Description
Delightfully soft and gooey Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookies featuring a creamy cream cheese center encased in a tender chocolate chip cookie dough. These cookies combine the best of both worlds—classic chocolate chip cookies with a luscious cheesecake surprise inside, perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup butter (regular or vegan), softened
- ¾ cup white sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½-¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips
Cream Cheese Filling
- ¾ cup cream cheese (regular or vegan, about 6 oz)
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar (adjust amount if using vegan cream cheese)
Instructions
- Prepare Cream Cheese Filling: Line a small baking sheet or plate with parchment paper. In a small bowl, use a whisk or mixer to blend the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and well combined.
- Freeze Filling Portions: Scoop 19 heaping teaspoons of the cream cheese mixture onto the lined sheet. Freeze for at least one hour until nearly solid to make them easier to handle and to help retain shape inside the cookies.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat the softened butter, white sugar, and brown sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Mix in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Combine Dough: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined—avoid over-mixing. Then fold in the semisweet chocolate chips evenly.
- Shape Dough Balls with Indents: Scoop tablespoon-sized dough balls onto two parchment-lined large baking sheets. For half the balls, press the back of a teaspoon gently to create an indent to hold the filling.
- Assemble Cookies: Remove the frozen cream cheese portions from the freezer. Place one in each indented dough ball. Take a second dough ball and gently cover the cream cheese-filled ball, pinching edges to seal the cream cheese completely inside, forming tall dough balls.
- Chill Dough Balls: Refrigerate the prepared cookie dough balls while repeating the assembly with the remaining dough on the second baking sheet. This step firms the dough and helps maintain shape during baking.
- Bake Cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Bake one baking sheet at a time for 9-12 minutes until edges turn slightly golden and tops are set. Remove cookies from oven and let them rest on the sheet for 10-15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- You can use regular or vegan butter and cream cheese to accommodate dietary preferences.
- Adjust powdered sugar quantity if using plant-based cream cheese for optimal sweetness and consistency.
- The flour amount is best measured by weight for accuracy, but using 2¾ cups works fine for most.
- Freezing the cream cheese filling helps keep the center intact and prevents leakage during baking.
- Chilling the dough balls before baking ensures a better texture and shape retention.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
