Description
These Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookies combine the warmth of classic gingerbread spices with a creamy cheesecake center, creating a deliciously festive treat perfect for holiday gatherings or cozy winter snacking.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cheesecake Filling
- 6 oz cream cheese, cold
- 3 tbsp granulated white sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
For the Spiced Sugar
- 6 tbsp 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
For the Gingerbread Cookies
- 2 1/2 cups 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 unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/3 cup unsulphured molasses
Instructions
- Prepare the Cheesecake Filling: Line a small cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a small mixing bowl, add cold cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat until the mixture is fluffy and the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Scoop 18 portions of 2 teaspoons each onto the baking sheet and freeze until very firm.
- Make the Spiced Sugar: In a small bowl, whisk together sugar, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves until well combined, then set aside.
- Prepare the Dry Ingredients: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, salt, and baking soda. Set this flour mixture aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer on high speed, cream softened butter and light brown sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add egg yolks, molasses, and vanilla to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix on medium speed for one minute until fluffy.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until just combined to form the cookie dough.
- Assemble Cookies: Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion dough into 18 balls. Slightly flatten each dough ball, place a frozen cheesecake ball in the center, then carefully wrap the dough around it and roll it into a ball ensuring the cheesecake is fully enclosed. Roll each cookie ball in the spiced sugar mixture.
- Bake the Cookies: Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets in batches of 6. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes.
- Cool and Serve: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, then serve.
Notes
- Keep the cheesecake balls frozen until ready to use to prevent melting during assembly.
- Use parchment paper on baking sheets to prevent sticking and for easy cleanup.
- If molasses is unavailable, blackstrap molasses can be used but will yield a stronger flavor.
- Rolling the cookies in the spiced sugar adds a nice extra flavor and texture contrast.
- Be gentle when enclosing the cheesecake so it doesn’t burst during baking.
- Store leftover cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep the cheesecake fresh.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
