Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookies Recipe
If you adore festive flavors and crave a dessert that feels like a cozy hug on a chilly evening, these Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookies are about to become your new holiday obsession. Imagine the tender, spiced gingerbread exterior giving way to a creamy, dreamy cheesecake center that adds a surprise richness with every bite. These cookies blend the best of both worlds: the warm spices of gingerbread combined with the luscious smoothness of cheesecake for a treat that’s as delightful to look at as it is to devour.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Getting the flavors just right calls for a simple lineup of ingredients, each one essential to creating the perfect balance of spice, sweetness, and creamy tang. The ingredients come together to provide beautiful color, luscious texture, and that spicy warmth that makes gingerbread so special.
- Cream cheese: Cold cream cheese is the foundation for the rich cheesecake filling, lending a smooth texture and tangy flavor.
- Granulated white sugar: Used twice, first in the cheesecake filling and then in the spiced sugar coating, it balances sweetness and texture perfectly.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a subtle warmth and rounds out the flavors, enhancing both the cookie and cheesecake components.
- Ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves: These warm spices are the soul of the gingerbread flavor, responsible for that irresistible holiday aroma and taste.
- All-purpose flour: The structure provider, spooned and leveled to keep the cookies tender yet sturdy enough to encase the cheesecake center.
- Salt and baking soda: Classic baking essentials that ensure even rising and flavor balance.
- Unsalted butter: Softened to create a fluffy dough, it adds richness and helps the cookies spread just right.
- Light brown sugar: Packed for moisture and a hint of molasses undertone, enriching the cookie’s depth of flavor.
- Egg yolks: Bring extra richness and tenderness, key for that soft, slightly chewy cookie texture.
- Unsulphured molasses: The heart of the gingerbread taste, adding deep color and complex sweetness.
How to Make Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookies
Step 1: Prepare the Cheesecake Filling
Start by lining a small cookie sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Blend the cold cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla using an electric mixer until the mixture is fluffy and smooth, typically about two minutes. Then, scoop the mixture into eighteen small balls and freeze them until they are very firm—this step is crucial so the cheesecake stays perfectly creamy inside the cookies without melting out.
Step 2: Mix the Spiced Sugar
Whisk together the sugar with ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves. This spiced sugar will add a beautiful sweet and spicy coating that enhances the cookie’s holiday personality. Set it aside while you work on the cookie dough.
Step 3: Combine the Dry Ingredients for Cookies
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare two parchment-lined baking sheets. In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, salt, and baking soda until well combined. This fragrant dry mix will give your cookies their signature gingerbread taste and perfect crumb.
Step 4: Cream the Butter and Sugars
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the unsalted butter and light brown sugar on high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about two minutes. This step is key for airy cookies with tender bite. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl for even mixing.
Step 5: Add Wet Ingredients to Dough
Beat in the egg yolks, molasses, and vanilla on medium speed until well combined and fluffy. The molasses will deepen the cookie flavor and lend that classic gingerbread color everyone loves.
Step 6: Pull It All Together
Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until incorporated. The dough will be thick and spiced, ready to embrace the cheesecake balls hidden inside.
Step 7: Assemble the Cookies
Using a 2-tablespoon scoop, portion out eighteen dough balls. Flatten each slightly, then place a frozen cheesecake ball in the center. Wrap the dough fully around the cheesecake and roll gently into a smooth ball to seal the filling inside. Next, roll each filled dough ball in the spiced sugar mixture, coating them well for a sparkle of festive sweetness.
Step 8: Bake to Perfection
Arrange six cookies on a baking sheet and bake for 11 to 12 minutes until just set but still soft in the center. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for ten minutes—they need this time to firm up slightly—before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. The results are chewy, tender gingerbread cookies with gooey, melt-in-your-mouth cheesecake centers that will wow everyone.
How to Serve Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookies
Garnishes
Sprinkle a dusting of powdered sugar over the cookies just before serving for a snowy winter effect. You can also consider drizzling white chocolate or a simple glaze made from powdered sugar and milk for an extra touch of sweetness and elegance.
Side Dishes
Pair your Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookies with a warm cup of spiced chai tea or a classic cup of hot cocoa. The warm drinks perfectly complement the cookies’ spiced sweetness and creamy center, making for a truly comforting dessert experience.
Creative Ways to Present
For a festive touch, arrange the cookies on a holiday-themed platter surrounded by fresh rosemary sprigs and cranberries. Alternatively, layer them between sheets of wax paper for gifting or beautifully box them up with a satin ribbon for a charming homemade holiday gift.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Leftover Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookies taste incredible stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. To keep them fresh longer, you can refrigerate them, but bring them to room temperature before serving to enjoy the soft cheesecake center at its best.
Freezing
These cookies freeze wonderfully, whether baked or unbaked. For best results, freeze the assembled but unbaked cookies on a sheet, then transfer to a freezer-safe container. Freeze baked cookies in an airtight container, layered with parchment paper to prevent sticking. When ready to enjoy, thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature.
Reheating
To bring the cookies back to their fresh-baked glory, warm them in a low oven at 300°F (150°C) for 5 to 7 minutes. Just enough to soften the cheesecake center without melting it too much—this little trick revives that gooey irresistibility perfectly.
FAQs
Can I use low-fat cream cheese for the cheesecake filling?
For the best creamy texture and flavor, full-fat cream cheese is recommended. Using low-fat versions might result in a less smooth and flavorful filling that could affect the overall cookie experience.
Is it necessary to freeze the cheesecake balls before baking?
Yes, freezing the cheesecake balls is important to keep them firm so they don’t melt out during baking. This step ensures each cookie has a luscious, intact cheesecake center.
Can I make these cookies ahead and freeze them unbaked?
Absolutely! Assemble the cookies, freeze them on a baking sheet, then store in a freezer-safe container. When you want to bake, pop them straight into the oven from frozen—just add a minute or two to the baking time.
What if I don’t have all the spices? Can I use a store-bought gingerbread spice blend?
Yes, a store-bought gingerbread spice blend works just fine. Just substitute an equivalent amount to maintain the warm, spiced flavor profile that defines these cookies.
Are these cookies gluten-free?
This recipe uses regular all-purpose flour, so it’s not gluten-free as is. However, you can experiment with a gluten-free flour blend, but results may vary since texture and moisture content can change.
Final Thoughts
These Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookies are a magical mash-up of spicy, soft gingerbread and creamy cheesecake that’s sure to become a holiday favorite. From the first bite to the last, they offer layers of flavor that feel like a festive celebration in your mouth. I can’t wait for you to try making these at home and share them with everyone you love—they’re truly irresistible and will bring that extra special touch to any cookie platter.
Print
Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookies Recipe
- Total Time: 42 minutes
- Yield: 18 cookies 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Delight in these Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookies, combining the warm, spiced flavors of classic gingerbread with a creamy cheesecake surprise in every bite. Perfectly soft and chewy with a spiced sugar coating, these cookies are an irresistible holiday treat.
Ingredients
Cheesecake Filling
- 6 oz (170 g) cream cheese, cold
- 3 tbsp (38 g) granulated white sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Spiced Sugar
- 6 tbsp (75 g) 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
Gingerbread Cookie Dough
- 2 1/2 cups (313 g) 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 (168 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (165 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup (113 g) unsulphured molasses
Instructions
- Prepare the Cheesecake Filling: Line a small cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a small mixing bowl, combine the cold cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat until the mixture is fluffy and the sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes.
- Portion and Freeze Cheesecake: Using a teaspoon, scoop the cheesecake mixture into 18 portions and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Freeze until firm and very cold.
- Make Spiced Sugar: In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and all the spices until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar with an electric hand mixer on high speed until fluffy and lightened in color, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Mix in the egg yolks, molasses, and vanilla extract on medium speed for about one minute until the mixture is combined and fluffy.
- Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until incorporated.
- Assemble Cookies: Scoop the dough into 18 portions using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop and roll into balls. Flatten each dough ball slightly. Place a frozen cheesecake ball in the center, wrap the dough around it completely, and roll again into a ball ensuring the cheesecake filling is fully enclosed.
- Coat with Spiced Sugar: Roll each cookie ball in the prepared spiced sugar mixture completely covering them.
- Bake: Place 6 cookies per baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 11-12 minutes until edges are set but centers are soft.
- Cool and Serve: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Keep cheesecake balls frozen until ready to assemble to prevent melting during preparation.
- Use room temperature egg yolks for better incorporation into the dough.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- For softer cookies, slightly underbake by one minute.
- These cookies freeze well both before and after baking.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
Keywords: gingerbread cheesecake cookies, holiday cookies, spiced cookies, cheesecake filled cookies, gingerbread recipe
