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Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies

Published on . Last updated on . By . 183 Comments

This post contains affiliate links. Read the full disclosure here.

These strawberry cheesecake cookies are soft, buttery, and filled with real strawberry pieces in every bite. They are naturally flavored and stuffed with a delicious cream cheese filling!

strawberry cheesecake cookies on parchment
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I never knew I could love a cookie as much as I love these strawberry cheesecake cookies (and I LOVE cookies, so that's saying something). Up until now my favorite cookie was a tie between peanut butter cookies or cookie butter cookies. But these strawberry cream cheese cookies take the cake.

They're easy to make, so buttery, have slightly crispy edges, and are so soft and pillowy. The flavor from the tiny chunks of strawberry throughout the batter is just amazing, and the cream cheese filling in the middle stays gooey while providing a tang in every bite. They are truly summer in cookie form!

strawberry cheesecake cookies split in half showing the inside of the cookies

Why These Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies Work

  • The strawberry cookie dough has real strawberries folded into the dough, which gives the cookies a natural strawberry flavor without the need for anything artificial.
  • Cream cheese filling is frozen and then wrapped up in between two balls of cookie dough, then baked, so there's a perfect mix of cream cheese and strawberries in every bite.
  • These cookies are big and pillowy, and because of the cream cheese filling, they stay soft for days!
strawberry cheesecake cookies stacked on each other

Ingredients

These strawberry cheesecake cookies require 11 simple ingredients. A few notes about the ingredients:

  • Butter: you can use regular butter, or dairy free butter for these cookies.
  • Cream Cheese: you can use regular cream cheese or a dairy free/vegan cream cheese alternative for the filling. Ingredients used to make vegan cream cheese can vary so some may take longer to freeze than others, and regular (dairy) cream cheese will require more icing sugar to achieve the gooey filling.
  • Strawberries: I strongly recommend using fresh strawberries. Frozen strawberries will release water into the dough and make it more wet and sticky. If you only have frozen strawberries, see recipe notes below for more instructions!
strawberry cream cheese cookies with stuffed filling showing

Step By Step Instructions

STEP ONE: In a small bowl, mix cream cheese with powdered sugar until smooth. Line a small baking sheet or plate with parchment paper and place 12 heaping teaspoons of cream cheese on it. Freeze for at least one hour, or until frozen almost completely solid.

STEP TWO: Once the cream cheese is frozen, prepare two large baking sheets and set aside.

STEP THREE:  Beat butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, then mix in the egg and vanilla extract. Add in the dry ingredients until just combined.

STEP FOUR: Chop up the strawberries and very gently fold them into the cookie dough.

process shot collage of strawberry cream cheese cookies

STEP FIVE: Scoop 10-12 heaping tablespoons of dough onto one lined baking sheet (each ball of dough will be almost 2 tbsps measured), Gently press a dent into half of the balls of dough. Take 6 cream cheese balls out of the freezer and place them on top of 6 of the balls of dough.

STEP SIX: Cover each ball of dough with another ball of dough, pinching the sides to seal it and keep the cream cheese inside. Place the tray in the fridge then repeat on a second tray with the remaining cookie dough.

STEP SEVEN: Preheat the oven. Chill the prepared dough while the oven preheats, then bake one tray at a time for 13-17 minutes. Leave cookies on the tray for 10-15 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.

Note: Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.

process shot collage of strawberry cream cheese cookies

FAQS

What kind of cream cheese should I use?

This recipe can be made with regular dairy ingredients if you aren't dairy free. If using regular cream cheese, the full fat kind is best and you should increase icing sugar to ⅓ cup.

Regular (not vegan) cream cheese is firmer than vegan cream cheese alternatives, so it requires more icing sugar to achieve a softer filling.

If using dairy free/vegan cream cheese, be aware that every cream cheese brand is different. Some are made with a coconut base (which I prefer), others use tofu as a base. The time it takes to freeze the filling will vary based on the kind of cream cheese used.

Can I skip the filling?

Absolutely! You can totally skip the cheesecake part of these cookies and just make the most delicious strawberry butter cookies you've ever tasted.

Can I use frozen strawberries?

Yes but it's not recommended. I tested these cookies many times with frozen strawberries and they work but you have to move really quickly because frozen strawberries hold water, that releases into the cookie dough as they thaw, making the cookie dough sticky and harder to work with. The color can sometimes bleed into the dough with frozen strawberries.

If you only have frozen strawberries, you can still use them. Be sure to dice them up before making the dough, then just work really quickly to assemble the cookies.

strawberry cheesecake cookies split in half showing the inside of the cookies

Expert Tips

  • Use fresh strawberries instead of frozen. Frozen strawberries hold a lot of water and will make the dough very sticky.
  • As you fold the top ball of dough over the cream cheese, the dough may start to get sticky. Keep a cloth nearby and wipe your fingers on it before moving to the next cookie to make it a bit easier to work with.
  • Try not to add more strawberries to the dough than the recipe calls for. Too many strawberries will make the dough hard to work with.
  • When assembling the cookies, make sure to use heaping tablespoons. These are big cookies! Each assembled ball will contain around 3-4 tablespoons of dough.
  • Preheat the oven after you've prepared the dough with the filling inside. It isn't a long chill time, but it just helps to firm up the cookies after you've been handling the dough and softening it up.
hands holding a strawberry cheesecake cookie

Storage and Freezing Instructions

The cookies are best enjoyed fresh, when the edges are still slightly crispy and crunchy. The cookies start to soften over time, so if you enjoy soft cookies you'll like these even more the next day.

Because of the cream cheese filling, the cookies should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for around 3-4 days.

You can also freeze them to enjoy later and let thaw in the fridge when you're ready to eat!

strawberry cheesecake cookies pin for pinterest

MORE 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!

strawberry cheesecake cookies split in half showing the inside of the cookies

Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies

Gabby
These strawberry cheesecake cookies are soft, buttery, filled with real strawberry flavor, then stuffed with a cream cheese filling!
5 from 100 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chill Time 25 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 cookies
Calories 420 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
 
 

Cookies

  • 1 cup butter (regular or vegan), softened
  • ¾ cup white sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2¾ cup all-purpose flour * SEE NOTES
  • ½-⅔ cup fresh strawberries, diced small* SEE NOTES

Cream Cheese Filling

  • ¾ cup cream cheese (regular or vegan)* (6 oz) SEE NOTES
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar* SEE NOTES if using regular (not vegan) cream cheese

Instructions
 

  • This recipe makes 12 LARGE cookies. See NOTES below for instructions to make smaller cookies** Line a small baking sheet or plate with parchment paper. In a small bowl, use a whisk or mixer (depending how hard your cream cheese is) to mix the cream cheese with powdered sugar until smooth and combined.
  • Place 10-12 heaping teaspoons of cream cheese on the baking sheet or plate. Freeze for at least one hour, or until frozen almost completely solid.
  • When the cream cheese is frozen almost solid, line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda then set aside.
  • In the bowl of a handheld mixer or standing mixer, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy (about 1-2 minutes). Mix in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract.
  • Add in the flour, salt, and baking soda, and mix until just combined (don't over-mix).
  • Dice the strawberries and gently fold them in. You don't want to mix them in too much or they'll get squished and the color will bleed into the dough.
  • Scoop 12 heaping tablespoons of dough onto each baking sheet. They should be fairly big - if measured they'd be about 2 tbsp-sized (these are big cookies!). Press the back of a teaspoon slightly into the top of half the balls of dough to create an indent.
  • Remove the cream cheese filling from the freezer and place one into each of the cookies. Take a second ball of dough and place it over the cream cheese, pinching the sides to seal the cream cheese inside (see picture in post above), but making sure to not squish the cream cheese into the cookie dough. The dough may start to get sticky and a bit crumbly, and a bit harder to work with because of the strawberries, but just go with it! Wipe your hands clean before moving on to the next cookie. You should have tall balls of dough.
  • Refrigerate the prepared cookie dough balls and repeat with the second cookie sheet and remaining dough. Preheat the oven to 350°F and leave the cookie dough in the fridge while it preheats.
  • Bake the cookies in the preheated oven one sheet at a time for 13-17 minutes, or until the edges are slightly golden brown and the tops are set. Remove from the oven and leave them on the baking sheet for 10-15 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Video

Notes

PLEASE NOTE: I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh your dry ingredients. Metric measurements are found above under the "Metric" tab.
CREAM CHEESE: depending on what kind of cream cheese you use, the amount of time it takes to freeze the filling may vary.
FLOUR: It is very important that you measure your flour properly! The dough should be slightly more crumbly than a typical cookies dough, but if you use too much flour your dough will be very, very dry. The right way to measure your flour is to weigh it, or use the scoop and level method.
STRAWBERRIES: These cookies work best with fresh strawberries. If you must use frozen, be aware that frozen strawberries hold water so you'll have to work really quickly when assembling the cookies so that the dough doesn't get too sticky, and color may bleed into the dough.
POWDERED SUGAR: If you are using regular (not vegan) cream cheese, increase the powdered sugar to ⅓ cup. It's firmer than vegan cream cheese so more icing sugar will make the filling softer.
TO MAKE SMALLER COOKIES: This recipe makes 12 big cookies. To make smaller cookies, reduce size of cream cheese filling balls to just under 1 teaspoon (instead of 1 heaping tsp). Make each ball of dough 1 tablespoon (instead of 2 tbsp). The assembled cookie will have around 2 tablespoon of dough total. Bake for 10-13 minutes.
Note: Be sure to cover the top and bottom of the cookie dough balls with enough dough - if you have leftover dough after 12 cookies, then the cookies will be too thin to hold the cream cheese filling inside (causing the filling to come out of the bottom). Add all the remaining dough to the bottom and tops of the assembled cookie dough (rather than trying to stretch it further and make more cookies).
Storage Instructions: The cookies are best enjoyed fresh, but you can store them in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the fridge. You can also freeze them in a ziploc bag and let thaw in the fridge when you're ready to eat them.
Note: this recipe was updated on 07/02 with 1 egg yolk added to the recipe ingredient list. The egg yolk helps the dough to not be as sticky, but doesn't change the flavor of the cookies. If you prefer to make the original recipe, simply omit the extra egg yolk from the recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 420kcal
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

The calorie information provided for this recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Gabby

      Hi! Thanks so much for the feature Heather! I've shared the post 🙂

      Reply

  2. Jessica

    Hi! I’m planning on making these this weekend. Which dairy free cream cheese do you suggest?

    Reply

    • Gabby

      Hi Jessica! My favorite dairy free cream cheese is the President's Choice brand, but they only have it in Canada. If you aren't in Canada, the Violife brand is also really good. I haven't tried these with Kite Hill brand myself, but I know readers have told me they tried Kite Hill with this recipe and it turned out great! The one brand of cream cheese I personally didn't like at all was Daiya - I found it came out a bit runny (so I put them in the fridge and the cream cheese did firm up) and I personally don't like the flavor of that one at all. I hope that helps! I'd love to hear how they turn out when you make them! Enjoy 🙂

      Reply

  3. Morgan

    5 stars
    Drooling these are sooooo good!!

    Reply

    • Gabby

      Hi Morgan! I'm so happy to hear that you loved the cookies! Thanks so much for trying the recipe 🙂

      Reply

  4. Audrey

    I have freeze dried sliced strawberries, do you think those would work in this recipe ins place of fresh?

    Reply

    • Gabby

      Hi Audrey! Yes freeze dried strawberries should work totally fine instead of fresh! I'd love to hear how it goes if you try it! 🙂

      Reply

  5. Angel

    Oh my GOODNESS!!! These cookies are amazing! I think they are my new faves! Thank you for this recipe!!!???

    Reply

    • Gabby

      Hi Angel! I'm so happy to hear that you loved the cookies, this made my day! Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and leave a review 😀

      Reply

  6. Danielle

    5 stars
    SO GOOD! Made a single batch with Kite Hill almond cream cheese and Bob Redmill’s egg replacer and they turned out perfect! (Note, I was worried about them spreading, as can sometimes happen when using an egg replacer, so I added a half teaspoon of cream of tartar). I did make them a little smaller, using one teaspoon (not heaping) for the cream cheese and two tablespoons (not heaping) for each cookie — one tablespoon on bottom and another to cover the frozen cream cheese ball. I ended up with exactly 22 cookies and 12 teaspoons of cream cheese balls leftover. I plan to just use the cream cheese as a spread on a plain bagel. I kept them in the fridge and they stayed good for 4 days, on day 5 they started to get a little soggy on the bottom. These cookies were delicious right out of the oven, but otherwise need to be eaten cold out of the fridge (I tried warming one in the microwave and the cream cheese got melty and hot but cookie was still cold and it was a weird combo). Can’t wait to make them again!

    Reply

    • Gabby

      Hi Danielle! Wow, I am so, so happy that you loved the cookies! And I'm so happy to hear that they worked out well with the egg replacer! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave a review, and I know this will be really helpful information for other readers too! 🙂

      Reply

  7. belinda creasser

    If forego filling presume cookies can be baked immediately???

    Reply

    • Gabby

      Yes that is correct!

      Reply

  8. Rose

    5 stars
    I haven't made these yet, as strawberry's are just now coming in along with blueberries and blackberries. Can either of these be use also for the cookies? Thanks

    Reply

    • Gabby

      Hi Rose! I haven't tried making these with blackberries or blueberries but I think it should work if they are fresh. The blackberries would need to be chopped into quarters (depending on how big they are). I would recommend freezing the berries for about 30-60 minutes (if using blackberries, chop them up before freezing), then tossing them in a bowl with some flour to coat them and reduce the chances of colour spread before folding into the dough. Blueberries can be really juicy too, so just try not to squish the berries too much when mixing them in. Would love to hear how it goes if you try it! Thanks so much for stopping by 🙂

      Reply

      • Rose

        5 stars
        Thanks for the quick reply! If I do make these with other berries I will let you know how they turn out.

      • Sandra

        How about not mixing the blueberries into the cookie dough maybe mix it with the cream cheese more like a stuffed cookie.

      • Gabby

        Hi Sandra, I haven't tried making these with blueberries or mixing the berries in with the cream cheese, but I'd love to hear how it goes if you try it!

  9. Ottávio

    5 stars
    Great & delicious ?

    Reply

    • Gabby

      Thank you so much! So happy that you loved them!

      Reply

  10. Thelma

    Can bobs red mill gluten free flour 1 to 1 baking flour be used

    Reply

    • Gabby

      Hi Thelma! I think that Bob's Red Mill 1-1 AP flour would work the best out of any gluten free flour option for this recipe. However, I haven't tested it myself with that flour, so I can't say for sure how it would turn out! Would love to hear how it goes if you try it!

      Reply

    • Sakina

      5 stars
      Made these and they were so delicious!!! Thank you so much for the recipe!

      Reply

      • Gabby

        Hi Sakina! Yay! I am so happy that you loved the cookies 🙂 Thanks for the review!

  11. Mary

    Can I use the sugar free sugar and also can I use almond flour in this receipe?

    Reply

    • Gabby

      Hi Mary, I haven't tested this recipe with sugar free sugars or with almond flour, so I can't say how the cookies would turn out. I think it would also depend on which type of sugar free sugar substitute you are using, but I believe they wouldn't spread or be as soft. Here is a resource you could check out to learn more about using sugar substitutes in baking: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/blog/2020/01/27/sugar-alternatives-for-baking and here is a good resource for substituting almond flour in baking: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/blog/2017/03/20/baking-with-almond-flour

      Good luck!

      Reply

      • Kelly

        What a awesome recipe what can I use instead of the on egg as I have a child with a egg allergy

      • Rebecca

        I just wanted to pop in and say - “Well done on taking the extra time to respond with additional resources!”
        I have read through most of your comments and responses and I’m pleased to say that you do a great job and I’m proud of you for going the extra! That’s hard to find these days! You should be very proud! And of course this recipe is an absolute must try for everyone who loves either strawberries, cream cheese or cookies! They are fantastic!
        Take care! ?

      • Gabby

        Hi Rebecca! What a lovely thing to say - thank you so much! I do try really hard to make sure that readers have as much information as possible 🙂 I'm also so happy to hear that you loved the recipe as well! Thank you again for the kind words and for taking the time to leave a comment 🙂

  12. Debbie

    These look amazing. Do you think I could use fresh cherries in place of strawberries?

    Reply

    • Gabby

      Hi Debbie! I think fresh cherries would work fine in this recipe, but I would recommend patting them with dry after chopping them up. Cherries tend to bleed their color more than strawberries so this step might help with that. I'd love to hear how it goes if you try it!

      Reply

  13. Katie

    How many cookies does one recipe make? I’m going to try them tonight!

    Reply

    • Gabby

      Hi Katie! The recipe makes 12 big cookies! 🙂 Thanks for giving the recipe a try and enjoy!!

      Reply

  14. Catherine

    This recipe looks great....can I double it if I want to make more cookies? Do I keep the same measurements?
    Thanks in advance.

    Reply

    • Gabby

      Hi Catherine! Yes, absolutely you can double it - just double all measurements and be sure to chill the assembled dough while the other cookies bake 🙂 Enjoy!

      Reply

      • Kendra

        Can Freeze dried strawberries be used for this recipe?

      • Gabby

        Yes, definitely!

    • tara

      Is it packed brown sugar or granulated brown sugar?

      Reply

      • Gabby

        Hi Tara - it's packed light brown sugar 🙂

  15. Taylor

    5 stars
    easily one of the best cookies I've ever had, soft, sweet and delicious! could definitely eat an entire batch in one sitting, be careful!

    Reply

    • Gabby

      What a compliment, thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review! I'm so happy to hear that you loved the recipe - these are my absolute favorite cookies too!

      Reply

    • Lauren

      5 stars
      This was excellent! I might try just a bit more strawberries or maybe a drizzle to get a bit more strawberry flavor. But this is hands down my favorite recipe Ive tried in years!

      Reply

      • Gabby

        Hi Lauren! Yay! What a compliment! I'm so happy that you love them! Freeze dried strawberries tend to provide more flavor than fresh or frozen, so that's always an option as well! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a review 🙂

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