In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt on medium high until smooth and creamy, about 1-2 minutes.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and circle templates then pipe or scoop 20 dollops (about 1 Tbsp each) of filling. Freeze for at least 1 hour, or until firm.

In a light-colored pan over medium heat, stir butter constantly until it foams and turns golden brown with a nutty aroma, about 6-9 minutes. There will be some brown milk solids at the bottom of the pan.

Remove from heat then immediately pour into a heat-proof glass measuring cup. You should have around 170-185 g (just above ¾ cup) of browned butter.

Let cool for 5 minutes at room temp, then chill in the fridge for 25-30 minutes until slightly cooled but still liquid. If it firms up too much, microwave in 5 second intervals as needed, stirring in between.

Mix the sugar spice coating ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, spices, and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, vigorously whisk together the cooled browned butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until combined and grainy like wet sand, about 1 minute.

Add pumpkin puree, egg yolk, maple syrup, and vanilla; whisk until smooth, about 15-30 seconds.

Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined with a spatula.

Scoop 2 Tbsp of dough and flatten into a disk. If the dough is too soft to handle, chill in the fridge for 10-20 minutes to firm up slightly. (The butter was likely still too warm. The dough should be able to hold its shape when scooped.)

Place a frozen cheesecake ball in the center and wrap the dough around it, sealing the edges. The dough will be very soft but not sticky.

Roll in the sugar spice coating, then press slightly to flatten the top of the cookie.

Chill the coated cookies for 1-2 hours to prevent spreading.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Place chilled cookie dough balls on the sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake for 6-9 minutes, until edges are set and the tops are soft and look just underbaked.

Let cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely so the cheesecake can set, about 40 minutes.

We recommend making these the day before and letting them sit in an airtight container in the fridge for a few hours before eating - these cookies get even chewier and all the flavors intensify. We prefer them straight from the fridge!