Cheesecake Stuffed Cookies are the ultimate dessert mashup! These soft, buttery chocolate chip cookies are filled with a thick, creamy layer of cheesecake for a two-in-one sweet treat!
And really, why have one dessert, when you can have two? That’s also kinda my thing. My jeans will concur.
Cheesecake Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
I feel like these cookies are the answer to my dessert dreams. I love cheesecake so much and have the BEST Cheesecake Recipe here on my site, but cheesecake requires a bit of time. It bakes for almost an hour, and then it has to chill completely…so while it’s an amazing make ahead dessert for entertaining, it’s not an instant gratification-type sweet treat. Enter Cheesecake Stuffed Cookies.
The “cheesecake” filling is actually more of a cream cheese frosting, but let’s not get technical.
Here’s What You Need For These Cheesecake Stuffed Cookies
The ingredients for these cookies are super basic, and no fancy equipment is necessary. No water baths, no springform pans. Just a mixer and a baking sheet!
Cream Cheese: The trick to making the cheesecake filling is keeping the cream cheese cold. SO start this recipe with cold, cubed cream cheese. It will mix up just fine, you don’t have to worry if there are any small lumps, and it will save you chill time!
Powdered Sugar: You want the cheesecake filling to be sweet, and the easiest way to do this is powdered sugar! I don’t recommend using granulated, as it will be grainy in the filling.
Butter: I always use salted butter, unless otherwise specified. I know this is a little taboo when it comes to baking experts, but I honestly just prefer it. If you are sensitive to salt, absolutely use unsalted, or go ahead and leave out the added salt in the cookie dough!
Light Brown and Granulated Sugar: These are both standard ingredients in chocolate chip cookies! Pack the light brown sugar when you are measuring it!
One Egg PLUS an Egg Yolk: This is a trick I use when I’m making cookies that I want to be on the thicker side. The extra yolk gives a slight richness to the dough, while adding a little more moisture, but not too much.
Vanilla: I always use Pure Vanilla Extract. The flavor can’t be matched!
All Purpose Flour: Don’t worry about mixing flours for this recipe. The texture comes from the crisp edges of the cookie and the soft cream cheese filling.
Salt and Baking Soda: These are two more standard cookie ingredients. Like I said above, if you are sensitive to salt, and are already using salted butter you can omit the extra salt in the recipe. I am a salty girl, though, which is why I include it!
How Do I Stuff The Cookies With Cheesecake?
Filling the cookies with the cheesecake mixture is pretty easy! I do have a few tips for ultimate success, though!
As stated in the recipe start with cold cream cheese. You will mix this with powdered sugar until it’s smooth, but it will still be cool. Once you mix that together, scrape out the mixing bowl and place the cream cheese mixture in the fridge to keep it cold while you make your cookie dough.
Once you’ve mixed your cookie dough up, use a MEDIUM cookie scoop (which holds slightly less than 2- tablespoons) to scoop out the dough. This will ensure that all your cookies are the exact same size. I like this cookie scoop.
Once you have the dough scooped out, flatten it out. Scoop out 2- teaspoons of the cream cheese mixture and place it in the center of the dough. I have a 2- teaspoon measuring spoon, but if you don’t, after you measure out 2- teaspoons a few times, you will get the feel of the amount and most likely won’t need to measure it anymore.
Form the cookie dough around the cream cheese mixture, making sure to seal it up. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just do your best!
Roll the dough into a ball and place the balls onto a baking sheet 2- inches apart.
Pro Tip to Making Your Cookies Pretty
If they come out of the oven misshapen, use a spatula to form them back into a circle. This dough doesn’t spread a whole lot, but if you feel like you need to, just use the spatula to mold them as soon as they come out of the oven before they’ve cooled at all!
Reserve some of your chocolate chips when you add them into the dough. Just set them aside for when the cookies come out of the oven and place a few extra chips on top to give them that “perfect”, bakery-style cookie look!
Do You Need To Refrigerate These Cookies After They’re Baked?
Ok, here’s the deal. These cookies are filled with cream cheese, so you might wonder if they need to go in the refrigerator.
The short answer is yes.
The long answer is, I actually don’t. Ugh I know. I just don’t like cold cookies!! I will say, though cookies usually don’t last more than a day or so in my house, so I don’t worry too much about spoiling. But if these are going to be around for a few days I would err on the side of caution and pop them in the fridge in a zip-top bag. You can easily heat them up in the microwave for a few seconds to warm them up again.
Looking for MORE Stuffed Cookies? Try These:
OR Maybe Now You’re Craving Cheesecake I know I am! Try These:
Creamy cheesecake fills these thick chocolate chip cookies for the ultimate cookie treat!
Ingredients:
Cheesecake Filling
8– ounces cream cheese, cubed
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Cookies
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar, mixing on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Transfer the cream cheese mixture into a smaller bowl, and place in the refrigerator while you prepare your cookie dough.
Using the same mixing bowl and paddle attachment mix the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add in the egg, the egg yolk, vanilla, baking soda, and salt, mixing for 1 minute until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Turn the mixer to low and add in the flour, mixing until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips until evenly incorporated.
Using a medium (2- tablespoon) cookie scoop, portion out the dough. Flatten each dough ball into a flat circle. Scoop 2- teaspoons of the cold cream cheese mixture out and place each scoop in the center of the flattened dough. Form the dough into a ball around the cream cheese, making sure it’s sealed inside.
Place the cookie dough balls onto the baking sheet 2- inches apart and bake for 9 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the tops are just set.
Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes:
Store airtight refrigerated for up to 5 days. I love popping them in the microwave for about 10 seconds to warm them up and make them gooey.
I will say, I have made these and kept them at room temperature overnight and they were fine!
1 cookie28821.1 g188.1 mg16.8 g32.6 g3.9 g45.4 mg
Keywords:: cookies and cups, cookie recipe, stuffed cookie, cheesecake, cream cheese, chocolate chip cookie, chocolate chip cookie recipe