Caramel Cheesecake Cookies (Print Version)
Creamy cheesecake-filled cookies topped with golden caramel drizzle for a decadent sweet treat.
# What You Need:
→ Cookie Dough
01 - 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
05 - 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
06 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
07 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Cheesecake Filling
08 - 8 oz cream cheese (1 package), softened
09 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Caramel Topping
11 - 1/2 cup soft caramel candies (about 10-12 pieces)
12 - 1 tablespoon heavy cream
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and 1 cup of granulated sugar together using an electric mixer until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract, then continue mixing until fully incorporated.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms. Cover and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
04 - While the dough chills, combine the softened cream cheese, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a small bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until completely smooth and creamy with no lumps remaining.
05 - Roll tablespoon-sized portions of the chilled dough into balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Press your thumb gently into the center of each dough ball to create a deep well.
06 - Spoon approximately 1 teaspoon of the cheesecake filling into the center well of each dough ball, filling evenly.
07 - Bake at 350°F for 11 to 13 minutes, until the cookie edges are set and lightly golden. Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
08 - Place the caramel candies and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between each burst, until the caramel is completely melted and smooth.
09 - Drizzle the warm caramel sauce generously over each cooled cookie. Allow the caramel to set at room temperature before serving. Optionally sprinkle with flaky sea salt for added flavor contrast.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The cheesecake filling stays creamy and cool even after baking, creating a contrast that catches people off guard in the best way.
- They look like something from a bakery case but the process is surprisingly forgiving and hard to mess up.
02 -
- If the cheesecake filling is too warm or runny when you spoon it in, the cookies will leak during baking so keep it cool and work quickly.
- Do not skip chilling the dough because soft dough spreads into flat puddles instead of holding those beautiful little wells.
03 -
- Use a small cookie scoop for the dough so every cookie is the same size and bakes evenly across the whole tray.
- Test bake one cookie first to check how much your dough spreads, then adjust chill time or flour as needed before committing the whole batch.