Oh-So-Chewy Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies๐๐ช
Ingredients
For the cheesecake filling:
ยพ cup cream cheese (softened)
ยผ cup sugar
ยฝ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the cookies:
2 ยพ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 sticks unsalted butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
1 large egg (room temperature)
1 egg yolk (room temp - note: you will need 2 eggs total, 1 whole egg and the second egg you just need the yolk)
ยฝ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
ยฝ cup diced fresh strawberries
1 cup baking white chips (optional)
Instructions
For the cheesecake filling:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl mix the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth (I used a bowl and spatula and it worked just as well as my stand mixer!).
Use a small cookie scoop or teaspoon measuring spoon to create 12 even balls of cream cheese filling, and place onto the lined baking sheet, freeze for 30 minutes or an hour or until frozen solid (It took mines an hour to freeze, so this will depend on what kind of freezer you have).
For the cookie dough:
Line 2 cookie sheets with parchement paper or silpat mats.
In a bowl combine the dry ingredients: flour baking powder and salt. Set aside. (I used a regular bowl and spatula and it worked just as well as my stand mixer!)
In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar until smooth and creamy (2-4 minutes). Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, and mix again until smooth.
Add the dry ingriendents and mix until combined, then gently fold in the fresh diced strawberries (do not squish them!).
If you choose to add the white baking chip you can add them when you add your strawberries! You do not have to add them if you don't want to.
Scoop out the cookie dough into 24 even balls, and place onto baking sheet.
Using a teaspoon measuring spoon, create a indention in 12 cookie balls for the filling to fit in there. Then place the frozen filling on top of cookie dough, and cover with another cookie dough ball (Tip: If that part confused you I will explain it more, You will take a cookie dough ball and make a indention/ deep hole, place cream cheese ball on top of hole and cover with another cookie dough ball). Very carefully roll into a smooth cookie dough ball.
Place in the fridge for 30 minutes and preheat the oven to 350โ/180โ.
Make sure that the cookies are placed about 2 inches apart, then bake for 15- 20 minutes for Jumbo Cookies and for the Regular Cookies bake 14-16 minutes (My cookies turned out to be Jumbo so it took about 20 minutes to bake!) Or until the edges are golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes and enjoy!
Let me know how you like the cookies! I would love to know if you tweaked them or added anyting extra! If you would like to share pictures with me feel free to! ๐๐ช