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Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies

Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies

These strawberry cheesecake cookies are soft, buttery, filled with real strawberry flavor, then stuffed with a cream cheese filling!
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3/4 cup cream cheese (regular or vegan)* softened ((6 oz) SEE NOTES)
  • ⅓ cup powdered sugar* (SEE NOTES if using vegan cream cheese)
  • 1 cup butter (regular or vegan) softened
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 23/4 cup all-purpose flour * (SEE NOTES)
  • 1/2-⅔ cup fresh strawberries diced small* (SEE NOTES)

Equipment

  • Handheld electric mixer
  • Kitchen scale
  • Two baking sheets

Method
 

  1. Make the cream cheese filling
    Beat the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar together with a fork or hand mixer until completely smooth. Scoop 10 to 12 heaping teaspoons of the mixture onto a parchment-lined plate and freeze for at least 1 full hour until solid. The frozen filling must hold its shape when handled. Soft or partially frozen filling leaks out of the dough seams during baking.
  2. Whisk the dry ingredients
    Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk for ten seconds. Set aside.
  3. Cream the butter and sugars
    Beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together with a hand mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes until the mixture looks pale and fluffy. Add the whole egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and beat on low speed until fully incorporated.
  4. Add the dry ingredients
    Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Stop mixing the moment the flour disappears. A few small flour streaks are preferable to an overmixed, tough dough.
  5. Fold in the strawberries
    Add the finely diced fresh strawberries and fold them in gently with a silicone spatula using slow strokes. Aggressive stirring breaks the strawberry pieces down into pink juice that streaks through the dough and adds too much moisture.
  6. Assemble the cookies
    Scoop 2 tablespoons of dough and flatten it slightly in your palm. Place one frozen cream cheese ball in the center, then press another 2-tablespoon scoop of dough on top. Pinch all edges firmly shut with your fingers until no gaps remain. Any unsealed gap produces a cream cheese eruption in the oven. Place the assembled balls on parchment-lined baking sheets.
  7. Chill and bake
    Refrigerate the assembled cookie balls for 15 to 20 minutes while the oven preheats to 350°F (177°C). Bake for 13 to 17 minutes until the edges turn golden and the tops look just set. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before moving to a rack. Hot cookies straight from the oven collapse under their own weight if moved before the structure sets.

Recipe Notes

  • Cream cheese: I use full-fat Philadelphia brick cream cheese for the filling.
  • Strawberries: I use fresh strawberries only. Frozen berries make the dough too wet to handle.
  • Flour: I spoon and level the flour or weigh it to 330 grams every time.
  • Butter: I use unsalted softened butter at room temperature.
  • Baking soda: Check the expiration date before using it.
  • Nutrition values are estimates.