Description
Decadent chocolate cherry cheesecake cookies featuring a rich cocoa and pudding-based cookie dough topped with creamy cream cheese frosting and sweet cherry pie filling, garnished with chocolate curls or chips. Perfect for dessert lovers seeking a soft, flavorful treat.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cookies:
- 1.5 cups (3 sticks) salted butter, softened
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 0.5 cup Hershey’s special dark cocoa powder
- 1 (3.9 oz) box instant chocolate pudding mix
- 3.5 cups all purpose flour
For the Frosting & Topping:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 0.5 cup butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 1 (20 oz) can cherry pie filling or homemade cherry pie filling
- Optional: mini chocolate chips or chocolate curls for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar on high speed for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until well incorporated.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Add baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, and instant chocolate pudding mix to the bowl and mix thoroughly.
- Add Flour: Gradually add the flour one cup at a time on low speed, mixing just until combined to form the cookie dough.
- Shape Cookies: Use a 1/3 cup scoop to portion dough into balls, shape each into a hockey puck shape, and place 8 at a time spaced evenly on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake: Bake for 14 minutes or until small cracks appear on the edges and tops. Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare Frosting: In a clean bowl, cream together the softened cream cheese and butter on high speed for 1-2 minutes until smooth and fluffy. Add vanilla extract and gradually add powdered sugar one cup at a time, mixing until well blended. Refrigerate the frosting if it needs to firm up before piping.
- Assemble Cookies: Transfer frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip and pipe a flat spiral of frosting on each cooled cookie.
- Add Topping: Spoon desired amount of cherry pie filling on top of the frosting and garnish with mini chocolate chips or chocolate curls if desired.
Notes
- Serve cookies within 3-4 hours of assembling for best texture and flavor.
- If not serving immediately, store assembled cookies covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- For homemade cherry pie filling, refer to the linked recipe or use your preferred homemade version.
- Ensure butter and cream cheese are softened to room temperature for smooth mixing.
- Use a silicone baking mat or parchment paper to avoid cookies sticking and ensure even baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
