Cheesecake-Stuffed Strawberry Cookies

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Stand mixer or hand mixer
• •Food processor or spice grinder
• •Two rimmed baking sheets
• •Parchment paper
• •Tablespoon measure or small cookie scoop
• •Wire cooling rack

Instructions

1. 1

   Make cheesecake filling

   Beat the softened cream cheese with a hand mixer or stand mixer until completely smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until incorporated. The mixture should be silky with no lumps. Taste it. This is essentially unbaked cheesecake filling, and it should taste like it.

2. 2

   Portion and freeze filling

   Line a small baking sheet or plate with parchment paper. Using a tablespoon measure, scoop 16 portions of the cream cheese mixture onto the parchment. They don't need to be perfect spheres, just roughly equal. Freeze until completely solid, at least 2 hours or overnight. Do not shortcut this step. Soft filling will leak during baking.

   A small cookie scoop makes quick, even work of portioning the filling.
3. 3

   Prepare strawberry powder

   While the filling freezes, grind your freeze-dried strawberries to a fine powder in a food processor or spice grinder. You can also place them in a zip-top bag and crush with a rolling pin until no large pieces remain. Sift out any stubborn chunks. You want powder that will dissolve into the dough, not chewy bits.

4. 4

   Mix dry ingredients

   In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, strawberry powder, baking soda, and salt. The mixture will turn a dusty pink. Set aside.

5. 5

   Cream butter and sugars

   In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with both sugars using a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. The color will lighten and the volume will increase visibly. Scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through.

   Proper creaming creates air pockets that make your cookies tender. Don't rush this step.
6. 6

   Add eggs and vanilla

   Add the whole egg and egg yolk, beating well after each addition. Pour in the vanilla extract and mix until combined. The mixture may look slightly curdled. That's fine.

7. 7

   Combine wet and dry

   Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in two additions, mixing on low speed just until the flour disappears each time. Fold in the white chocolate chips by hand. The dough will be soft but scoopable, tinted a beautiful rosy pink.

8. 8

   Chill the dough

   Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes. This firms it up enough to wrap around the frozen filling without sticking to your hands. While the dough chills, line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

9. 9

   Assemble stuffed cookies

   Working quickly to keep the filling frozen, take about 3 tablespoons of dough and flatten it in your palm. Place one frozen cream cheese portion in the center. Wrap the dough around the filling, pinching to seal completely. Roll gently into a ball. No filling should be visible. Place seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and filling, spacing cookies 3 inches apart. You should get 16 stuffed cookies.

   If the filling starts to soften, pop it back in the freezer for 10 minutes before continuing.
10. 10

    Final chill

    Freeze the assembled cookies on the baking sheet for at least 30 minutes before baking. This second freeze sets the shape and ensures the cheesecake center stays intact during baking. You can bake straight from frozen.

11. 11

    Preheat oven

    Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven. Preheat to 350°F. Let it come to full temperature before baking.

12. 12

    Bake the cookies

    Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. The cookies are done when the edges are set and just starting to turn golden, but the centers still look slightly underdone and puffy. They'll firm up as they cool. Resist the urge to overbake. The cheesecake center needs that slight underdone quality to stay creamy.

13. 13

    Cool completely

    Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. They're fragile when hot and the filling is molten. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, break one open to admire your work. The strawberry exterior should be tender and slightly chewy, surrounding a tangy, creamy cheesecake pocket.

Chef Tips

• •Freeze-dried strawberries are sold by weight, not volume. One ounce of whole berries yields roughly 3 tablespoons of powder. Buy more than you think you need.
• •The assembled, unbaked cookies freeze beautifully for up to 2 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding 2 minutes to the bake time.
• •For cleaner cuts when checking your cheesecake center, use a warm knife. Run it under hot water and dry before slicing.
• •Room temperature cream cheese is essential. Cold cream cheese leaves lumps in your filling that never fully smooth out.
• •These cookies are best within 3 days. The cream cheese filling eventually firms up too much in the refrigerator. Store at room temperature if eating within a day, refrigerated for longer.

Advance Preparation

• •Cream cheese filling can be portioned and frozen up to 1 week ahead. Keep frozen in an airtight container.
• •Cookie dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days before assembling.
• •Assembled unbaked cookies can be frozen on a baking sheet, then transferred to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Bake directly from frozen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 38g)