These are the best strawberry cheesecake cookies! These cookies are so decadent and have the most amazing flavour. They are soft, thick, gooey and perfectly sweet. They are great to serve at holidays or parties, or to enjoy as a treat anytime.
![A strawberry cheesecake cookie on a baking sheet with cookie crumbs around it.](https://www.pureandsimplenourishment.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/strawberry-cheesecake-cookies-37.jpg)
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Table of Contents
Why you will love this recipe:
- The taste! These cheesecake filled cookies are so incredibly good. They are soft, thick, chewy and gooey! They combine the flavours of strawberry cheesecake with vanilla cheesecake to give these cookies the best flavour.
- This is a bakery style cookie recipe that is decadent enough to serve to guests at holidays and events such as Easter, Mother's Day, or Father's Day, but also good enough to serve any time. Plus kid's love them!
- I have included gluten-free and dairy-free options depending on your dietary needs.
- They freeze really well so are a great meal prep option.
If you love the flavour of cheesecake you will also love berry cheesecake overnight oats!
Ingredients and substitutions:
- Strawberries - fresh strawberries give these cookies the most incredible flavour plus a beautiful pink color. I recommend using fresh strawberries rather than frozen strawberries or freeze dried strawberries for this cookie recipe.
- Cream cheese - cream cheese is used to make the most delicious vanilla cheesecake filling for these homemade cookies. Be sure to use plain, unflavoured cream cheese for the filling. If you are dairy free use a dairy free or vegan cream cheese substitute.
- Butter - butter is used to give these cookies the most delectable soft and fluffy shortbread cookie texture. Be sure to use unsalted butter. If you are dairy free use a vegan butter or dairy free butter substitute.
- Cane sugar - this gives these cookies the perfect sweet taste. I have not tried this recipe with any other granulated sweeteners so can't guarantee that any swaps would work out.
- Honey - this natural sweetener helps give these cookies the best sweet taste! You could swap this for maple syrup.
- Vanilla extract - to help enhance the delicious flavours of these gooey cookies.
- Eggs - eggs help these cookies rise and turn out extra light and fluffy. I have not tried this recipe with any egg replacements or egg substitutes and can't guarantee they would work out.
- All purpose flour - these cookies are made with all purpose flour to give them that perfect bakery style texture. If you are gluten free you can use a gluten-free all purpose flour instead.
- Baking soda - to help the cookies rise when they bake. Do not try swapping this for baking powder.
- Salt - to help contrast the sweet flavour of the cookies.
How to make (step-by-step):
To make the cream cheese filling:
Step one:
In a bowl, use a whisk or hand mixer (depending how hard your cream cheese is) to mix the cream cheese and the cane sugar together until they are smooth and combined.
Step two:
Next line a small baking sheet with parchment paper and place 10 heaping tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture on the baking sheet. Freeze them for at least one hour, or until frozen solid.
To make the cookies:
Step one:
Once the cream cheese filling is frozen, line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step two:
Now, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda then set the bowl aside.
Step three:
Then using your standing mixer, beat the butter, sugars, vanilla extract and eggs together until you have a smooth texture.
Step four:
Next add in the flour, salt, and baking soda, and mix until just combined (try not to over-mix).
Step five:
Gently fold strawberry pieces into the dough. You don't want to mix them in too much or they'll get squished and the pink color will bleed into the dough. Place the bowl of cookie dough in the fridge for about 30 minutes to firm up.
Step six:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and using a large cookie scoop, transfer the dough to the parchment paper lined cookie sheets.
Step seven:
Now press the back of a teaspoon or your thumb into the top of half the balls of dough to create an indent in the dough.
Step eight:
Remove the cream cheese filling from the freezer and place one into each of the cookies.
Step nine:
Next take a bit more dough and place it over the cream cheese, pinching the sides to seal the cream cheese inside. You should have large, tall balls of dough. Then bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. The tops will still be slightly under-cooked looking.
Step ten:
Lastly, let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet, then enjoy!
Top tips:
- Use room temperature eggs for best results.
- Use softened cream cheese. Cold cream cheese will be really hard to blend with the sugar. You can soften cream cheese by letting it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Use a large cookie scoop rather than a regular cookie scoop to scoop the dough for these cookies.
- These cookies spread out when baking so be sure to leave at least 3 inches between each cookie.
- Let these cookies cool before eating them. The middle will still be soft and gooey.
- Don't use melted butter to make these cookies. Room temperature butter works the best.
- Don't forget to chill the dough for these cookies. Otherwise they will be way too runny!
- I recommend using fresh rather than frozen strawberries to make these cookies.
- Don't overcook these cookies - they are meant to be slightly gooey in the middle.
Recipe variations and add ins:
- To make these cookies gluten-free: use an all purpose gluten-free flour.
- To make these cookies dairy free: use a dairy free cream cheese or vegan cream cheese and vegan butter.
- Instead of strawberries you could make these cookies with another fruit such as blueberries or blackberries.
How to store:
Because of the cream cheese filling, these cookies should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Do not try storing them at room temperature.
These cookies also freeze really well. Freeze them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Allow the cookies to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Frequently asked questions:
No, this is not a vegan cookie recipe. They can easily be made dairy free but they do contain eggs and I have not tried making them with any egg replacements to make them vegan.
I would not consider these cookies to be a healthy cookie option. But, I do believe that the occasional decadent dessert can be part of a healthy diet and lifestyle.
No they are not.
Yes! If you prefer to leave out the cream cheese filling you can turn these into strawberry cookies instead - plus they will be even easier to make.
I do not recommend using frozen strawberries to make these cookies. They will be too mushy and watery and will change the texture of these cookies.
Yep! Blueberries, raspberries and blackberries all work well.
No they are definitely not. The sugar and fresh strawberries used in these cookies makes them high in carbs and not keto friendly.
Other recipes you will love:
- Chocolate chip coffee cookies
- Lemon blueberry cookies
- Chocolate marshmallow cookies
- Peanut butter cookies with almond flour
- Snickers cheesecake overnight oats
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Recipe
Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies
Ingredients
Cookie Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cup all purpose flour (or use an all purpose gluten free flour)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (use vegan butter for dairy free)
- 3/4 cup cane sugar
- 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup fresh strawberries, chopped into small pieces
Cream Cheese Filling
- 3/4 cup cream cheese (use vegan for dairy free)
- 1/4 cup cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Cream Cheese Filling Instructions
- Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper and place 10 heaping tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture on the baking sheet. Freeze for at least one hour, or until frozen solid.
Cookie Instructions
- Once the cream cheese filling is solid, line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda then set the bowl aside.
- Using your standing mixer, beat the butter, sugars, vanilla extract and eggs together until you have a smooth texture.
- Add in the flour, salt, and baking soda, and mix until just combined (try not to over-mix).
- Gently fold the cut up strawberries into the dough. You don't want to mix them in too much or they'll get squished and the color will bleed into the dough. Place the bowl of cookie dough in the fridge for about 30 minutes to firm up.
- Preheat your oven to 350F and using a large cookie scoop, transfer the dough to the parchment paper lined cookie sheets.
- Press the back of a teaspoon or your thumb into the top of half the balls of dough to create an indent in the dough.
- Remove the cream cheese filling from the freezer and place one into each of the cookies. Take a bit more dough and place it over the cream cheese, pinching the sides to seal the cream cheese inside (see the pictures in the post above). You should have tall balls of dough.
- Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. The tops will still be slightly under-cooked looking.
- Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet, then enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe yields 10 large cookies.
- Nutritional values are an estimate and will vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
- For a gluten-free version use a gluten-free all purpose flour.
- Store these cookies in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
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