These cheesecake stuffed cookies are made with a graham cracker base and a sweet, tangy cheesecake filling. It’s a fun cookie recipe with a surprise inside!
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Cheesecake Cookies
These cheesecake stuffed cookies might be one of my new favorite cookies! All the recipe testers agreed, they are so good! They start with a graham cracker cookie and have a cheesecake filling. Similar to cheesecake cookie bars, they’re like two desserts in one!
Unlike regular cookies, stuffed cookies have a surprise filling in the middle! Rolo cookies and peanut butter stuffed chocolate cookies are some of my other favorite stuffed cookies.
Ingredients Notes
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Graham cracker crumbs: You’ll need about 2 sleeves of Graham crackers pulsed into crumbs.
- All-purpose flour: You can measure flour without a scale using the spoon and level method. It’s important to make sure you’re not packing in too much flour.
- Unsalted butter: Bring it to room temperature so it’s soft by the time you use it.
- Sugars: Use both brown sugar and granulated white sugar for moisture and extra caramel flavor.
- You’ll also need: Baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, eggs, and vanilla.
- For the filling: Cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. The cream cheese needs to be kept cold.
How to Make Cheesecake Cookies
In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla with a hand mixer until light and fluffy.
Scoop the cream cheese mixture into 24 balls and place them onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet, and gently flatten them into discs. Freeze them for 20 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk the crumbs, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set that aside while you cream the butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla.
Combine the dry and wet ingredients while mixing on low, until just combined.
Use a large cookie scoop to make 48 dough balls. Flatten one piece of dough, place a frozen cheesecake disc in the center, then cover it with another flattened piece of dough, sealing the edges to fully enclose the filling.
Bake cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 10-12 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Recipe Tips
- Use a block (not a spreadable tub) of regular cream cheese for the best results.
- The cream cheese needs to stay cold, and then the discs need to be frozen. This will help prevent the creamy cheesecake filling from becoming too soft and runny.
- Make sure the top piece of dough completely covers the cheesecake center and the edges are sealed.
- Have extra graham cracker crumbs? Make some s’mores cookies, too!
More cheesecake desserts to try include cheesecake brownies, sopapilla cheesecake bars or mini cheesecakes with graham cracker crust.
More Cookie Recipes
Cheesecake Stuffed Cookies
Video
Ingredients
Cheesecake Filling
- 12 ounces cream cheese , cold
- 6 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Cookies
- 2 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs , see notes
- 2 ¼ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup unsalted butter , softened
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make cheesecake filling: In a small mixing bowl, combine 6 ounces cream cheese, 3 Tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Using a hand mixer, mix for about 2 minutes, or until it is light and fluffy.
- Freeze cheesecake filling: Using a small cookie scoop (1 to 1 1/2 Tablespoons), scoop the filling into 24 balls on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Gently press down on each ball to flatten the cheesecake scoop. Place the cheesecake discs in the freezer for about 20 minutes.
- Whisk dry ingredients: Meanwhile, in a medium sized bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, 2 1/4 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Set aside.
- Cream wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, mix together 1 cup butter, 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, and 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Mix until creamy and light. Add 2 eggs and 1 Tablespoon vanilla and mix until just combined.
- Add dry ingredients: Combine the dry and wet ingredients, mixing on low, until just combined.
- Preheat and scoop cookie dough: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Using a large cookie scoop, scoop out 48 balls of cookie dough (2 balls for each cookie.) The dough is crumbly, so press together with your hands). Slightly flatten dough ball and lay a cheesecake disc on one, then cover with another piece of dough. Each cream cheese disc should be completely covered by cookie dough. Place the cookies on a parchment lined cookie sheet. 6 cookies fits perfectly on 1 cookie sheet.
- Bake: Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes. Let cool on cookie sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.
Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Substitutions and Variations
- Frost: A cream cheese frosting could be used instead of making a cream cheese filling. Use a large cookie scoop for larger cookies then slather them with frosting.
- Filling variations: Try a different flavor of cheesecake filling. Strawberry cheesecake cookies would be great, as would chocolate cheesecake, caramel cheesecake, or even Nutella cheesecake.
- Topping: Add a little cherry pie filling on top of each cookie before serving.
- Garnish: Roll the cookies in coarse sugar or drizzle with a cream cheese glaze at the end.
Recipe FAQs
These don’t need to be kept in the fridge. You can keep them stored in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days.
Yes. Transfer them to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container and keep them frozen for up to 3 months. If you’re stacking them, add a piece of parchment paper between each layer to keep them from sticking.
