• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Cookie Dough Diaries
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Cookies
    • Brownies and Bars
    • No Bake Desserts
    • Cakes and Cupcakes
    • Muffins, Scones, and Loaves
    • Vegan Desserts
    • Drinks & Smoothies
  • About
    • About Me
    • FAQ
  • Work With Me
    • Portfolio
  • Subscribe
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Work With Me
  • Contact Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home > Recipes > Cookies > Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies

    Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies

    Published on April 10, 2021. Last updated on June 8, 2021. By Gabby. 183 Comments

    79.2K shares
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

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

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    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
    TABLE OF CONTENTS show
    1 Why These Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies Work
    2 Ingredients
    3 Step By Step Instructions
    4 FAQS
    5 Storage and Freezing Instructions
    6 Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies

    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 â…“ 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 Banana Milkshake
    • Coconut Milkshake
    • Nutella Milkshake (3 Ingredients!)
    • Strawberry Blackberry Banana Smoothie
    strawberry cheesecake cookies pin for pinterest

    MORE COOKIE RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE

    • Cookies and Cream Stuffed Cookies
    • Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
    • Cookie Butter (Biscoff) Stuffed Cookies
    • Maple Chocolate Chip Cookies

    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 mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Chill Time 25 minutes mins
    Total Time 55 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 cookies
    Calories 420 kcal

    Equipment

    • Baking Sheets
    • handheld mixer or Standing Mixer

    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-â…” 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 â…“ 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.

    « Dairy Free Cupcakes
    Edible Brownie Batter »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Cass

      September 25, 2022 at 7:40 pm

      5 stars
      I loved these cookies! They were so much fun to make and they turned out absolutely delicious! I’ll definitely make them again!

      Reply
      • Gabby

        September 26, 2022 at 5:35 pm

        Hi Cass! I am so happy that you loved the cookies, thanks so much for trying them!

        Reply
    2. liz

      September 05, 2022 at 3:11 pm

      5 stars
      this recipe might just be my favorite thing ever and it's actually so easy to make, thank you for this recipe!!

      Reply
      • Gabby

        September 09, 2022 at 2:30 pm

        Hi Liz! Woohoo!! I am so happy that you love the cookies! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review 😀

        Reply
    3. Ericka

      September 02, 2022 at 5:09 pm

      I am currently attempting to make these but I see no cooking temperature. It said preheat the oven several times, but never what to preheat it to. I'm gonna try 350° and hope they turn out ok.

      Reply
      • Gabby

        September 09, 2022 at 2:36 pm

        Hi Ericka, 350° F is correct. Enjoy!

        Reply
        • Sara

          October 21, 2022 at 3:05 pm

          5 stars
          These cookies are super delicious and combine 2 of my favorite things: strawberry cheesecake and cookies! My sister and BIL who loves strawberry stuff specially request these. The use of fresh strawberries really gives them a nice flavor too, exactly like fresh strawberries on a slice of cheesecake!

        • Gabby

          October 21, 2022 at 3:40 pm

          Hi Sara! I am so happy to hear that you all loved the cookies so much! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review! 🙂

    4. nhi

      August 19, 2022 at 11:09 pm

      hello! i plan on baking the cookies at night and enjoying them with guests the next day. would they still need to be refrigerated? thank you.

      Reply
      • Gabby

        August 22, 2022 at 4:20 pm

        Hi! They should be refrigerated, yes! If possible, I'd really recommend making them the day that you plan to serve them. They soften once they've been in the fridge so they don't have the same slightly crisp outside that they do when freshly baked.

        Reply
    5. Simone Boyd

      August 06, 2022 at 4:43 pm

      Made these with raspberries as it was what I had on hand and with gluten free flour. HIGHLY recommend making sure you leave them to cool on the baking tray for the 20 minutes or longer before transferring to racks, I think the integrity of mine were a bit crumblier/weak due to the gluten free flour and noticed the filling dripping from the bottom of some when I transferred to the racks too soon. Not a big issue I just let them cool longer on the racks. The tops of a few also somewhat caved in even though they were fully cooked so perhaps next time I’d make them smaller.
      Definitely got a decent result with gf flour but as I said the brand I’ve used definitely changed the integrity of the cookie and they became something I needed to eat with a fork and plate. No complaints tho! They’re very large so feel like a cake kinda treat anyway. Absolutely delicious!

      Reply
      • Gabby

        August 08, 2022 at 2:12 pm

        Hi Simone! So happy to hear that the GF option worked out well for you! Thanks so much for sharing how it went 🙂

        Reply
    6. Regina

      August 05, 2022 at 10:35 pm

      These cookies are the fantastic!! Love them I have to give them away, otherwise I will eat them all.

      Reply
      • Gabby

        August 08, 2022 at 2:13 pm

        Hi Regina! I'm so happy that you loved the cookies, thanks so much for the review!

        Reply
        • Julianna

          September 23, 2022 at 3:11 pm

          Hello, when everything is assembled, how long should I refrigerate it for before baking it?

        • Gabby

          September 26, 2022 at 5:38 pm

          Hi Julianna! You can refrigerate for 10-15 minutes and that should be fine!

    7. Esther

      July 27, 2022 at 1:04 pm

      Can I not use the white sugar? Can I replace both sugars with coconut sugar?
      What’s going to happen if I reduce the sugar amount? I’m pregnant so I’m trying to tweak it to be a bit more healthy..

      Reply
      • Gabby

        July 28, 2022 at 1:53 am

        Hi Esther! Honestly, I wouldn't recommend using all coconut sugar or replacing white sugar with brown sugar. But if you want to try it, the cookies will likely still taste good but the texture will be different!

        Reply
    8. Theresa (Sweet Monkey)

      July 26, 2022 at 1:06 pm

      5 stars
      We Love this recipe! The cookies are so delicious and soft! The recipe is also very easy to follow! I love to bake but I do not make cookies often and they came out perfect. A Must Try!!!!

      Reply
      • Gabby

        July 26, 2022 at 5:40 pm

        Hi Theresa! I'm so happy to hear that you loved the cookies so much! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a review!

        Reply
    9. Ammaarah

      July 01, 2022 at 7:07 am

      5 stars
      They were amazing and exactly what I was looking for. The filling actually tastes like cheesecake too!! The only thing I did different was that I froze my cookie dough balls for a bit so the cookies don’t spread as much 🙂

      Reply
      • Gabby

        July 01, 2022 at 9:04 pm

        Hi Ammaarah! Yay!! Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and leave a review, and I'm so happy to hear how much you loved the cookies! 😀

        Reply
    10. Colleen

      June 13, 2022 at 11:09 pm

      Can I make these with gluten free flour?

      Reply
      • Gabby

        June 14, 2022 at 2:24 pm

        Hi Colleen, I haven't tried myself but other readers have said they work well with gluten free 1-1 all purpose baking flour (the kind with xantham gum)! Enjoy 🙂

        Reply
    11. Tayler

      June 08, 2022 at 2:42 pm

      5 stars
      My wife made these and they didnt last day. Easily my favourite dessert of all time. Thank you Gabby!

      Reply
      • Gabby

        June 08, 2022 at 3:15 pm

        Hi Tayler! So happy to hear that you and your wife loved the cookies! Thanks for the review!!

        Reply
    12. Angel

      May 15, 2022 at 1:43 am

      So yummy I added a couple tablespoons of strawberry reduction to the batter and they were sinful

      Reply
      • Gabby

        May 16, 2022 at 6:43 pm

        Hi Angel! I'm so happy to hear that you loved the cookies, and the strawberry reduction sounds like a delicious addition too! Thanks so much for the review 😀

        Reply
    13. Nova

      May 04, 2022 at 11:27 am

      5 stars
      These were excellent! I made some with strawberries, some with blueberries, and some with dark chocolate chips and they were a hit! I normally love strawberries the most, but the blueberry ones ended up being my favorite. Love how flexible and thorough this recipe is.

      Reply
      • Gabby

        May 04, 2022 at 2:22 pm

        Hi Nova! Yay! I'm so happy to hear how much you loved the recipe - I will definitely be trying these out with blueberries next time!! Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and leave a review 😀

        Reply
    14. Sneha

      April 30, 2022 at 5:57 pm

      I can't tell you how much i love these. No words are enough!!!!!!!
      I added a little strawberry jam to the cream cheese filling and my oh my!

      Reply
      • Gabby

        May 02, 2022 at 2:34 pm

        Hi Sneha! I am so thrilled to hear how much you loved the cookies and the strawberry jam sounds like a delicious addition! Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and leave a review 😀

        Reply
    15. Grace Epping

      April 21, 2022 at 3:11 am

      Have you used dried strawberries for something like these cookies?

      Reply
      • Gabby

        April 21, 2022 at 2:21 pm

        Yes you can definitely use dried strawberries!

        Reply
      • Karen

        September 02, 2022 at 10:32 pm

        I made these wonderful and delicious cookies my family and I loved them! Thanks you!

        Reply
        • Gabby

          September 09, 2022 at 2:35 pm

          Hi Karen! I'm sooo happy that the cookies were a hit! Thanks so much for coming back to leave a review 🙂

    « Older Comments
    Newer Comments »

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    photo of a girl laughing

    Hi Friend! I'm Gabby! I'm here to share easy, approachable dairy free/vegan dessert recipes that taste just like the real deal. Most recipes can be easily made with dairy products too, so there's something for everyone!

    Read more →

    Popular Recipes

    • Small Batch Brownies
    • Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies
    • Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
    • Dairy Free Chocolate Cake
    • Biscoff Brownies
    • Cookie Monster Cookies

    Summer Favorites

    • White Chocolate and Raspberry Cookies
    • Summer Raspberry Cake
    • Vegan Strawberry Shortcakes
    • White Chocolate and Raspberry Blondies
    • Dairy Free Blueberry Muffins
    • Lemon Blueberry Cookies

    Featured In

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    Privacy Policy

    Keep In Touch

    Sign up for free e-book!

    Find us on Pinterest

    Find us on Facebook

    Find us on Instagram

    Join our Dairy Free Recipe & Support Group

    Contact

    Contact Me

    Work With Me

    As an affiliate partner, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases, at no cost to you. I only recommend products I really use and love.

    Copyright © 2023 - Cookie Dough Diaries