I LOVE FALL. There is something about this time of year that just makes me so happy. I love the nippy breezes and the slight chill in the air, the beautiful colors and crispy sound of fallen leaves, and I love all the delicious recipes we see this time of year! And really, it doesn’t quite feel like autumn until you eat something pumpkin;).

Pumpkin adds such a creamy texture to whatever you add it to (cookies, bread, soup, chili, pasta, etc). But did you know there are also some serious health benefits to pumpkin? (As if you needed another reason to add it to your diet;) ). It’s actually one of the foods commonly recommended to those working on weight loss or trying to get control of their cholesterol.

Pumpkin is a low calorie food packed with Vitamins A, C, and E. This means it’s great for your eyes, skin, and immune system! (And who doesn’t need a little help with that this time of year??). Pumpkin also contains beta-carotene, an antioxidant that can help prevent cancer. It’s also a great source of fiber- and it’s been shown that people with diets high in fiber have more success in weight loss (something else we all could use a little help with this time of year ;D ). Basically, we should all be trying to eat a little more pumpkin.

And while there are definitely healthier recipes out there, pumpkins were just meant to be in cookies! There’s nothing like biting into a delectably moist pumpkin cookie. If you are bored of the typical pumpkin chocolate chip cookies we see this time of year, than here is a different pumpkin cookie recipe you might want to give a shot- Pumpkin Cheesecake Snickerdoodles. Basically it’s an extra moist snickerdoodle with a hint of ginger and a pile of warm, sweet cream cheese in the middle. Definitely not your average pumpkin cookie;).

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One thing I would advise is definitely don’t be shy with the cream cheese and the cinnamon coating. I was worried I wouldn’t have enough so I was trying to take it easy with the filling and ended up with a ton leftover- and I could have definitely had more cream cheese filling in my cookies;). Also, be sure to read the recipe carefully- you do need to chill the dough and the filling for one hour before assembling, so definitely take that into account when making time to bake these!

Okay, so maybe you don’t need more pumpkin cookies in your life, but pumpkin is definitely something you should be incorporating in your diet, and why not indulge in some delicious cookies while you’re at it? ;) Happy Fall Baking!