Start by gathering all your ingredients. Make sure the butter and cream cheese are softened to room temperature for easy mixing.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until the mixture is creamy and well-combined. Add in the vanilla extract and the room-temperature egg, beating until fully incorporated.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, vanilla pudding mix, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
In another bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, softened butter, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and creamy. Set this aside as you prepare the cookies.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Take a tablespoon of cookie dough and flatten it in your palm. Add about a teaspoon of the cheesecake filling in the center, then wrap the dough around the filling to form a ball. Repeat until all the dough is used.
In a small bowl, combine the remaining granulated sugar and ground cinnamon. Roll each cookie ball in this mixture until fully coated.
Place the cookie balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. The centers may look slightly underbaked, but they will firm up as they cool.
Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
