Cream Cheese Filled Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Now that it's officially fall, I guess it's time for me to start baking some seasonal recipes! I was planning to have this cookie recipe ready for you guys last week, but due to a series of unfortunate events, I wasn't able to bake them. But my friend Jen let me use her oven so all of the batter didn't go to waste...yay!!

These cookies are so good - crispy and sugary on the outside, soft and pumpkiny on the inside and then filled with a cream cheese center. I had to stop myself from eating all of them, which is really rare for me!! {Cream cheese is my weakness though...} Try these out for the fall and let me know what you think!

Cream Cheese Filled Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
makes about 2 dozen cookies
adapted from Indigo Scones

For the cookies...

• 3 3/4 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin pie filling
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
2. In the bowl your standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
3. Blend in the pumpkin puree.
4. Beat in the egg and vanilla until incorporated.
5. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
6. Cover and chill the dough for at least 1 hour.

For the filling...

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In the bowl of your standing mixer, mix together the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
2. Cover and chill for at least half an hour

For the snickerdoodle coating...

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• dash of allspice

1. Now that everything has chilled, it's time to bake. preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a few baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and spices for the coating thoroughly.
3. Take about one tablespoon of dough and flatten it into a pancake shape in the palm of your hand.
4. Place one teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture in the middle of the pancake.
5. Form another tablespoon of dough into an equal sized pancake shape, and place on top, keeping the cream cheese in the middle.
6. Gently fold the edges of the dough around the cream cheese to seal, then roll into a ball. Patch up any spots with cream cheese coming through with a bit of extra dough and roll again.
7. Roll the ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat. Repeat with the remaining dough to fill the sheets, spacing the dough balls 2-3 inches apart,
8. Bake the cookies for 10-15 minutes, or until they are slightly firm to the touch and the tops are beginning to crackle.
9. Let cool on the baking sheets about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Store in an airtight container.