Description
These Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies combine a creamy, tangy cheesecake filling with sweet strawberry jam pockets inside soft, buttery cookies. The dough is rolled in sugar for a sparkling finish, delivering a perfect balance of fruity sweetness and rich cream cheese in every bite. Ideal for dessert lovers seeking an impressive homemade treat, these cookies feature a unique layered jam and cheesecake center baked to perfection.
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 dough in
Instructions
- Prepare the cheesecake filling: Mix the cold cream cheese with 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy. Scoop the mixture into small discs on parchment paper and place them in the freezer until solid.
- Cook the strawberry jam: Combine the finely diced strawberries with 1/4 cup sugar in a medium-sized pot. Simmer over medium heat for about 45 minutes, smashing the strawberries halfway through to create a chunky jam. Once thickened, cool the jam completely in the refrigerator.
- Make the cookie dough: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in one bowl. In a separate bowl, cream the softened butter with 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract to the butter mixture, mixing well. Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients to form a dough.
- Incorporate strawberry jam into the dough: Divide the dough and jam into quarters, layering and folding them lightly together to create pockets of jam throughout the dough without fully mixing.
- Assemble the cookies: Scoop portions of dough and flatten them slightly. Place a frozen cheesecake disc in the center of each flattened dough portion, then carefully enclose the filling by wrapping the dough around it. Roll each cookie ball in 1/4 cup granulated sugar until fully coated.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place six cookies at a time onto a baking sheet and bake for 11-12 minutes until edges are set and bottoms are golden. Immediately after removing from the oven, press the cookies gently with a round cutter to perfect their shape. Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before serving.
Notes
- Freezing the cheesecake filling before baking is essential to keep it from melting out of the cookies.
- Use fresh strawberries for the best flavor and texture in the jam.
- Do not overmix the dough to keep the cookies tender and soft.
- Flatten the dough slightly before baking to ensure cookies spread evenly and bake uniformly.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes per batch plus 45 minutes jam cooking
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Strawberry cheesecake cookies, cream cheese filling cookies, homemade strawberry jam cookies, sweet dessert cookies, baked cookies with jam filling
