Description
These Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cookies are a decadent treat featuring a soft, buttery cookie dough wrapped around a creamy cheesecake filling, baked to golden perfection and topped with a swirl of cheesecake, luscious caramel sauce, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt for that perfect balance of sweet and salty.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups (280g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cheesecake Filling
- 4 oz (115g) cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Toppings
- ½ cup (120ml) thick caramel sauce (homemade or store-bought)
- Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Prepare the Cheesecake Filling: In a small bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. This mixture will be used as the filling inside and topping for the cookies.
- Chill the Filling: Transfer the cheesecake filling to a piping bag or a ziplock bag and refrigerate for 15 minutes to firm it up slightly, making it easier to work with when assembling the cookies.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to combine the leavening agents and salt evenly with the flour.
- Cream Butters and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. This step incorporates air and ensures a tender cookie.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the creamed butter and sugar mixture until fully combined and smooth.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
- Form Dough Discs: Scoop about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough and flatten it slightly into a thick disc shape with your hands to prepare for adding the cheesecake filling.
- Add Cheesecake Filling: Place about 1 teaspoon of the chilled cheesecake filling in the center of each dough disc, then fold the dough around the filling, sealing it well to fully enclose the cheesecake.
- Shape into Balls: Shape the filled dough into slightly domed balls, ensuring the filling is completely covered by the dough.
- Arrange on Baking Sheet: Place the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Chill Cookies: Refrigerate the assembled cookie dough balls for 20 to 30 minutes to prevent excessive spreading during baking and to firm them up.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the chilled cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers look set.
- Cool Slightly: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Add Toppings: Once cooled, pipe a swirl of the reserved cheesecake filling on top of each cookie, then drizzle with caramel sauce and sprinkle with flaky sea salt to enhance the flavor contrast.
Notes
- Make sure the cream cheese and butter are softened to room temperature for smooth mixing.
- Chilling the dough before baking helps maintain thickness and reduces spreading.
- Use thick caramel sauce to prevent it from running too much over the cookies.
- If you don’t have a piping bag, a ziplock bag with a small corner cut off works well to pipe the filling.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- For extra indulgence, serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
