable.
  2. Prepare the cream cheese filling. Add the vegan cream cheese and granulated sugar to a medium bowl. Mix until completely smooth. Dollop 2-teaspoon size scoops of the mixture onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet or plate. You should get 20 scoops. Place these in the freezer for at least 1 hour or until completely solid. This can be done in advance.
  3. Cream the butter and sugar. In a large mixing bowl, add the vegan butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. With an electric mixer or stand mixer, cream together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  4. Add the pumpkin purée and vanilla. In the same bowl, add the pumpkin purée and vanilla extract and beat together for another minute, or until well combined.
  5. Add the dry ingredients. Next, add the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix together with a spatula until just combined.
  6. Chill the cookie dough for at least 1 hour. Cover and place the pumpkin cookie dough into the refrigerator and chill for at least 1-2 hours, or overnight.
  7. Fill the cookies. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Once the dough is sufficiently chilled, scoop the cookie dough into 20 even-sized balls. Take a ball of dough and place it in the palm of your hand. Flatten it out, then place a frozen cheesecake ball in the center. Mold the cookie dough around it and roll the ball in your hand a few times to make sure the cream cheese is entirely encased. Place the cookie dough ball on the baking sheet and continue until you’ve formed 6 cookie dough balls. Only assemble and bake 6 at a time, and chill/freeze the remaining dough and cream cheese in between batches.
  8. Bake. Bake the pumpkin cheesecake cookies for 13-15 minutes, or until golden on the edges. Transfer the baked cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat the process with the remaining batter until all of the cookies are baked.
  9. Prepare the maple glaze. Combine all the glaze ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk together until smooth.
  10. Serve. Allow the cookies to cool slightly, drizzle the glaze on top, then enjoy slightly warm or room temperature. Enjoy! 

Notes

  • Store any leftover cookies in the fridge. Before storing them, let the cookies cool completely, then cover and seal them in an airtight container. When stored properly these cookies will keep for up to 5 days. 
  • Both the cheesecake balls and the cookie dough can be made 1-2 days in advance and refrigerated/frozen until ready to bake.
  • Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven

Meet The Bloggers

hey there! we’re jasmine & chris.

Hi, we’re Jasmine and Chris! We share fresh and fun recipes to show you that vegan cooking is easy, approachable and delicious. When weโ€™re not blogging, you will probably find us enjoying live music, tending to our backyard garden or playing with our dogs Berry and Louie

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