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Pumpkin Thumbprint Cookies

Pumpkin thumbprint cookies with pumpkin spice shortbread and a creamy (or caramel) center. You’ll get buttery, golden rounds with deep thumbprint wells baked at 350°F.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Chill the dough 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 9 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 160
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For pumpkin shortbread cookies
  • 2 cup flour
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 1.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 cup butter (softened)
  • 0.67 cup sugar
  • 0.25 cup pumpkin (blotted dry)
  • 1 tsp vanilla
For cream cheese filling (choose one)
  • 6 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 0.33 cup powdered sugar
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp vanilla
  • 0.5 cup thick caramel sauce Optional alternative filling, in place of cream cheese filling.
  • Cinnamon sugar for rolling Enough to roll the cookie dough balls (use as needed).

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the pumpkin shortbread dough
  1. Beat the softened butter and sugar until smooth, then mix in blotted-dry pumpkin and vanilla until evenly combined.
  2. Fold in the flour mixture (baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon) just until no dry streaks remain.
  3. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes to firm up for shaping.
Shape and bake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line sheet pan(s) for easy transfer.
  2. Roll dough into 1-1/2 tablespoon balls, then roll each ball in cinnamon sugar to coat.
  3. Place the balls on the sheet pan(s) with space between them.
  4. Press a deep thumbprint into the center of each dough ball to create a well for filling.
  5. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until the cookies are golden at the edges and set in the centers.
Fill and finish
  1. Cool the cookies completely so the filling won’t melt or run.
  2. For cream cheese filling, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla until smooth, then spoon into the thumbprint centers.
  3. Alternatively, spoon thick caramel sauce into the thumbprint centers instead of the cream cheese filling.

Notes

Pro tip: blot the pumpkin well so the dough stays thick and your wells don’t collapse while baking. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days; freeze baked cookies (unfilled) up to 2 months and thaw before filling. For a dairy-light swap, use a dairy-free cream cheese substitute if you choose the cream cheese filling option.