Soft, chewy and perfectly pumpkin spiced sugar cookies made even more decadent by filling them with sweet and tangy cheesecake. These cookies are sweet, spicy and chewy and creamy.
In a mixing bowl beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, yolk and vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients to the wet. Cover the dough with plastic cling wrap and chill for 30-45 minutes.
Make the cheesecake filling. Beat together the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and salt until smooth and well combined. Chill for 30 minutes. Make the spiced sugar by mixing the granulated sugar with the pumpkin spice until well combined.
Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough from the bowl. Flatten slightly into a disk.Scoop about a teaspoon of filling onto the center of the disk. Place the second disk of dough on top of the filling. Gently press the edges of the two disks together.
Gently roll into a ball. Make sure the seems stay together and the filling isn't coming out from any part of the dough. Roll the filled cookie dough ball in the spiced sugar.
Bake the cookies in the center rack for about 8-12 minutes. The cookies are finished when the tops are golden brown with cracks forming across the cookie.
Remove baking sheet from the oven to cool on a cooling rack for 3-5 minutes. Remove cookies from the baking sheet to cool completely to room temperature. Enjoy!