Description
Delight in these luscious Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies that combine soft, buttery cookie dough with a creamy, tangy cheesecake filling studded with fresh strawberries. Perfectly baked to golden edges with a melt-in-your-mouth center, these cookies offer a delightful twist on traditional cheesecake and are ideal for summer treats or any special occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 1 cup butter (regular or vegan), softened
- ¾ cup white sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½–⅔ cup fresh strawberries, diced small
Cheesecake Filling Ingredients
- ¾ cup cream cheese (regular or vegan) (6 oz)
- ¼ cup powdered sugar (use only if using regular cream cheese)
Instructions
- Prepare Cheesecake Filling: Line a small baking sheet or plate with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk or mix the cream cheese and powdered sugar together until smooth and fully combined. Use a whisk if your cream cheese is soft, otherwise a mixer.
- Freeze Filling: Spoon 10-12 heaping teaspoons of the cream cheese mixture onto the prepared parchment. Freeze for at least one hour, or until the cream cheese is almost completely solid.
- Preheat and Prepare Dry Ingredients: When the cream cheese is nearly frozen, line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat the softened butter with white and brown sugars for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Mix in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and stir until just combined. Avoid over-mixing to keep the cookies tender.
- Incorporate Strawberries: Gently fold the diced fresh strawberries into the dough. Mix lightly to avoid crushing the berries, which may cause the color to bleed into the dough.
- Scoop Dough Balls: Using a tablespoon measure, scoop out 12 large heaping tablespoons of dough onto each of the prepared baking sheets. Press the back of a teaspoon slightly into the top of half of the dough balls to create an indentation for the filling.
- Assemble Cookies: Remove the cream cheese filling from the freezer. Place one frozen cream cheese ball into the indentation of each dough ball. Top with another dough ball and pinch the sides carefully to seal the cream cheese inside without squishing the filling. Work carefully as the dough may become sticky and crumbly.
- Chill Dough Balls: Refrigerate the prepared cookie dough balls while you repeat the process with the second baking sheet and remaining dough. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and keep the dough chilled during preheating.
- Bake Cookies: Bake one sheet at a time for 13-17 minutes until the edges are lightly golden and the cookie tops are set but not browned.
- Cool Cookies: Remove from oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 10-15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps the cookies set and prevents breakage.
Notes
- This recipe yields 12 large, thick cookies. To make smaller cookies, use smaller dough scoops and reduce baking time accordingly.
- If using vegan cream cheese, do not add powdered sugar to the filling, as the vegan cream cheese is generally sweetened.
- Be careful not to overmix the strawberries into the dough to prevent the dough from turning pink or soggy.
- You can substitute regular butter and cream cheese with plant-based alternatives for a vegan version.
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage.
- Ensure cookies are fully cooled before storing to maintain texture.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
Keywords: strawberry cheesecake cookies, strawberry cookies, cheesecake filling cookies, baked cookies, summery dessert
