These cheesecake cookies have the best of both worlds. They feature the most delicious crispy and chewy chocolate cookies with a rich cream cheese filling.
This mouthwatering combination of cheesecake and cookies is the ultimate best sweet treat for anyone who loves cookies or cheesecake. Just like our cream cheese cookies, the addition of this magical spread completely transforms it.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Easier than cheesecake. Making chocolate cookie dough and cream cheese frosting is so much easier than baking a whole cheesecake.
- Perfect texture. The crumbly chocolate cookies and the smooth cream cheese filling create the most perfect contrast of textures.
- Only 8 ingredients. These cookies sound like a complex dessert. In reality, you only need eight simple ingredients to make them.
Ingredients needed
Cream cheese, chocolate chips, and a couple of baking staples are all you need to make these cheesecake cookies. Here’s the full list of ingredients.
- Flour. I use all-purpose flour for this recipe.
- Butter. Unsalted and softened butter.
- Sugar. I use both white and brown sugar for this recipe. Using only white or only brown sugar will work too.
- Baking soda. To help the cookie dough rise.
- Cream cheese. Use softened cream cheese for easy mixing.
- Chocolate chips. Use milk or dark chocolate chips.
- Vanilla extract. To flavor the cookies.
- Salt. To balance all flavors.
For the filling:
- Cream cheese. Use softened cream cheese for a perfectly smooth filling.
- Powdered sugar. I use powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar as it melts easily and produces smoother results.
These cookies only sound intimidating. In reality, they are quite easy to make. Follow these steps to make the best cookies you’ll want over and over again!
Step 1 – Prepare the cream cheese frosting
Whisk together the cream cheese and the powdered sugar until fully combined. Use a teaspoon to freeze small portions of the cream cheese frosting. Place the frosting on a plate lined with food wrap and freeze for an hour. You should get 12 cream cheese balls when using a teaspoon.
Step 2 – Make the cookie dough
Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the softened butter, sugars, cream cheese, and vanilla extract. Cream until smooth and glossy. Add the dry ingredients and mix until fully combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Cover the bowl with food wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least an hour.
Step 3 – Bake the cheesecake cookies
Preheat the oven to 185C/375F degrees. Remove the cookie dough from the fridge and roll out 12 even-sized balls. Make an indent in the center of each ball.
Remove the frozen cream cheese balls from the freezer and place one in each cookie. Shape the cookie dough around the cream cheese filling to cover it up.
Place the cookies in the pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until firm around the edges.
Let the cookies cool completely before you eat them.
Tips to make the best recipe
- If you don’t have powdered sugar, use a food processor to blend granulated sugar into fine powder. This extra step is worth taking if you want to achieve a smooth consistency for the cream cheese filling.
- Don’t forget to chill the dough before shaping the cookies. Refrigerating the dough solidifies the fats in it and prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
- While the recipe specifies the baking time, always keep an eye on the cookies to prevent them from darkening or burning.
- Drizzle the cookies with melted chocolate or cream cheese frosting to make them look more festive.
Flavor variations
The beauty of these cookies is that you can jazz them up with a few little tweaks. Here are some suggestions:
- Make strawberry cheesecake cookies. Use chopped fresh strawberries instead of chocolate chips for a pop of color and fruity flavor.
- Use white chocolate chips. White chocolate chips are certainly not a classic but they taste just as good as cookies made with dark chocolate.
- Experiment with the cream cheese frosting. You can add different flavors to the cream cheese frosting, including peanut butter, cocoa powder, pureed fruits, etc.
- No bake cheesecake cookies. Stuff the filling into your favorite no bake cookie for a fun twist.
Storage instructions
To store: Place leftover cookies in an airtight container. They will stay fresh for up to 4 days in the fridge.
To freeze: You can make an extra batch of cookie dough and freeze it for up to 3 months.
Frequently asked questions
These cookies are not gluten-free as they are made with all-purpose flour. To make this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free cup-for-cup flour. Also, make sure the cream cheese you are using is labeled gluten-free.
Yes, these cookies work with dairy free cream cheese. Simply choose cream cheese that comes from a block, not a spread.
Cheesecake Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 cup cream cheese 4 ounces, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cheesecake filling
- 3/4 cup cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
- Prepare the cheesecake filling by whisking together the cream cheese and powdered sugar until combined.
- Place 12 teaspoons of the mixture onto a small lined plate and freeze for an hour.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt, and set aside. In a separate bowl, add the softened butter, sugars, cream cheese, and vanilla extract, and cream together until smooth and glossy. Gently add in the dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips at the end.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate the cookie dough for at least an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 185C/375F.
- Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator and roll out 12 balls of cookie dough. Make an indent into the center of each one. Remove the frozen cream portions from the freezer and place one in each cookie and shape the cookie dough around it to cover it up.
- Place the cheesecake-filled balls of cookie dough onto a lined pan and gently press down on each one. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until firm around the edges.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking tray completely before enjoying them.
Notes
Nutrition
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I saw the title of this recipe and my jaw literally dropped. You once again, completely nailed it. IN LOVE. Cheesecake + Cookies made from muffin tops = hello dessert everynight. Brilliant as always!
Thanks so much, Serena!
What a smart idea putting cream cheese and muffin tops together! You are truly the King of No-Bake 🙂 I get super impatient waiting for ice cream to thaw… usually I just start eating it no matter how frozen it is!
Ohhhh I LOVE ice cream when it’s melted but froyo…that stuff melts too fast!
The impatient queen is knocking and wanting her title back- I am the worst when it comes to waiting for food :P. Eggs always turn into scrambles, tongue is burned on a daily basis, and parfaits are turned into why waits while I eat the constituting parts before they can make it into a bowl. Either that or I give up and completely forget the food I’m baking is still in the oven! Love anything cheese related so this will definitely be a must!
Please do, Niki- It’s delicious!
You had me at healthy.. and no bake.. and cheesecake.. and cookies. These look ridiculously good and easy to make! Can’t wait to try them
Please do- This is really easy and delicious! 🙂
These muffin tops seem like they would be much more acceptable to the muffin tops I see at the pool lately… #eww
LOL. No judgement!
Okay, you know I’d use the full fat, creamy cream cheese for these, right?! YUM. I love me some blueberry muffins, but any/all will do. Except for maybe the bran ones.
I LOVE full fat cottage cheese. SO EFFING GOOD. Seriously, the best thing about America.
Yes! The roof of my mouth is permanently burned because I refuse to wait for the cheese to cool! Impatient, I hear you. What a creative recipe- again! This looks great!
Thanks so much, Alex!
Cheesecake and cookies and no bake – this is the language of LOVE!
Thanks Kate! 😀
I’m inpatient if I’m really hungry. Then I just make PB&J. I’d rather eat than be creative. My favorite muffin is lemon poppyseed, but I’m not picky. I spread peanut butter on everything so the muffin is just a vehicle for that 😉
mm lemon poppyseed is something I need to try again!
Impatience is my middle name. Like why put three sweet potato’s worth of slices in the fridge when I can just eat them all right now?
omg. Cold roasted veggies are like crack. No wonder you have a fiber baby. Pop.
YUM! What a unique idea. Pinned!
I’m still dreaming of that cookie monster ice cream.