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Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookies

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5 from 2 votes

Gingerbread cheesecake cookies are soft and chewy ginger molasses cookies filled with creamy ginger-spiced cheesecake for an unapologetically extra holiday cookie. Want the soft and chewy gingerbread cookie without the cheesecake filling? Make my chewy ginger molasses cookies!

Gingerbread cookies with crinkly tops arranged in a circle on a wood platter with one cookie broken in half to show the cheesecake filling inside

Fair warning: This post is going to have more process shots than my usual posts, as this is a slightly more complicated recipe than what I usually share with you all. I wanted to be sure that I am showing you every single step clearly so you can have the best results possible!

I cannot tell you how many batches of these I had to make before I got it all right.

Actually, I can – the answer is seven.

If there wasn't enough flour, they spread too much. If the butter wasn't the right temperature, the cookies were greasy (and, just, ew). If there was too much cheesecake filling, it sort of erupted out of the cracks of the cookies like tiny ginger-flavored volcanoes.

But I finally got it right!

A soft and chewy gingerbread cookie broken in half to show the cheesecake filling inside

Ingredients for gingerbread cheesecake cookies

Cheesecake Filling:

  • Cream cheese
  • Granulated sugar
  • Pure vanilla extract
  • Ground ginger

Gingerbread Cookies:

  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking soda
  • Ground cinnamon
  • Ground ginger
  • Ground cloves
  • Salt
  • Unsalted butter, softened to room temperature – You don't want it to be too soft, otherwise your dough will be too sticky to work with.
  • Granulated sugar and light brown sugar – This mixture of sugars allows for a deeper flavor, and just enough spreading while baking
  • Egg, room temperature
  • Unsulphured molasses – Not blackstrap molasses

Sugar coating:

  • Granulated sugar
  • Cinnamon
  • Ground ginger

How to make gingerbread cheesecake cookies

Making the cheesecake filling

  1. Combine: In a medium bowl using a hand mixer starting on low speed, combine cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and ginger. Increase speed to medium-high until combined and fluffy.
  2. Chill: Place in the fridge to chill while you prepare the cookie dough.

Making the gingerbread cookies

  1. Dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt. Set aside.
  2. Wet ingredients: In a large bowl using a stand or hand mixer, beat together butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
  3. Add in the egg and molasses, and beat on medium speed until combined and the color is a deep caramel.
  4. Add in the flour mixture a little at a time and beat on low speed until combined and the color is tan.
  5. Chill dough: Place the bowl of dough in the fridge for 1-2 hours minutes to let it chill and become less sticky to work with (longer, if needed). If desired, you can leave it covered in the fridge overnight.
  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F and line two baking sheets with non-stick silicone mats or parchment paper.
  2. Portion: Use a large cookie scoop (aff link) (about 3 tablespoons) to portion out dough, rolling each into a ball.
  1. Add cheesecake filling: Flatten each ball between the palms of your hands, place about 1 teaspoon of cheesecake filling in the center, then cover the cheesecake ball with the cookie dough and roll into a ball again. Make sure there is no cheesecake visible so it can't leak out!
  2. If you find that the dough is getting too sticky to work with, just stick everything in the freezer for a few minutes before you continue.
  1. Roll each dough ball in the sugar mixture, then transfer to prepared baking sheets, no more than 6 to a sheet to ensure they have enough room to spread a bit. I usually only do 4 at a time, to play it safe.
  2. Place the rest of the cookie dough balls in the fridge until ready to be baked.
  1. Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack for 12-13 minutes, or until the tops are lightly domed, golden brown, and starting to crinkle. Remove and let rest on baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer to wire racks (aff link) to cool completely.
  2. Cool completely: It's very important that the cookies cool completely so that the cheesecake filling has time to cool and set before serving. Enjoy!

Tips for making the best gingerbread cheesecake cookies

  • Make sure the balls of cookie dough are rolled tight! You want to be sure that there aren't any cracks where the cheesecake filling could leak out. As they bake, the cookies will puff up and then crinkle as they cool, and you may spot little hints of cheesecake in the cracks – but it shouldn't spill out.
  • Add a little more ground ginger. I like to add a pinch of ginger to both the cheesecake filling and the sugar mixture for the outside coating – it gives the cookie's flavor a little extra oomph.
  • Let them cool completely before eating. I'm serious! If you don't let them cool completely and set, the cheesecake filling will still be liquidy and warm. If you're feeling impatient, stick them in the fridge to set them more quickly (I actually prefer them from the fridge).
  • Speaking of cooling, let one batch cool on the baking sheet while other batch is baking, then transfer to wire rack. It ends up being just the right amount of time to let them hang out on the baking sheet before moving them.
  • Try rolling them in sparkling sugar for a little extra crunch. You can see the ones rolled in sparkling sugar in the photo at the very top of the post – they're the sparkliest!

Why put molasses in cookies?

Molasses is great because it provides a unique flavor, but it also acts as a liquid sweetener (to a degree). Because it also adds moisture, you can’t just swap granulated and/or brown sugar for it entirely, but it does help reduce the amounts you need of each of those ingredients.

A stack of crinkly gingerbread cookies with hints of cheesecake filling peeking out

How to store gingerbread cheesecake cookies

You'll want to store these cookies in an airtight container in the fridge between layers of parchment paper for up to 1 week.

Because the cheesecake filling does contain dairy, you'll want to make sure they are kept in the fridge and not room temperature.

Can I make these cookies without the cheesecake filling?

Sure! You can just leave the cheesecake filling out, no other adjustments need to be made.

But if you're just looking for a chewy gingerbread cookie, check out my ginger molasses cookie recipe.

Why are they baked at 325°F instead of 350°F?

Most cookie recipes you see are baked at 350°, but I call for 325°F because I found that baking these “low and slow” resulted in the perfect size and consistency with those gorgeous crinkles.

Helpful tips

  • Make sure the balls of cookie dough are rolled tight! You want to be sure that there aren't any cracks where the cheesecake filling could leak out. As they bake, the cookies will puff up and then crinkle as they cool, and you may spot little hints of cheesecake in the cracks – but it shouldn't spill out.
  • Add a little more ground ginger. I like to add a pinch of ginger to both the cheesecake filling and the sugar mixture for the outside coating – it gives the cookie's flavor a little extra oomph.
  • Let them cool completely before eating. I'm serious! If you don't let them cool completely and set, the cheesecake filling will still be liquidy and warm. If you're feeling impatient, stick them in the fridge to set them more quickly (I actually prefer them from the fridge).
  • Speaking of cooling, let one batch cool on the baking sheet while other batch is baking, then transfer to wire rack. It ends up being just the right amount of time to let them hang out on the baking sheet before moving them.
  • Try rolling them in sparkling sugar for a little extra crunch. You can see the ones rolled in sparkling sugar in the photo at the very top of the post – they're the sparkliest!

FAQs

How should I store these cookies?

You'll want to store these cookies in an airtight container in the fridge between layers of parchment paper for up to 1 week. Because the cheesecake filling does contain dairy, you'll want to make sure they are kept in the fridge and not room temperature.

Can I make these cookies without the cheesecake filling?

Sure! You can just leave the cheesecake filling out, no other adjustments need to be made. But if you're just looking for a chewy gingerbread cookie, check out my ginger molasses cookie recipe.

Why are they baked at 325°F instead of 350°F?

Most cookie recipes you see are baked at 350°, but I call for 325°F because I found that baking these “low and slow” resulted in the perfect size and consistency with those gorgeous crinkles.

Crinkly gingerbread cookies on a wood platter with a festive holiday background of trees and snowmen

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Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookies

5 from 2 votes
Gingerbread cheesecake cookies are soft and chewy ginger molasses cookies filled with creamy ginger-spiced cheesecake for an unapologetically extra holiday cookie.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 38 minutes
Servings: 12 cookies

Ingredients
 

Cheesecake Filling:

Gingerbread Cookies:

Sugar coating:

Instructions

Cheesecake Filling

  • In a medium bowl using a hand mixer starting on low speed, combine cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and ginger. Increase speed to medium-high until combined and fluffy.
    8 ounces cream cheese (block, not spread)
    1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)
    1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    Pinch ground ginger
  • Place in the fridge to chill while you prepare the cookie dough.

Gingerbread Cookies

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt. Set aside.
    2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
    2 teaspoons baking soda
    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    2 teaspoons ground ginger
    ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
    Pinch salt
  • In a large bowl using a stand or hand mixer, beat together butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
    1/2 cup unsalted butter
    ½ cup granulated sugar
    ½ cup light brown sugar
  • Add in the egg and molasses, and beat on medium speed until combined and the color is a deep caramel.
    1 large egg
    ¼ cup unsulphured molasses
  • Add in the flour mixture a little at a time and beat on low speed until combined and the color is tan.
  • Place the bowl of dough in the fridge for 1-2 hours minutes to let it chill and become less sticky to work with (longer, if needed). If desired, you can leave it covered in the fridge overnight.
  • Preheat the oven to 325°F and line two baking sheets with non-stick silicone mats or parchment paper.
  • Use a large cookie scoop (aff link) (about 3 tablespoons) to portion out dough, rolling each into a ball. Flatten each ball between the palms of your hands, place about 1 teaspoon of cheesecake filling in the center, then cover the cheesecake ball with the cookie dough and roll into a ball again. Make sure there is no cheesecake visible so it can't leak out!
    Note: If you find that the dough is getting too sticky to work with, just stick everything in the freezer for a few minutes before you continue.
  • Roll each dough ball in the sugar mixture, then transfer to prepared baking sheets, no more than 6 to a sheet to ensure they have enough room to spread a bit. I usually only do 4 at a time, to play it safe.
    Place the rest of the cookie dough balls in the fridge until ready to be baked.
    ¼ cup granulated sugar
    1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    Pinch ground ginger
  • Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack for 12-13 minutes, or until the tops are lightly domed, golden brown, and starting to crinkle. Remove and let rest on baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer to wire racks (aff link) to cool completely.
  • It's very important that the cookies cool completely so that the cheesecake filling has time to cool and set before serving. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Storage: You’ll want to store these cookies in an airtight container in the fridge between layers of parchment paper for up to 1 week. Because the cheesecake filling does contain dairy, you’ll want to make sure they are kept in the fridge and not room temperature.
  • Make sure the balls of cookie dough are rolled tight! You want to be sure that there aren’t any cracks where the cheesecake filling could leak out. As they bake, the cookies will puff up and then crinkle as they cool, and you may spot little hints of cheesecake in the cracks – but it shouldn’t spill out.
  • Let them cool completely before eating. I’m serious! If you don’t let them cool completely and set, the cheesecake filling will still be liquidy and warm. If you’re feeling impatient, stick them in the fridge to set them more quickly (I actually prefer them from the fridge).
  • Try rolling them in sparkling sugar for a little extra crunch. You can see the ones rolled in sparkling sugar in the photo at the very top of the post – they’re the sparkliest!

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 349kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 254mg | Potassium: 178mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 511IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition Disclaimer

The provided nutrition information is generated by an automatic API and does not take variations across specific brands into account. This information is provided as a general guideline and should not be treated as official calculations. Learn more here.

Recipe created by Leslie Kiszka

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