Description
Delight in these luscious Caramel Cheesecake Cookies featuring a creamy cheesecake filling enveloped in soft, chewy cookie dough, topped with a rich homemade caramel drizzle and a touch of flaky sea salt for the perfect balance of sweet and salty.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheesecake Filling
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (can substitute 1:1 gluten-free flour)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cookie Dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (can substitute 1:1 gluten-free flour)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Caramel Topping
- 8 ounces soft caramels, unwrapped
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- Flaky sea salt, for drizzling
Instructions
- Prepare baking sheets: Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside for later use.
- Make cheesecake filling: In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Add confectioners’ sugar, flour, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed to combine, then increase speed to high and beat until mixture is smooth and fluffy.
- Freeze cheesecake filling: Drop the cheesecake filling by teaspoonfuls onto one prepared baking sheet. Place the sheet in the freezer while making the cookie dough to firm up the filling.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt for the cookie dough.
- Cream butter and sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer or large bowl with a paddle attachment, cream the softened butter and brown sugar on high speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. This step is essential for texture. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat for 1-2 more minutes.
- Combine dry and wet ingredients: Slowly add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and beat on low speed to incorporate, then increase speed to medium-high until fully combined.
- Form cookie dough balls with filling: Scoop 1 tablespoon portions of dough and roll into balls. Place on the second prepared baking sheet and use your thumb to make an indent in the center of each ball. Remove cheesecake filling balls from the freezer. Place a cheesecake ball into the center of half the cookie dough balls, then top with the remaining dough balls. Pinch the seams together and roll into a ball or slightly taller cone shape. Place cookies on the sheet 3 inches apart.
- Chill cookies: Chill the assembled cookies in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days. Alternatively, quickly chill them in the freezer for 1 hour if short on time.
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake cookies: Bake the chilled cookies for 9-11 minutes or until the tops are just set. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Prepare caramel topping: While cookies cool, place unwrapped caramels and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir, then continue microwaving in 15-second intervals until melted and bubbling. Stir until smooth. If caramel thickens during use, gently reheat in 15-second increments.
- Drizzle caramel and finish: Use a spoon to drizzle melted caramel over each cooled cookie. Finish by sprinkling flaky sea salt over the caramel for a perfect sweet-salty contrast.
Notes
- For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour.
- Allowing the butter and cream cheese to come to room temperature is crucial for the best texture.
- Chilling the cookies before baking helps maintain the shape and prevents spreading.
- If you are short on time, freezing the cookies for 1 hour works well instead of a longer chill.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days to keep them fresh.
