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This cookie recipe brings together two dessert favorites - chewy chocolate chip cookies with a tangy cream cheese center. The Philly cream cheese creates soft pockets that cut through the richness of the chocolatey dough, making a treat you won't easily forget.
I came up with these cookies when my sister couldn't pick between cookies or cheesecake for her birthday. You should've seen her face light up when she bit into one and found the surprise inside. They've become a must-have at our family get-togethers now.
What You'll Need
- All purpose flour: Gives these cookies their sturdy but tender base
- Baking soda: Helps them rise just enough without getting too fluffy
- Unsalted butter: Brings flavor while letting you add salt to taste
- Brown sugar: Makes these cookies nice and chewy with a hint of caramel
- Granulated sugar: Creates those crispy edges we all love
- Vanilla extract: Adds warmth to both the dough and filling
- Eggs: Hold everything together nicely
- Chocolate chips: Create little melty surprises in every bite
- Cream cheese: The star that makes the tangy middle everyone raves about
How To Make Them
- Get Everything Ready:
- Heat your oven to 325°F and put parchment on your cookie sheets. The lower temp helps cook everything evenly so the cream cheese doesn't get too hot.
- Combine Dry Stuff:
- Stir flour, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. This spreads everything out so you won't bite into a patch of salt later.
- Start The Dough:
- Mix your melted butter with both kinds of sugar until it looks shiny. Using melted butter makes cookies that are denser and chewier, which works great with the filling.
- Add The Wet Ingredients:
- Beat in vanilla, whole egg, and just the yolk from another egg until it gets a bit lighter. That extra yolk makes cookies extra chewy and rich.
- Finish The Dough:
- Slowly add dry stuff to wet stuff just until mixed. Don't go crazy stirring or you'll get tough cookies. Gently fold in your chocolate chips.
- Make The Filling:
- Mix soft cream cheese with sugar and vanilla until smooth. It should be thick but workable. If it's too stiff, let it sit out a bit longer.
- Build Your Cookies:
- Roll dough into balls, make a dent in each, add a spoonful of filling, then cover with more dough. Make sure to seal them up so nothing leaks while baking.
- Bake Them:
- Put them on your cookie sheet with plenty of room between them and bake for 15-18 minutes. Look for golden edges but centers that still seem soft.
- Let Them Rest:
- Leave cookies on the hot pan for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. This helps them set up while keeping their centers nice and soft.
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The first batch I ever made filled my kitchen with a smell that took me back to my childhood. It was like my grandma's cheesecake and my mom's cookies had somehow merged into one amazing treat. That cream cheese really turns an everyday cookie into something you can't stop thinking about.
Prep In Advance
These are great for planning ahead. You can make both the dough and filling up to two days before and keep them in the fridge until you're ready to put them together. This actually makes them taste even better as the flavors have time to develop. You can also shape the complete cookies and freeze them uncooked on a tray. Once they're solid, put them in a container and bake straight from frozen, just add 2-3 more minutes to the cooking time.
Fixing Common Problems
If the filling spills out while baking, your dough might be too warm. Try cooling the assembled cookies in the fridge for 15 minutes first. Another common mistake is using too much filling. Stick to just one teaspoon per cookie. If your cookies spread out too flat, your butter was probably still too hot when you mixed it with the sugar. Let it cool down a bit next time.
Try Different Flavors
The basic version is amazing on its own, but you can switch things up if you want. For a cookies and cream twist, swap half the chocolate chips for broken Oreos. Want something fruity? Add a tiny bit of strawberry jam on top of the cream cheese before closing the dough. During Christmas, mix a little peppermint extract into the filling and sprinkle crushed candy canes on top after baking.
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Common Recipe Questions
- → How can I make the dough easier to work with?
Pop the dough in the fridge for about 30 minutes before you shape it. This makes it less sticky and way easier to handle.
- → What's the best way to ensure a creamy cheesecake filling?
Make sure your cream cheese is soft and mix it really well with the sugar and vanilla until it looks completely smooth without any lumps.
- → Can I use a different type of chocolate chip?
Absolutely, go with whatever you like best. Dark, milk, or white chocolate chips all work great depending on what you're in the mood for.
- → How do I ensure the cookies bake evenly?
Get your oven hot before you start, leave enough room between cookies on the baking sheet, and use the middle rack so heat hits them from all sides.
- → Should I store these cookies in the refrigerator?
Yeah, you'll want to keep them in the fridge because of that cream cheese inside. Just put them in a sealed container and they'll stay fresh longer.