Description
Delight in these Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookies that combine the spicy warmth of gingerbread with a creamy cheesecake center. Perfectly spiced sugar-coated gingerbread cookies encase frozen cheesecake bites, creating a unique and festive treat ideal for holiday gatherings or cozy snacking.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheesecake Filling
- 6 oz (170 g) cream cheese, cold
- 3 tbsp (38 g) granulated white sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
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 Cookies
- 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
- 1/3 cup (113 g) unsulphured molasses
Instructions
- Prepare Cheesecake Filling: Line a small cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a small mixing bowl, combine cold cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high until fluffy and sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Scoop into 18, 2 teaspoon portions onto the prepared sheet and freeze until very firm.
- Make Spiced Sugar: In a small bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Flour Mixture: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ground spices, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat softened butter and packed light brown sugar on high speed with an electric mixer until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down bowl sides as needed.
- Add Wet Ingredients to Butter Mixture: Mix in egg yolks, molasses, and vanilla on medium speed for 1 minute until fluffy.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add flour mixture to wet ingredients and mix on low speed just to combine.
- Assemble Cookies: Using a 2 tablespoon scoop, portion dough into 18 balls. Slightly flatten each dough ball, place a frozen cheesecake ball in the center, then encase it by wrapping the dough around and rolling back into a ball, ensuring no cheesecake is exposed. Roll each cookie ball in spiced sugar. Keep cheesecake balls frozen until ready to assemble each batch.
- Bake Cookies: Place up to 6 cookies on prepared baking sheets and bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes until edges are set.
- Cool Cookies: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Notes
- Keep cheesecake balls frozen until ready to assemble to prevent melting inside the cookies.
- If you don’t have all the spices, substitute with a pumpkin pie spice blend.
- Use room temperature egg yolks to help the dough combine smoothly.
- Molasses adds authentic gingerbread flavor; do not substitute with syrup for best taste.
- For even baking, space cookies about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
- You can prepare the cheesecake filling and spiced sugar a day ahead to save time.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 210 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 140 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
