Description
Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies combine the rich, creamy texture of cheesecake with the sweetness of fresh strawberries baked inside a soft, buttery cookie. These large, indulgent cookies feature a hidden frozen cream cheese filling that melts to perfection when baked, creating a delightful surprise in every bite. Perfect for dessert lovers looking for a unique treat, they balance fruity freshness with creamy decadence.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheesecake Filling
- ¾ cup cream cheese (regular or vegan), softened (6 oz)
- â…“ cup powdered sugar (adjust if using vegan cream cheese, see notes)
Cookie Dough
- 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 cups all-purpose flour (see notes for adjustments)
- ½ to ⅔ cup fresh strawberries, diced small (see notes)
Instructions
- Prepare Cream Cheese Filling: Line a small baking sheet or plate with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk or beat the softened cream cheese with powdered sugar until smooth and well combined. This mixture will form the cheesecake filling.
- Freeze Cream Cheese Balls: Place 10-12 heaping teaspoons of cream cheese mixture onto the parchment-lined sheet. Freeze for at least one hour, or until the balls are frozen solid or nearly solid.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, and baking soda until evenly combined.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat the softened butter with white and brown sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add Eggs and Flavoring: Mix in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
- Combine Dough: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined, careful not to overmix to keep the cookies tender.
- Fold in Strawberries: Gently fold the small diced fresh strawberries into the dough. Avoid overmixing to prevent the strawberries from bruising and bleeding their color into the dough.
- Form Cookie Dough Balls: Scoop 12 large heaping tablespoons of dough onto each prepared baking sheet. Press down slightly on half of the dough balls with the back of a teaspoon to create an indent for the filling.
- Fill Cookies: Remove the frozen cream cheese balls from the freezer. Place one cream cheese ball into each indented dough ball. Top with another dough ball and pinch the edges together to fully seal the filling inside, forming tall dough balls.
- Refrigerate and Preheat Oven: Refrigerate the filled cookie dough balls while preheating the oven to 350°F (175°C). Keep the dough chilled to maintain shape during baking.
- Bake Cookies: Bake one sheet at a time for 13-17 minutes until edges are slightly golden and tops are set. Remove from oven and let cookies rest on baking sheets for 10-15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Use regular or vegan cream cheese and butter according to your preference; adjust powdered sugar accordingly if using vegan cream cheese as it’s often less sweet.
- For smaller cookies, reduce the dough scoop size and adjust baking time slightly, but keep the cream cheese filling proportionate.
- Fresh strawberries should be diced very small to prevent sogginess and to evenly distribute their flavor without bleeding excessively into the dough.
- Freezing the cream cheese filling is key to keeping the cheesecake center intact during baking.
- If dough becomes sticky due to strawberries, chill it before handling further to make shaping easier.
