Description
Delight in these Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookies, featuring a spiced gingerbread cookie exterior with a creamy cheesecake center. Perfect for festive occasions or a sweet holiday treat, these cookies blend warm spices with a luscious cream cheese filling, resulting in a unique and indulgent dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheesecake Filling
- 6 oz (170 g) cream cheese, cold
- 3 tbsp (38 g) granulated white sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
Spiced Sugar
- 6 tbsp (75 g) granulated white sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground allspice
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
Gingerbread Cookies
- 2 1/2 cups (313 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (165 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/3 cup (113 g) unsulphured molasses
Instructions
- Prepare Cheesecake Filling: Line a small cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a small mixing bowl, combine cold cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy and sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Scoop the mixture into eighteen 2-teaspoon portions onto the baking sheet. Freeze until firm and very cold.
- Make Spiced Sugar: In a small bowl, whisk together granulated sugar with ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside for coating.
- Mix Dry Ingredients for Cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer on high speed to cream softened unsalted butter and packed light brown sugar together until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add Wet Ingredients: To the butter and sugar mixture, add egg yolks, vanilla, and molasses. Mix on medium speed for one minute until fluffy and well combined.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until dough forms.
- Assemble Cookies: Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop dough into eighteen portions and roll each into a ball. Flatten each ball slightly, place a frozen cheesecake ball in the center, then carefully fold cookie dough around the filling, sealing completely and rolling back into a smooth ball. Roll each cookie dough ball in the prepared spiced sugar.
- Bake Cookies: Place cookies on prepared baking sheets, baking six at a time to avoid crowding. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes until edges are firm but centers remain soft.
- Cool and Serve: Let baked cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Notes
- Keep cheesecake filling balls frozen until ready to assemble to prevent melting during preparation.
- Use parchment paper on baking sheets to prevent sticking and ensure easy cleanup.
- Roll dough balls gently around the cheesecake to fully encase the filling and prevent leakage during baking.
- Store leftover cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator due to cream cheese filling.
- For softer cookies, underbake by 1 minute slightly and allow to cool on sheet before transferring.
- Molasses adds both flavor and moisture; do not substitute with honey or syrup for authentic gingerbread taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 210 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
