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Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies Recipe

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3.9 from 2 reviews

These Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies combine soft, buttery cookie dough filled with a creamy, tangy strawberry cream cheese center. Perfectly balanced between sweet and fresh, these large, indulgent cookies offer a delightful fruity surprise inside every bite. Ideal for dessert lovers wanting the rich flavor of cheesecake in a handheld treat.

Ingredients

Cream Cheese Filling

  • ¾ cup (170 g) cream cheese (regular or vegan), softened (6 oz)
  • ⅓ cup (40 g) powdered sugar

Cookies

  • 1 cup (210 g) butter (regular or vegan), softened
  • ¾ cup (150 g) white sugar
  • ¼ cup (50 g) brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 2¾ cup (343 g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ to cup fresh strawberries, diced small

Instructions

  1. Prepare Cream Cheese Filling: In a small bowl, whisk or mix the softened cream cheese with powdered sugar until smooth and well combined. Place heaping teaspoons (10-12 evenly spaced) of the mixture on a parchment-lined baking sheet or plate. Freeze for at least one hour until almost solid.
  2. Preheat and Prep Dry Ingredients: When cream cheese is nearly solid, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
  3. Cream Butter and Sugars: Using a mixer, beat the softened butter with white and brown sugars until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
  4. Add Eggs and Vanilla: Mix in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla bean paste until just combined.
  5. Combine Dry Ingredients and Fold in Strawberries: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just incorporated, careful not to over-mix. Gently fold in diced strawberries without squashing them to avoid color bleeding.
  6. Scoop Cookie Dough: Scoop 12 large mounds (approximately 2 tablespoons each) of cookie dough onto the lined baking sheets. Press the back of a teaspoon into half of the dough balls to create an indent for the filling.
  7. Fill Cookies: Remove frozen cream cheese discs from the freezer and place one into each dough ball with the indent. Top each cream cheese filled dough with a second dough ball, sealing edges carefully to encase the filling without squishing it.
  8. Chill Before Baking: Refrigerate the prepared cookie dough balls while repeating the filling process for the second sheet, then preheat the oven to 350°F if not already done.
  9. Bake: Bake one sheet at a time for 13-17 minutes, until edges are lightly golden and tops are set. After baking, leave cookies on the baking sheet for 10-15 minutes to firm up.
  10. Cool: Transfer cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely before serving.

Notes

  • Use full-fat cream cheese for best taste and texture, vegan substitutions work if softened well.
  • Powdered sugar helps keep the filling smooth; if using vegan cream cheese, ensure powdered sugar is vegan-friendly.
  • For smaller cookies, reduce dough portion sizes and adjust baking time accordingly, typically 10-12 minutes.
  • Dicing strawberries finely prevents large juice pockets and minimizes bleeding into dough, preserving pretty pink streaks.
  • Work quickly when sealing cookies, as strawberry juice can make dough sticky and crumbly.
  • If dough becomes too soft, chill briefly to ease handling.
  • Do not over-bake to retain soft, tender cookie texture.