Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies (Stuffed with Cream Cheese)

Servings: 12

For the Pumpkin Snickerdoodles:

• 6 oz. Organic Valley Cream Cheese
• 1 cup (2 sticks) Organic Valley Unsalted Butter
• 2/3 cup Canned Pumpkin Puree
• 2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• ½ cup Granulated Cane Sugar
• ½ cup Brown Sugar, packed
• 2 large Egg Yolks
• 1 2/3 cup All Purpose Flour
• 1 ½ tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1 tsp. Cream of Tartar
• ½ tsp. Fine Sea Salt

For the Sugar Coating:

• 1/3 cup Granulated Cane Sugar
• 2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line 1-2 large baking pans with parchment paper.
2. To Make the Sugar Topping: Combine the sugar and ground cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Mix and set aside.
3. To Prep the Cream Cheese: Using 2 teaspoons of cream cheese per cookie, roll into a ball then flatten in the palm of your hand. Set aside on a plate lined with parchment paper.
4. To Make the Pumpkin Snickerdoodles: In saucepan over medium high heat, add the butter. Stir until melted, then continue stirring until browned, about 3-5 minutes. Pour into a heat-safe dish to place in the fridge.Allow time to cool until hardened but still softened, about 10-15 minutes.
5. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the softened browned butter and sugars. Beat for 1-2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
6. Add the pumpkin puree, egg yolks, and vanilla. Beat another1-2 minutes.
7. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, spices, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Mix well, then add to the pumpkin-butter mixture.Fold all ingredients together just until combined.
8. Set the bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes, or fridge for up to 30 minutes, until firm and the dough is no longer sticky.
9. Using 3-4 tbsp. dough per cookie, spread out half of the dough, add the flatten cream cheese piece, then seal in with the remaining cookie dough. Press gently in the palm of your hands to seal in the cream cheese. Roll in the sugar mixture, then place on the prepared pan. Make sure the cookies have 2-3” of space between each other.
10. Bake for 12-18 minutes, until set in the center. If they are still super soft in the centers when you try to transfer them to a wire rack, cook 3-5 minutes longer.
11. Use a large circular cookie cutter to help shape the cookies bake into circles, if needed. Allow to cool on the sheet pan at least 10minutes, before cooling completely on a wire rack.