These pumpkin spice cookie bites are the best of two delicious autumn worlds. Sweet cookie cups are filled with a rich pumpkin spice cream cheese filling, creating poppable bites of fall you can hold in your hand.
This time of year, we’re all thinking about fall desserts, especially pumpkin. But while we’re thinking about rich dishes like pumpkin cream cheese pie and pumpkin spice everything, let’s not forget another classic sweet treat – cookies!
I love cookies in all forms, and during the fall, I like to infuse them with cozy flavors perfect for the cool weather and the upcoming holidays. Treats, like these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and dark chocolate peppermint pecan cookies, are great this time of year because they can be served all season long or brought to holiday parties.
That’s why I’ve added these pumpkin spice cookie bites to my rotation. They combine the classic flavor and texture of cookies with a rich, pumpkin cream cheese filling that’s reminiscent of cheesecake to create a dessert that’s always a hit.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple Ingredients: The cookie cups and pumpkin filling for this recipe use basic ingredients found in any grocery store.
- Super-Easy: Both the cookies and filling are incredibly basic recipes that even beginners can make with ease. It’s quick and easy!
- Amazing Texture: The soft yet firm cookie cups, combined with the rich, mousse-like pumpkin filling, create a hand-held dessert loaded with textures that are as delicious as its flavors.
- So Much Fall Flavor: Sweet cookie cups and pumpkin spice cream cheese filling make a dessert that explodes with yummy fall flavor.
Ingredients
You’ll find a complete list of ingredients and their exact amounts in the recipe card at the end of the post.
Variations
- Cookie Cups: Use your favorite cookie dough recipe to create different dessert varieties. Any firm cookie, from sugar to chocolate chip, will work.
- Snickerdoodle Cups: Try adding cinnamon and some nutmeg to create snickerdoodle cups for your pumpkin filling.
- Gingerbread Pumpkin Bites: Use gingerbread spice in the cookie dough for a tasty fall combo.
- Pumpkin Spice Cookie Pie: Press the cookie dough into round pie plates or pans and bake until golden. Then, spoon the pumpkin mixture into the prepared pans. Top with whipped topping and enjoy the pies!
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Cookie Bites
Mix the wet cookie ingredients in a large bowl.
Whisk the dry cookie ingredients in a medium bowl.
Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined.
Bake in a prepared mini muffin pan until the edges are golden and the centers are set. Then, make a depression in each cookie cup with the end of a spatula and cool completely.
Beat the pudding and evaporated milk in a medium bowl until thick.
Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Then, beat in the remaining ingredients except the pumpkin pudding.
Mix the pudding into the cream cheese until combined.
Pipe or spoon the filling into the cooled cookie cups and enjoy!
Tips
- The center of your cookie cups should be set, not browned. You want them soft so you can easily create the cup in the center to hold the filling.
- Your pudding and evaporated milk mixture will be extremely thick. It’s supposed to be!
- Fully soften your cream cheese for the easiest mixing and the best filling texture.
- ALWAYS use full-fat cream cheese for this recipe. You won’t get the same rich, creamy texture if you use a low-fat version.
- Make the indentation in your dough while the cookies are warm to ensure a nice, deep cup that holds its shape.
- Your cookie cups must be completely cool before adding the filling. Even slightly warm cups will thin the filling.
Pumpkin Spice Cookie Bites FAQ
There are two main reasons your filling would be thin. First, if you use cook-and-serve pudding, it won’t set. Second, if you add your filling to warm cookie cups, their heat will thin it out.
No, they aren’t. Although they use many of the same spices, the amounts differ, creating flavors that are unique to each blend.
No, you don’t. The pumpkin filling will already be chilled by the time the cookie bites are fully cooled, so you can just fill up the cups and serve.
More Tasty Pumpkin Recipes
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Pumpkin Spice Cookie Bites
Ingredients
Cookie Cups
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pumpkin Spice Filling
- 5 ounce evaporated milk
- 3.4 ounce pumpkin spice instant pudding, small box
- (2) 8 ounce cream cheese
- ⅓ cup pumpkin puree
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a mini muffin pan(s) with non-stick cooking spray.
Cookie Cups
- In a large bowl, mix butter, sugar, brown sugar, rum extract, and eggs together until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Slowly add dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix on medium speed until just combined.
- Roll dough into ½ inch balls and press firmly into the bottom of the muffin pan.
- Bake for 15-17 minutes until edges are golden brown and the middle of the cookie is fully set.
- Take the end of a spatula and press into the middle of each cookie to create a cup for filling.
- Let sit in the muffin pan for 20 minutes and cool completely.
Pumpkin Spice Filling
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine evaporated milk and pudding mix.
- Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes (mixture will be very thick).
- In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and ground cinnamon. Beat until combined.
- Next, beat the pudding mixture into the cream cheese mixture until combined.
- Once the cookies are cool, use a piping bag and pipe pumpkin spice filling into each mini cookie cup.
- Optional: sprinkle cinnamon lightly over the filling and enjoy!
Notes
- Refrigerate for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
- Serve chilled.
- The center of your cookie cups should be set, not browned. You want them soft so you can easily create the cup in the center to hold the filling.
- Your pudding and evaporated milk mixture will be extremely thick. It’s supposed to be!
- Fully soften your cream cheese for the easiest mixing and the best filling texture.
- ALWAYS use full-fat cream cheese for this recipe. You won’t get the same rich, creamy texture if you use a low-fat version.
- Make the indentation in your dough while the cookies are warm to ensure a nice, deep cup that holds its shape.
- Your cookie cups must be completely cool before adding the filling. Even slightly warm cups will thin the filling.
Nutrition
Is it rum extract as stated in the recipe directions or vanilla extract as stated in the list of recipe ingredients?
Thanks!
Hi Patti, it is the vanilla extract. I will fix the instructions. Thank you so much for letting me know. :)