Description
These Cherry Cheesecake Cookies combine the buttery crunch of graham cracker cookie bases with a smooth and tangy cream cheese filling, topped off with sweet homemade cherry pie filling. Perfectly golden and creamy, they make a delightful dessert or snack that’s easy to prepare and sure to impress.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups finely crushed graham crackers (about 1 sleeve)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
Wet Ingredients for Cookie Dough
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 egg, separated
Filling Ingredients
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 egg yolk (from separated egg above)
Topping
- Homemade cherry pie filling
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the finely crushed graham crackers, all-purpose flour, and baking powder to evenly combine the dry components.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using an electric mixer, beat together softened unsalted butter and light brown sugar in a medium bowl until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes to incorporate air.
- Add Egg White: Add the egg white to the butter and sugar mixture and beat until fully combined, ensuring a smooth batter.
- Combine Dry and Wet: Stir the dry graham cracker mixture into the butter mixture gently until just combined to form the cookie dough.
- Prepare Filling: In another medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese and granulated sugar until smooth. Then add the egg yolk and vanilla extract, mixing until the filling is creamy and well blended.
- Shape Cookies: Using a medium cookie scoop (1.5 to 2 tablespoons), scoop the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Press your thumb or a small round spoon into the center of each to create a small bowl-shaped indentation for the filling.
- Fill Cookies: Spoon or pipe the cream cheese mixture into the indentations of each cookie carefully, filling but not overflowing.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes or until the cream cheese filling is just set and the cookie edges turn lightly golden.
- Cool: Remove from oven and let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Add Cherry Filling: Once completely cool, top each cookie with a spoonful of homemade cherry pie filling just before serving for a fresh, fruity finish.
Notes
- Store the cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Keep the cherry pie filling separate until just before serving to prevent the cookies from becoming soggy.
- Gently warm the cherry pie filling if desired to make spooning easier.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free baking blend and ensure graham crackers are gluten-free.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
