Description
These Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookies combine the warm, spicy flavors of classic gingerbread with a creamy cheesecake filling nestled inside. Soft gingerbread cookies are coated with a fragrant spiced sugar, offering a festive and indulgent treat perfect for holidays or any cozy occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheesecake Filling
- 6 oz (170 g) cream cheese, cold
- 3 tbsp (38 g) granulated white sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
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 extract
- 1/3 cup (113 g) unsulphured molasses
Instructions
- Prepare Cheesecake Filling: Line a small cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, beat the cold cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract on medium-high speed with an electric mixer until the mixture is fluffy and the sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Scoop the filling into 18, 2-teaspoon portions onto the lined cookie sheet. Freeze until the cheesecake balls are firm and frozen solid.
- Make Spiced Sugar: In a small bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and all the ground spices until well combined. Set aside for rolling the cookies later.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Set the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper for baking the cookies.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the 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 to cream the softened unsalted butter and light brown sugar on high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the egg yolks, molasses, and vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture. Mix on medium speed for one minute until the mixture is fluffy and well combined.
- Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until fully incorporated into the cookie dough.
- Assemble Cookies: Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion out 18 scoops of dough. Roll each into a ball and slightly flatten. Place a frozen cheesecake ball in the center of each dough portion. Carefully wrap the cookie dough around the cheesecake, rolling it into a ball again to seal the filling completely. Roll each cookie dough ball in the prepared spiced sugar to coat evenly.
- Bake Cookies: Place 6 cookies at a time on the prepared baking sheets spaced evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes until edges are set but centers remain soft.
- Cool and Serve: Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet to firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving. Enjoy these festive treats!
Notes
- Keep the cheesecake balls frozen until the moment you insert them into the cookie dough to prevent melting.
- If you prefer a sharper cheesecake flavor, use full-fat cream cheese.
- You can substitute molasses with dark corn syrup for a slightly sweeter flavor, though molasses is preferred for traditional gingerbread taste.
- For easier rolling, lightly chill the cookie dough before assembling the cookies.
- Store the baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
