Description
Rich, chewy Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookies with a soft, tangy center. Learn my simple recipe for these delightful dessert bar cookies!
Ingredients
Scale
- Cookie Dough Essentials:
- 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Creamy Cheesecake Core:
- 4 oz (113g) cream cheese, softened
- 2 tbsp (25g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Chocolatey Add-ins:
- 1 cup (170g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Optional Finishing Touch:
- Flaky sea salt (for sprinkling)
Instructions
- Prep the Dough:: First things first, get that oven preheating to 350°F (175°C) and line your baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter with both granulated and light brown sugars until it’s light and fluffy. This step is where the magic starts; you’ll see the color lighten and the texture get really airy. I always let my butter soften on the counter for a good hour, otherwise, it’s a struggle! Don’t rush this part, honestly; it makes for a better cookie base for our Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookies.
- Combine Wet & Dry:: Next, beat in the large egg and vanilla extract until everything’s well combined. It’ll look glossy and smell so good! In a separate bowl, whisk together your all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix here; that’s where you get tough cookies, nobody wants that! I’ve definitely gone overboard before, and the cookies were not as soft as I wanted, oops.
- Fold in the Chocolate:: Now for the best part! Gently fold in those semi-sweet chocolate chips. I like to use a spatula for this to avoid crushing them. You want those beautiful, whole chocolate morsels visible throughout your cookie dough. The dough will be thick and wonderfully fragrant, flecked with all that chocolate. This is the moment I usually sneak a tiny bit of dough, I can’t help it! It’s the perfect base for our Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookies.
- Whip up the Cheesecake Swirl:: In a small bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with granulated sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Make sure there are no lumps—this is key for that lovely, silky cheesecake ribbon. I usually use my hand mixer for this, but a whisk works too if you’re feeling strong! Don’t overmix this either; you just want it smooth and combined, not airy.
- Assemble Your Cookies:: Scoop generous spoonfuls of cookie dough onto your prepared baking sheets, leaving a couple of inches between each. I use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop; it makes them uniform. Then, here’s my little trick: make a small indentation in the center of each cookie dough ball. Spoon about a teaspoon of the cheesecake mixture into that hollow. It might look a little messy, but trust me, it bakes up beautifully into our Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookies.
- Bake & Cool:: Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the cheesecake filling is set, but still looks a tiny bit soft in the center. The smell filling your kitchen will be incredible—a mix of warm chocolate and tangy cream cheese! Let them cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps them set up and prevents them from breaking. Honestly, resisting eating them warm is the hardest part!