These strawberry cheesecake cookies are deliciously rich, and buttery, have fresh strawberries in every bite and are stuffed with a cheesecake filling.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword cheesecake cookies, fruit cookies, strawberry cookies
In a small mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese (6 ounces) until fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar (1/3 cup). Add the vanilla (1/4 teaspoon) and beat until combined.
Scoop out 12 equal portions of the cream cheese mixture onto a parchment-lined small baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer while you prepare the cookie dough. Freeze for at least one hour, or until frozen almost completely solid.
Make The Cookies:
Whisk together flour (2 1/4 cups), cornstarch (2 teaspoons), baking soda (1/2 teaspoon), and salt (1 teaspoon) in a small bowl and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer, cream together the butter (14 tablespoons), granulated sugar (3/4 cup), and brown sugar (1/4 cup) on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Add the vanilla (2 teaspoons) and eggs (2). Cream until well combined, about 1 minute. Add flour mixture just until combined.
Gently fold diced strawberries (3/4 cup), (you don't want the strawberries to get crushed when you fold them in or they will bleed into the cookie dough) until evenly distributed through the dough.
Assembly:
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Use a large cookie scoop to portion out the dough. Place 6 scoops on each of the two parchment-lined baking sheets.
Press the back of a lightly floured teaspoon, or you can use your thumb, to create an indent into the top half of the ball of dough.
Remove the cream cheese from the freezer.
Place a scoop of the frozen cream cheese in the indent of the cookie dough.
Using your hands (lightly floured), shape the cookie dough around the cream cheese to completely enclose it. Place the dough back on the cookies and repeat the remaining dough balls. 6 per baking sheet.
Refrigerate the prepared cookie dough balls for 30 minutes.
Arrange an oven rack in the center position. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) while the cookies are in the fridge.
Bake one sheet of cookies at a time in preheated oven until the edges of the cookies are beginning to brown and the center looks set, about 13-15 minutes. Allow to cool on a baking sheet for 10-12 minutes then remove to a wire baking rack.
Notes
Baking Sheet: I use a quarter sheet pan to freeze the cream cheese filling to fit it more easily into my freezer.
Assembly: The cookie batter is a little sticky so lightly flour the spoon or your hands when creating the divot and closing them up.
Baking: These cookies get very little color when they’re done. You just want to wait until the edges barely get brown.