Pumpkin Pie Thumbprints

a plate of sugar cookies with dollops of pumpkin pie filling
This content originally appeared on 
tasteforlife.com

Prep Time

55 minutes, plus 2 hour dough chill time

Yield

30 to 32 cookies

Recipe Source

That Takes the Cookie by Ryan Alvarez and Adam Merrin ($24.99, Simon Element, 2024)

Ingredients

  • Cookie Base

    • 2 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1⁄2 tsp baking powder
    • 1⁄2 tsp salt
    • 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
    • 3⁄4 cups granulated sugar
    • 1 large egg, at room temperature
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract

  • Pumpkin Pie Filling

    • 1 cup canned pumpkin purée
    • 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar
    • 2 Tbsp plus 2 tsp brown sugar
    • 1⁄2 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1⁄2 tsp ground ginger
    • 1⁄4 tsp ground nutmeg
    • 1⁄4 tsp salt
    • 1⁄8 tsp ground allspice

Directions

  1. Make Dough

    1. in a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and the 1⁄2 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
    2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and the 3⁄4 cup granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add flour mixture and beat until no dry streaks remain.
    3. Cover bowl with plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Dough can keep in fridge for up to 1 week.

  2. Make Filling

    1. In a small bowl, combine pumpkin purée, the 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, the 1⁄4 teaspoon salt, and the allspice. Stir until evenly blended.
    2. Keep covered in refrigerator until ready to use.

  3. Prepare Cookies

    1. Preheat oven to 350˚. Line one or more baking sheets with parchment paper.
    2. Scoop 1 tablespoon dough into a ball and place it on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, leaving 2 inches of space between each ball and placing approximately 12 dough balls per sheet.
    3. Use your thumb to create a well in center of each cookie large enough to hold 1 1⁄2 teaspoons pumpkin filling. Spoon 1 1⁄2 teaspoons pumpkin filling into center of each cookie.
    4. Place baking sheets in freezer for 15 minutes; this helps cookies keep their shape while baking.

  4. Bake Cookies

    1. Transfer baking sheets directly to oven. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until edges are golden.
    2. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • If baking two pans at once, swap positions of pans halfway through to ensure cookies bake evenly.

Nutrition Info

3 cookies: 299 Calories, 3 g Protein, 49 mg Cholesterol, 30 g Carbohydrates, 8 g Total sugars (7 g Added sugars), 1 g Fiber, 19 g Total fat (12 g sat), 164 mg Sodium, ★★ Vitamin A