The Best Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies

These are the best strawberry cheesecake cookies. These bakery style cookies are so decadent and have the most amazing flavour. They are soft, thick, gooey and perfectly sweet. These cookies are great to serve at holidays or parties, or to enjoy as a treat anytime.

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 such as Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Valentine's Day, bridal showers or baby showers, but are also good enough to serve any time.
• I have included gluten free and dairy free options depending on your dietary needs.
• These strawberry cheesecake stuffed cookies are kid approved.
• They freeze really well so are a great meal prep option.
• These cookies are perfect for spring and summer.
• If you've had the Subway version or the Organically Addison version of these cookies, these are even better!
• These homemade cookies are made from scratch so you get to control the ingredients!
• This cookie recipe is made without cake mix, without muffin mix, without white chocolate chips and without powdered sugar.

If you love the flavour of cheesecake you will also love berry cheesecake overnight oats!

Taste and texture:

These cookies are extra soft, thick, pillowy, buttery, chewy and gooey! They combine the flavours of a fresh strawberry butter cookie with a delicious vanilla cheesecake filling to give these cookies a taste that's like strawberry shortcake. The cream cheese filling is so smooth and creamy and melts in your mouth with every bite.

These cookies never turn out dry or crunchy.

Key ingredients and substitutions:

This is partial list of ingredients that are used to make these cookies - for the full ingredient list please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

• 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 when making these cookies. If you are dairy free use a vegan butter or dairy free butter substitute.
• Cane sugar - cane sugar 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.
• 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.
• Flour - these cookies are made with all purpose flour to give them that perfect bakery style cookie texture. If you are gluten free you can use a gluten free all purpose flour instead.

How to make:

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 with the cane sugar until 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 the cut up strawberries 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!

Recipe Tips:

• Use room temperature eggs for best results.
• Use softened cream cheese for best results. Cold cream cheese will be really hard to blend with the sugar.
• 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.
• As you fold the top ball of dough over the cream cheese, the dough may start to get a little sticky. You may need to rinse or wipe your hands between each cookie.
• Don't overcook these cookies - they are meant to be slightly gooey in the middle.

Variations:

• 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.

How to serve:

Serve these strawberry cheesecake cookies once they are cool enough to handle. They are delicious served warm or cold.

These cookies are great served alone but you could also pair them with a glass of milk or add them to vanilla ice cream, chocolate ice cream, vanilla frozen yogurt or chocolate frozen yogurt for an extra fancy treat.

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. 

These cookies also freeze really well. Freeze them in an airtight container or bag for up to 3 months. Allow the cookies to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Frequently asked questions:

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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