Perfectly soft and chewy cookies with a fun surprise! These Cheesecake Stuffed Cookies combine two incredible desserts into one treat. They’re easy to make and I’ll walk you step-by-step through the process in my how-to video!
Chocolate Chip Cookies with A Twist
Today we’re rolling two of my all-time favorite desserts into one. Soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies, meet rich, smooth and creamy cheesecake.
I originally shared this decadent recipe for cheesecake stuffed cookies over four years ago and thought it was about time for a refresh. While the recipe is largely the same (just a few minor tweaks to streamline the process), the photos are new and there’s a brand new video in the recipe card as well.
I still love this recipe today just as much as I did four years ago and I’m pretty excited to be resurfacing it today. Make sure to let me know what you think in the comments!
What You Need for Cheesecake Stuffed Cookies
The ingredients needed here are all fairly typical for chocolate chip cookies, with the obvious exception of the cheesecake filling. I just want to touch on a few of them that you might have questions about:
- Cream cheese. Only use brick-style, full-fat cream cheese. Do not use the spreadable kind that’s sold in tubs or low-fat cream cheese, as it’s too thin.
- Sugar. You need three different kinds of sugar for this recipe (we don’t mess around here at Sugar Spun Run). Powdered (“confectioner’s”) sugar for the filling and then a blend of granulated and brown sugar for the cookie dough.
- Cornstarch. I use this in many of my cookie recipes. Here it serves two important functions: 1) to keep the cookies nice and soft 2) to also keep them sturdy and from spreading too much in the oven and releasing that cheesecake goodness all over your baking sheet.
- Flour. I have only tested this recipe with all-purpose flour and that is what I recommend for these cheesecake stuffed cookies.
This is just an overview of a few of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Cheesecake Stuffed Cookies
- First make your cheesecake filling. Cream together the ingredients until combined and then dollop onto a wax paper lined baking sheet. This will be your filling! Freeze this while you prepare your cookie dough.
- Prepare your cookie dough according to recipe instructions. It’s easy, a basic chocolate chip cookie dough only designed to be a bit sturdier to keep the filling from escaping.
- Roll your dough into balls and make an indent with your thumbprint all the way into the center of the cookie dough.
- Grab your cheesecake filling from the freezer. It should be frozen pretty solid by now, but work quickly as it thaws fast! Press a frozen dollop right into the center of your cookie then close the cookie dough around it so it’s completely sealed into the center of the cookie.
- To help keep the cookies from spreading in the oven, I like to return them to the freezer for 15 minutes before I bake them.
- The cookies will be very fragile while they’re still warm, let them cool completely on the baking sheet before removing and enjoying.
Tip: If your cookie dough is too sticky to handle, pop it in the fridge for 15-30 minutes before attempting to roll and fill.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, or let me direct you to some of my existing stuffed cookie recipes: Nutella Stuffed Cookies
Oreo Stuffed Cookies
Reese’s Stuffed Cookies
Funfetti Stuffed Cookies
Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate Cookies
The cookies may be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Because of the amount of sugar we’ve added to the cheesecake filling, refrigeration isn’t necessary, but I honestly prefer these cookies cold (cheesecake should be cold after all, right?!). If you opt to refrigerate them, you should still store in an airtight container and enjoy within 10 days.
More Recipes You Might Like
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! Make sure to check out the how-to VIDEO in the recipe card!
Cheesecake Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
Cheesecake Filling
- 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese, softened
- ¾ cup (95 g) powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup (200 g) brown sugar firmly packed
- ½ cup (100 g) sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature preferred
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 3 cups (380 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup (60 g) mini chocolate chips (or substitute additional regular chocolate chips)
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
Cheesecake Filling
- Prepare cheesecake filling first by combining softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract and stirring until smooth and combined.8 oz (226 g) cream cheese,, ¾ cup (95 g) powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
- Drop by 1 Tablespoon-sized scoops onto a wax paper lined plate or baking sheet and transfer to the freezer to chill while you prepare your cookie dough.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
- In a large bowl using an electric mixer (or using a stand mixer), beat together butter and sugars until creamy and well-combined.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, 1 cup (200 g) brown sugar, ½ cup (100 g) sugar
- Add eggs and vanilla. Stir well.2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.3 cups (380 g) all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Gradually stir dry ingredients into the butter mixture until completely combined.
- Stir in chocolate chips.1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips, ⅓ cup (60 g) mini chocolate chips
- Scoop 3 Tablespoons of cookie dough and form the dough into a ball by gently rolling it between your palms. Make a crater in the center of the dough with your thumb (if the dough is too sticky to manage, place it in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes before proceeding).
- Remove a single scoop of cheesecake mixture from your freezer and gently press it into the crater you just created (see photo in post or video for visual, if needed). Form the dough into a ball around the cheesecake, concealing the cheesecake filling in the center of the cookie. Make sure there are no cracks and no filling is visible (you just want to make sure the filling can't "escape" you can add a bit more dough, if needed!).
- Place cookie dough on a wax paper lined plate and chill in the freezer for 15 minutes (this will keep it from spreading). Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375F (190C).
- After dough has chilled and oven has preheated, place cookie dough balls on parchment paper lined baking sheet, spacing cookies at least 2.5" (6 cm) apart. Bake for 12-13 minutes or edges are beginning to turn golden brown.
- Allow cookies to cool completely on cookie sheet before serving.
Notes
Storing & Serving
These cookies are delicious when served still slightly warm, but I also enjoy them cold (after all, shouldn’t cheesecake be cold?). I store mine in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 10 days. If you don’t want your cookies cold, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Recipe originally published 11/07/2016. Updated for clarity and to include new photos and a video.
Johny Carlos
Hi Sam, am I blind or there is no video?
Thank you
Sam
Hi Johny! It should show just above the ingredients, but if you have an ad blocker enabled it will prevent the video from playing. Alternatively I do have it available on Youtube. 🙂
Vivian Tran
I’m not experienced with cheesecakes as I rarely eat it, but I am experienced with making cookies. So these turned out and looked perfectly fine! However, when eating (at least with the one sample i just tried) the cheesecake portion is sour. Not sure if this is how all cheesecakes are supposed to taste like? I wouldn’t say lemon sour I would just say cream cheese sour. Did I need more sugar next time? I used the recipe’s amount. Thanks!
Sam
Hi Vivian! The filling for this recipe is actually a bit sweeter than traditional cheesecakes, so I think it may just be that you do not care for the cheesecake flavor, unfortunately.
Ashton G.
Hi Sam,
If I would like, could I take the cheesecake filling out and just be left with a normal Chocolate Chip Cookie?
Sam
Hi Ashton! I would recommend trying my worst chocolate chip cookies. 🙂
Ashton G.
Ok, Thanks!!!!!!!
Whitney K
These cookies are fantastic! You knock it out of the park again! I was concerned that the cheesecake part would seep out…but they’re perfect. I’m so glad I made a double batch 😋
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Whitney! 🙂
Liz
Hey Sam! I have my cookies in the freezer currently chilling 🙂 I noticed that the recipe calls for melted butter but then in your video, you used softened butter. In my case, I melted the butter per the instructions. Will it make a difference? My second note is that I didn’t have enough cream cheese to make 24 cookies. I didn’t use a tablespoon but instead a tablespoon cookie scoop. Should it have made a difference? Thanks!
Sam
Hi Liz! I’m sorry for the confusion! I don’t know what happened here, but you do want softened butter not melted butter. They should still turn out with melted butter but they may need a longer chilling time than they would if you used softened butter. I’m not sure I understand the second question, but the cookies can be made smaller if need be, they will just bake for less time. 🙂
Alyssa Loveless
I’m so excited to finally find this recipe again! I cant wait to make a batch (or 10🤤😋)!!!!
BUTTTTT I have a question. I didn’t ever see this part mentioned, did you use Light or Dark brown sugar?
Sorry if I sound ignorant!🤷♀️
Thanks in advance!
Sam
Hi Alyssa! Either will work, but I used light brown sugar. 🙂
Paz
Hi! Do I have to let the coolie stuffed balls thaw if I had them in the freezer overnight ?:)
Sam
You can bake these from frozen. They will take a few more minutes to finish. 🙂
Kimberly
Like to use the cheesecake middle in a different cookie dough.. say Snickerdoodle..do you think that would cause any problems? Thanks!😋
Sam
Hi Kimberly! It honestly depends on the recipe so it’s hard to say.
Elizabeth p
Disaster.
I have been making your recipes for years.
Cream cheese doesn’t really freeze and I was so afraid not to let the cream cheese leak out I made them too large. Instructions were not clear
Elizabeth.
Sam
Hi Elizabeth! I’m sad to hear this 🙁
The cream cheese mixture doesn’t become rock hard, but it freezes enough to hold its shape so long as you put it in the freezer before making the cookie dough. This is also why I have you remove the dollop from the freezer only before adding it to the cookie dough.
Could you tell me which part was particularly unclear? I really want to make this recipe as approachable as possible. I’ve reread the recipe and I also go off of the recipe as I’ve written it when making my video to make sure it’s as clear as possible, but I’d like to fix any place that is unclear.
Thanks for trying my recipes, I’m disappointed that this one wasn’t a success for you as it has been for me 🙁
Connie
If I were to make this into a bar cookie, with the cream cheese mix in between layers of the cookie dough, what size pan should I use, and how long should it be baked?
Sam
Hi Connie! I’m not quite sure. I think it could work in a 9 x 13, but I am not sure how long it would need to bake. If you try it I would love to know how it goes. 🙂
Andres
Love the new photos!
Robert G Scott
Hi, I just made these and the dough was very bitter? So i baked them to see if there would be a change in taste after baking and they seemed bitter and salty? I cut the recipe exactly in half. What could have gone wrong?
Thankyou.
Sam
Hi Robert, assuming everything was reduced properly and nothing was mis-measured, it sounds like either your baking powder or baking soda is bad 🙁
Robert G Scott
After doing a quick taste test of my baking powder,Baking soda,sugar and salt. I have been baking all day and put my sa;t into the sugar and that caused my salty bitterness. Thank you so much for your help and now will enjoy your delicous Cheesecake Chocolate Chip Cookies. Happy Holidays.
Hla
Can I make balls of the cheesecake like Nutella balls and let’em freeze overnight?
Sam
Hmmm I’m not quite sure what you mean here. Do you want to just eat the cheesecake by itself and not stick it in a cookie?
Adedayo Sobowale
For the softened cream cheese, can I use spreadable cream cheese instead?
Sam
No the spreadable cream cheese won’t work the same here. 🙁
Aubrey Klaffer
Hi so um do you cook the cheesecake inside of the cookie or put it in after?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Aubrey! You bake the cheesecake in the cookie (reference steps 12-14). Make a crater in the center of the dough with your thumb and gently press a frozen dollop of cheesecake filling in the center. Roll the dough into a ball around the center, taking care to ensure that no cracks remain and no filling is visible (add more dough, if needed). Then, bake. 🙂
James
How does this recipe compare to your WORST chocolate chip cookie recipe? Would adding the maple syrup to this recipe be a good thing?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, James! My WORST Chocolate Chip Cookies are my number one cookie recipe, but this would be a close second. You could always use that recipe and include the cheesecake filling of this one. So, yes… maple syrup can be added. With the filling, I found that the maple syrup made it too sweet for most. 🙂
James
Thanks!