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Get ready for the ultimate chocolate cheesecake cookies! Picture a soft and gooey chocolate cookie stuffed with the best cheesecake filling - heaven! I promise that these chocolate cookies with cream cheese are going to be a family favorite.
I’ve already got all the fruity cheesecake cookies (like my lemon cheesecake and raspberry cheesecake cookies) here at Cookie Dough Diaries, so you know I had to have a chocolate version!
These chocolate cheesecake cookies have the cream cheese filling you know and love, but they’re stuffed in a chocolatey and buttery cookie and may be my favorite version of the cheesecake cookie so far!
Why You'll Love These Chocolate Cheesecake Cookies
- The cookies are extra chocolatey thanks to both cocoa powder and chocolate chips. Double the chocolate, double the fun!
- This is a great recipe for those with food allergies as you can easily make them dairy free, gluten free, egg free and vegan.
- No fancy ingredients here, I bet you aready have almost everything you need to make these chocolate cookies with cream cheese!
- You can freeze the double chocolate cream cheese cookies, so you’ve always got some on hand.
Ingredients Needed
- Flour: you can use all purpose flour, or if you’re gluten free you can use gluten free all purpose 1-1 baking flour.
- Egg: I’ve used an egg here, but if you’re vegan you can use one flax egg instead.
- Cream Cheese: you can use vegan or regular cream cheese. If using vegan cream cheese, try to use one with a coconut base. If you’re based in Europe and your cream cheese comes in tubs, make sure to pat it dry as it has a higher moisture content!
- Cocoa Powder: I recommend using Dutch process cocoa powder here.
- Powdered Sugar: please note that the amount of powdered sugar needed changes depending on whether you’re using vegan or regular cream cheese!
- Butter: you can use regular or vegan butter if you’re dairy free or vegan.
Step by Step Instructions
Note: Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
Step 1: Start by making the cheesecake filling. Line a plate with parchment paper. In a bowl, combine all of the cheesecake filling ingredients until smooth.
Place 16 heaping teaspoons of the filling onto the parchment paper, slightly flattening each ball. Freeze until solid, this can take 45-60 minutes.
Step 2: When the cheesecake filling is almost solid, start making the cookies. Preheat your oven to 350° Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the butter with the white sugar and light brown sugar until soft and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract.
Step 3: Add in the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Step 4: Scoop out the cookie dough into 2 tablespoon sized balls and place on the lined baking sheets.
Step 5: Take the cheesecake filling out of the freezer and gently press one onto each cookie dough ball. Using your hands, work the dough around the cream cheese filling so it is completely covered with cookie dough.
You can press a few extra chocolate chips on top of each cookie for that bakery style look!
Step 6: Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 9-12 minutes. While one sheet is baking, keep the sheet with unbaked cookies in the fridge. Enjoy!
FAQs and Expert Tips
Yes! Just use vegan butter, vegan cream cheese, a flax egg and vegan chocolate chips.
First step is making sure you’ve used the correct amount of powdered sugar. The amount of powdered sugar depends on whether you’re using vegan cream cheese or regular cream cheese, and using the incorrect amount will lead to a softer cream cheese filling.
Next, make sure you give it enough time in the freezer to set up! If you’re using a vegan cream cheese it will take longer in the freezer, so keep that in mind.
I recommend sticking to dutch processed cocoa powder here! Not sure what your cocoa powder is? Check the ingredients! If it mentions alkali or acidity regulators then it’s dutch processed cocoa powder.
Expert Tips
- I recommend using a weighing scale to measure out your flour and cocoa powder. You can easily add too much flour or cocoa powder if you’re using measuring cups, leading to dry and crumbly cookies. If you don't have a scale, be sure to use the scoop and level method.
- Double check the amounts of powdered sugar you need! It will all depend on the type of cream cheese you’re using.
- To get that bakery style look, add extra chocolate chips on top of each cookie dough ball before baking. Then once they’re fresh out of the oven, use a large biscuit cutter to scoot the cookies into a perfect shape.
- While the first baking sheet of cookies bakes, make sure to keep the other sheet in the fridge. You don’t want the cookie dough balls to get too warm.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
These cookies are best eaten on the day of baking, but you can store any leftover cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To freeze, place the baked and cool chocolate cheesecake cookies in a ziploc bag for up to 2 months. Defrost before enjoying!
More Cheesecake Cookie Recipes You'll Love
If you make this recipe, let me know how it went in the comments below, I’d love to hear from you! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Chocolate Cheesecake Cookies
Video
Equipment
- handheld mixer or Standing Mixer
Ingredients
Cheesecake Filling
- 8 Tablespoons (4oz) cream cheese, softened (regular or vegan)
- 3 Tablespoons powdered sugar (icing sugar/confectioner's sugar) SEE NOTES if using regular (not vegan) cream cheese
Chocolate Cookies
- ½ cup butter, softened (regular or vegan)
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (may sub dark or white chocolate)
Instructions
- Start by making the cheesecake filling. Line a plate with parchment paper. In a bowl, combine all of the cheesecake filling ingredients until smooth. Place 16 heaping teaspoons of the filling onto the parchment paper, slightly flattening each ball. Freeze until solid, this can take 45-60 minutes.
- When the cheesecake filling is almost solid, start making the cookies. Preheat your oven to 350°Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the butter with the white sugar and light brown sugar until soft and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract.
- Add in the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Scoop out the cookie dough into 2 tablespoon sized balls and place on the lined baking sheets.
- Take the cheesecake filling out of the freezer and gently press one onto each cookie dough ball. Using your hands, work the dough around the cream cheese filling so it is completely covered with cookie dough. You can press a few extra chocolate chips on top of each cookie for that bakery style look!
- Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 9-12 minutes. While one sheet is baking, keep the sheet with unbaked cookies in the fridge. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
The calorie information provided for this recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.
Catherine
I’ve made these twice in the past weeks for 2 gatherings and everyone loved them!!! Thank you so much for sharing these awesome recipes!
Gabby
I'm so happy they have been a hit, yay! Thanks for the review!
nataly
does regular butter mean unsalted or salted?
Gabby
You can use either based on your preference. I've made them both ways. Personally I like my treats a little less sweet so salted works for that. If you prefer your desserts to be sweeter you can use unsalted.
Anaga
These turned out so well and were so easy to make!!
Gabby
I'm so happy you loved them Anaga!
Jade Biloff
Saw these on Tik tok and had to make them. They are amazing! Switched flour out for bread flour and made them 2x the size!
Gabby
I'm so happy you loved them Jade!
Jill
Delicious and so simple to make!
Gabby
Yay! I'm so glad to hear that Jill!
Simon
Hi. Love to try this. You mention vegan alternatives, but then you mention an egg. Would they work without an egg? Or is there a way round using one? Thank you.
Gabby
All the instructions for making it vegan are in the body of the post! You can use one flax egg instead.