Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Cookies

These cookies were originally going to be pumpkin and not just pumpkin spice, but my pumpkin had gone bad and I didn't realize it until too late, so as I often do, I improvised. These turned out fantastic despite their lack of actual pumpkin, and they smell just fantastic. I found myself opening up the tupperware just to get a whiff throughout the day. 

By the way? Cheesecake cookies rock. Red velvet stuffed cheesecake cookies for Christmas? They're coming. 

Ingredients

1.5c Flour

1c Ground Cinnamon Graham Crackers

1c Brown Sugar

1/2c Butter (softened)

1 Egg

1/2tsp Salt

1/2tsp Baking Soda

2tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

For the filling

4oz Cream Cheese (softened)

1.5tbsp Sugar

1/2tsp Vanilla

OVEN: 350F

BAKE: 11-13min

YIELD: ~20 cookies

1. Prepare the cream cheese filling and put back in the fridge to chill for at least twenty minutes. 

2. In a standing mixer, cream brown sugar and butter until smooth. 

3. Add in egg, salt, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice.

4. Mix in the graham crackers. 

5. Add the flour by quarter cup fulls until incorporated. 

I already showed how I fill these cookies in my Reese's Peanut Butter Cheesecake Cookies, so head on over there for a step-by-step explanation and pictures. I will say, however, that I made smaller cookies this time by pinching off a lot of excess dough after I'd put the two cookies together. The most important thing is that the cheesecake filling is completely sealed in the cookie dough. 

6. Stuff the cookies with the cream cheese and then place them in the freezer for at least five minutes before baking, but no more than ten. 

For the record, I wanted to show you how big these were, but I ran out of parchment paper and forgot to buy more (for like six days in a row) so I had to use tin foil. Don't do that. Never, ever, use tin foil. 

7. Once the cookies are baked and cooled, I'd suggest that you top them with melted white chocolate, it goes so well with the pumpkin pie spice.