Description
Delight in these Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies featuring a luscious cream cheese filling surrounded by soft, tender cookie dough swirled with fresh strawberry jam. Baked to perfection and rolled in sugar for a sparkling finish, these cookies combine the flavors of a classic cheesecake and fresh strawberries in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheesecake Filling
- 6 oz cream cheese, cold
- 3 tbsp granulated white sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Strawberry Jam
- 12 oz fresh strawberries, hulled and finely diced
- 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
Cookie Dough
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, very softened
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup granulated white sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Prepare Cheesecake Filling: In a bowl, beat the cold cream cheese with 3 tablespoons of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy. Scoop the mixture into small discs onto parchment paper and freeze until solid to keep the filling intact while baking.
- Cook Strawberry Jam: Combine the finely diced strawberries and 1/4 cup sugar in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat for about 45 minutes, mashing the strawberries halfway through the cooking process until a jam-like consistency forms. Cool the jam completely in the refrigerator.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to ensure even distribution.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a separate large bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter with 1 cup granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes using a hand mixer or stand mixer.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the room temperature egg and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract to the butter mixture until combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually incorporate the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined to avoid overworking the dough and producing tough cookies.
- Fold in Strawberry Jam: Layer the dough and cooled strawberry jam in quarters and fold lightly to create pockets of jam throughout the dough without fully blending it in.
- Assemble Cookies: Scoop portions of dough and flatten them into discs. Place a frozen cheesecake filling disc in the center of each dough piece, then enclose the filling fully by wrapping the dough around it. Roll each filled dough ball in 1/4 cup granulated sugar for a sparkle finish.
- Bake Cookies: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place six cookies at a time on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them adequately. Bake for 11-12 minutes until edges are set but centers remain soft.
- Shape Cookies: Immediately after removing from the oven and while still warm, gently press the cookies with a round cutter to perfect their shape.
- Cool: Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely before serving.
Notes
- Freezing the cheesecake filling before baking is crucial to preventing the filling from melting and leaking out.
- Use fresh, ripe strawberries for the jam to ensure a fresh, bright flavor.
- Avoid overmixing the dough after adding flour to keep the cookies tender and soft.
- Flattening dough portions slightly prior to baking helps the cookies bake evenly and prevents excessive spreading.
- Pressing the cookies while warm helps maintain a uniform, attractive shape.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Strawberry cheesecake cookies, cream cheese filling cookies, strawberry jam cookies, soft baked cookies, dessert recipe
