These irresistible strawberry cheesecake cookies are pure magic in every bite! Picture your favorite cheesecake transformed into a soft, buttery cookie that’s topped with creamy cheesecake filling and finished with a sweet strawberry glaze. After countless tests in my kitchen (and many happy taste-testers later!), I’ve created what might just become your new favorite cookie recipe.
Why You’ll Love These Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies
- Perfectly soft and chewy graham cracker cookie base
- Creamy no-bake cheesecake filling that’s pure heaven
- Sweet strawberry glaze that adds the perfect finishing touch
- No fancy equipment needed – just basic baking tools
- Make-ahead friendly components
- Better than any bakery version you’ve tried
- Perfect for holiday cookie platters
You know my love for cheesecake runs deep, and these strawberry cheesecake cookies combine everything wonderful about a classic cheesecake in cookie form! The base is a buttery graham cracker cookie that tastes just like a cheesecake crust. Each cookie gets crowned with a generous swirl of creamy cheesecake filling that’s pure silky perfection. The strawberry glaze on top? It adds that perfect pop of fruity sweetness that ties everything together.
The best part? While these cookies look fancy, they’re surprisingly simple to make. The cookie dough comes together in one bowl, and the no-bake cheesecake filling requires zero fuss. Just remember to bring your ingredients to room temperature – it makes such a difference in achieving that perfect texture we’re after!
Ingredients Overview
Let me walk you through each essential component that makes these cookies absolutely irresistible! Having tested this recipe countless times, I’ve discovered the perfect balance of ingredients.
- Graham Crackers: These aren’t just any old cookie base – the crushed graham crackers are what give these cookies that authentic cheesecake crust flavor. You’ll need 1½ cups finely crushed (about 12 full sheets). Make sure they’re super fine – any large chunks will make your cookies bumpy!
- Cream Cheese: The star of our show! Use full-fat brick cream cheese at room temperature – just like we do in my favorite classic strawberry swirl cheesecake. The generic brands can be too watery, so stick with Philadelphia if possible.
- Butter: I use unsalted butter, allowing us to control the salt content. It needs to be at room temperature – not melted or too soft. When you press it, your finger should leave a slight indent.
- Heavy Cream: This gives our filling that luxurious, mousse-like texture. No substitutions here – half-and-half or milk won’t achieve the same richness.
- Strawberry Jam: For the glaze, use a good quality strawberry jam. The better the jam, the better your glaze will taste! I love using Bonne Maman.
Success Tips & Tricks
After making these cookies dozens of times (and having my share of flops!), here are my non-negotiable tips for perfect cheesecake cookies every time:
- Temperature Matters: Just like when making my strawberry cheesecake dump cake, room temperature ingredients are crucial. Cold cream cheese will leave lumps, and cold eggs won’t incorporate properly.
- The Mixing Method: When combining the wet and dry ingredients, use the ‘fold and scrape’ technique – gently fold the mixture while scraping the bottom of the bowl. This prevents tough cookies!
- Creating Perfect Pockets: Don’t skip making the indent while the cookies are warm. If you wait until they cool, they might crack. I use the back of a rounded measuring spoon – it creates the perfect well for the filling.
- Chilling Time: Those 30 minutes of chill time aren’t just for show – they’re essential for preventing over-spread cookies. Think of it as a little cookie timeout that leads to better results!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Let me walk you through making these incredible strawberry cheesecake cookies! I’ve broken it down into simple stages that anyone can follow.
Making the Graham Cracker Cookie Base
Start by creaming your room temperature butter and sugars until light and fluffy – this usually takes about 3-4 minutes. Next, add in your egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. The extra yolk makes these cookies incredibly soft and tender, just like my strawberry heaven dessert.
Fold in your crushed graham crackers (I pulse mine in a food processor until they’re fine crumbs), then gently mix in your dry ingredients just until combined. Over-mixing here will make tough cookies, so use a light hand!
- Scoop 2-tablespoon portions of dough
- Roll into balls and place on lined baking sheets
- Chill for 30 minutes (don’t skip this!)
- Bake at 350°F for 11-13 minutes
- While still warm, make an indent in the center using the back of a spoon
Creating the Cheesecake Filling
While your cookies cool, whip up the creamy filling. Beat softened cream cheese until smooth, then mix in powdered sugar, vanilla, and a tiny pinch of salt. Slowly drizzle in heavy cream while mixing until you get a thick, pipeable consistency.
Strawberry Glaze Magic
The finishing touch that makes these cookies reminiscent of my favorite strawberry cheesecake brownies! Simply warm strawberry jam with a splash of water until it reaches a glossy, pourable consistency.
Recipe Variations
These cookies are wonderfully versatile! Here are some of my favorite ways to switch things up:
- Berry Bonanza: Swap the strawberry glaze for raspberry, blackberry, or blueberry jam
- Chocolate Lover’s Dream: Drizzle with ganache instead of fruit glaze
- Citrus Twist: Top with lemon curd for a bright, tangy variation similar to my homemade strawberry shortcake
- Caramel Delight: Replace the fruit glaze with salted caramel sauce
Make-Ahead Tip: You can prepare the cookie dough balls and freeze them for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, just add 1-2 minutes to the bake time – no need to thaw!
Storage Note: Store assembled cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For best results, add the glaze just before serving.
FAQs & Final Thoughts
Frequently Asked Questions
While graham crackers give these cookies their signature cheesecake crust flavor, you can substitute with digestive biscuits or even vanilla wafers. The texture might vary slightly, but they’ll still be delicious!
This usually happens if your cream cheese isn’t at room temperature or if you’ve added too much heavy cream. Make sure to beat the cream cheese until completely smooth before adding other ingredients, and add the heavy cream gradually until you reach the right consistency.
You can freeze the baked cookie bases for up to 3 months! Just thaw them overnight in the fridge when you’re ready to use. I recommend adding the filling and glaze fresh, just like I do with my strawberry cheesecake cake.
This typically happens when the dough isn’t chilled enough or the butter was too warm. Make sure to chill your dough for at least 30 minutes and start with cool baking sheets.
Final Thoughts
These strawberry cheesecake cookies are truly a little piece of heaven! Every time I make them, they disappear faster than any other treat in my kitchen. The combination of buttery graham cracker cookies, creamy cheesecake filling, and sweet strawberry glaze is simply magical. Don’t be intimidated by the multiple components – each step is straightforward, and the end result is so worth it!
If you’re looking for a show-stopping cookie that’ll have everyone begging for the recipe, this is it! I’d love to hear how these turned out for you – be sure to leave a comment below and happy baking! ❤️
Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies
Equipment (affiliate links)
- Mixing Bowls
- Whisk
- Rubber Spatula
- 2″ Cookie Scoop
- Cookie Sheets
- Parchment Paper
- Tablespoon Measure
- Piping Bag
- Saucepan
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Cookies
- 12 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature (170g)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar (67g)
- 2/3 cup brown sugar, packed (133g)
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup crushed graham crackers (50g)
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour (227g)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
Cheesecake filling
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature (226g)
- 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream, chilled (160g)
- 1/4 cup sugar (50g)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- Pinch of salt
- 1-2 tablespoon lemon juice (or to taste)
Strawberry glaze
- 3 tbsp strawberry jam
- 2 tbsp water
- 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp cornstarch
Instructions
Graham Cracker Cookies
- Bring the butter and eggs to room temperature if you haven’t already.
- Add the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar to a bowl. Whisk for 2-3 minutes until the mixture looks light in color, and fluffy and creamy in texture.
- Add the egg, egg yolks and vanilla, and whisk for another minute or so until the mixture looks smooth and creamy.
- Add the crushed graham crackers and whisk until combined.
- In a separate bowl, sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet in 2-3 additions. Use a rubber spatula to fold them in, going around and pressing down gently. This will take some time and effort, but be patient and do not mix aggressively. Stop folding as soon as the dry ingredients are combined and no streaks of flour can be seen. You should have a soft, slightly sticky dough.
- Use a 2″ cookie scoop to scoop the dough into 12 balls. Gently roll them out between your palms to smooth them, then keep in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- In the last 15 minutes of the chilling, pre-heat your oven to 375F (conventional) and prep 1-2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Once chilled, transfer the cookie dough balls to the baking sheets, keeping at least 3″ between them.
- Bake in the preheated oven at 375F for 12-13 minutes until the cookies feel set around the edges but still somewhat soft in the middle.
- As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, use the back of a tablespoon measure to press down on the middle and create little pockets / thumbprints (see pics in blog post above). Then let the cookies fully cool down.
Cheesecake Filling
- Whisk the cream cheese, heavy cream, sugar, salt, vanilla and lemon juice on medium low speed until the mixture becomes creamy and starts to thicken up, scraping the bowl 2-3 times along the way. Do not overmix.
- Transfer to a piping bag fit with a round piping tip.
- Stir all ingredients for the glaze together in a small saucepan.
- Cook and stir over low heat until the mixture starts to thicken up.
- Remove from heat and let cool down slightly.
Assembly
- Once the cookies have cooled down, pipe a generous swirl of the cheesecake filling onto each (you can also do this with a spoon if you don’t have a piping bag).
- Drizzle over the strawberry glaze.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
I always recommend baking one cookie as a test first so you know exactly how long you should bake for your preferences with your oven and pan
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