Cheesecake Filled Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

These demure little cookies. So cute, right?

If you consider food "cute" of course.

I honestly have about 10 recipes with pumpkin lined up... I think my husband is over it already, and it's not even October... Whoops! Sorry I'm not sorry.

So, not only do these cookies pack the delicious flavors of a soft snicker doodle but they're stuffed... I'd say "with what you may ask" but obviously you can read, or you wouldn't be here. Unless you came for the pictures in that case:

and also: aksjdhaskjfhdskjfhdskjhsdkjalkfakldhf

Alright, lets make cookies, shall we?

For the Pumpkin Snickerdoodles:
(24 cookies)
3 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 cup butter, unsalted and softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla

For the Cheesecake Filling:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add in the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla. Mix until combined. Slowly add in the dry ingredients on low speed, just until combined. Cover dough and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
To make the cheesecake filling, beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for an hour with the cookie dough.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
Remove dough and filling.
Mix together ingredients for the coating in a small bowl, and set aside.
Take 1 Tablespoon of cookie dough in your hand and flatten like a pancake, place 1 teaspoon of filling in the center. Take another tablespoon of cookie dough, flatten as well, and seal around the edges. Roll dough into a ball and place in the coating mixture. Rolling the dough ball around to cover completely, place it on your prepared cookie sheet.
Flatten balls with measuring cup and bake in preheated oven for 13-15 minutes or until golden around the edges.
Let cool completely on a rack. Cookies are best enjoyed warm!

Enjoy the delicious crunchy coat, smooth cream cheese filling, and soft pumpkin cookie. These will make the perfect Fall treat!

*recipe adapted from The Recipe Critic