Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies Recipe
Delight in these luscious Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies featuring a tender cookie dough filled with a creamy cheesecake center and swirls of homemade strawberry jam. Perfectly baked to achieve a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture, these cookies combine the rich flavor of cream cheese with fresh strawberries for a truly indulgent treat.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 18 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Strawberry Jam
- 1 cup finely diced fresh strawberries
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
Cheesecake Filling
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup homemade thick strawberry jam (prepared above)
Instructions
- Prepare Strawberry Jam: Combine diced strawberries and 1/4 cup sugar in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat for approximately 45 minutes, mashing the berries halfway through until the mixture is thickened and reduced to about 1/3 cup of jam. Let cool.
- Make Cheesecake Filling: In a bowl, mix together the softened cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Divide the mixture into 18 equal portions and flatten each portion into a disc. Freeze these discs until they are completely solid to make handling easier during assembly.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and 1 cup granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, continuing to beat until pale and voluminous.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Gradually add this dry ingredient mixture into the butter mixture, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix to keep cookies tender.
- Fold in Strawberry Jam: Divide the dough into four parts while still in the mixing bowl. Layer 1/3 cup of the homemade strawberry jam between the flattened sections of dough to distribute it evenly. Cut the dough into quarters and gently fold each quarter to create pockets of jam without fully blending it into the dough.
- Assemble Cookies: Scoop the dough into 18 portions, each about two tablespoons. Flatten each dough portion slightly. Place a frozen cheesecake disc on top of each flattened dough piece, then wrap the dough around the cheesecake filling to fully encase it. Shape each cookie into a slightly flattened disc to ensure even baking.
- Bake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Arrange the cookies on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing them to prevent sticking. Bake for 11-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden but the center remains soft. Allow cookies to cool on the baking tray for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- The cheesecake filling discs must be frozen solid before assembly to prevent melting while wrapping in dough.
- Do not overmix the dough once the dry ingredients are added to keep the cookies soft and tender.
- For extra flavor, you can substitute vanilla extract with almond extract in the cheesecake filling.
- Make sure the strawberry jam is thick and reduced properly to avoid excess moisture in the cookies.
- Store cookies in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage.
Keywords: Strawberry cheesecake cookies, cream cheese cookies, strawberry jam cookies, soft baked cookies, homemade cookies, dessert cookies
