I was in a very fall mood this week, due to the apple picking and the cold-ish (ok, Tuesday was downright nasty) weather. I was going to make something with the apples that I picked over the weekend, but then I was food shopping, and I saw pumpkin on sale, so I decided to make something with pumpkin and cream cheese, which I livened up with some cocoa powder. Also, I wanted to make something orange and black for HALLOWEEN!
Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake Cookies
4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/4 c sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg + 1 yolk
2 tsp sour cream
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
pinch of cloves
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 can (15 ounces) pure pumpkin puree
1. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add 1/4 c sugar and 1/4 tsp salt, and beat until smooth, about 3 minutes more. Add 1 egg yolk, the sour cream and vanilla and beat until smooth. Stir in the cocoa powder until well-mixed. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 375oF. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt; set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg; beat until smooth. With mixer on low speed, alternately add flour mixture in two parts and pumpkin puree in one, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined.
4. Drop dough by tablespoons onto two baking sheets, about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake about 10 minutes, then remove and poke an indentation in the middle with a finger or the handle of a wooden spoon. Return to the oven and bake for 10 more minutes. Remove and let cool completely on wire racks.
5. Reduce oven to 350oF Remove the chocolate filling from the refrigerator and put about 1 tsp in the center of each indentation. Bake for 7 to 9 mins, until the filling is firm. Let cool completely on wire racks.
Makes about 30 cookies
