These mini pumpkin cookies are a fun twist on classic pumpkin pie. Pumpkin pie cookies are deliciously soft and buttery sugar cookie cups filled with a classic pumpkin pie filling.
Using a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment cream the room temperature butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg yolk and vanilla extract until well combined. Mix the flour and salt into the wet ingredients until just combined.
Using a large cookie scoop, transfer about 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of sugar cookie dough into each of the prepared muffins cups. Press the dough into the bottom of the cup and up the sides.
Bake for 10 minutes. While the cookies bake, make the pumpkin pie filling. After 10 minutes, remove the muffin pan from the oven and reform the cookie cups.
In a clean mixing bowl, whisk cream cheese, pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice and vanilla extract on low until smooth and well combined.
Transfer about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of pumpkin pie filling into the par-baked cookies. Bake an additional 10 - 15 minutes or until the edges of the cookie are golden brown and the pumpkin pie filling it set.
Cool the pumpkin pie filling cookies in the muffin pan for 30 minutes. Using the excess parchment paper, gently lift each mini pumpkin pie cookie cup out of the muffin tin, top and enjoy!