Description
Creamy salted caramel cheesecake cookies blend rich Philadelphia cream cheese with buttery shortbread and drizzled caramel, creating a luxurious dessert that whispers sweet indulgence. Dessert enthusiasts will savor each incredible bite of this signature treat that perfectly balances sweet and salty notes.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 ¼ cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 6 ounces (170 grams) cream cheese, softened
Sweeteners:
- ¾ cup (165 grams) brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (30 grams) powdered sugar
- ½ cup caramel sauce
Binding and Flavoring Ingredients:
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Craft the cheesecake filling by whisking cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla until velvety and uniform.
- Carefully create petite dollops of the cream cheese mixture onto a parchment-lined tray, then transfer to the freezer for a precise 30-minute chilling period to solidify.
- Cream butter with both brown and granulated sugars in a spacious mixing bowl, whipping until the texture becomes airy and pale.
- Incorporate egg and vanilla extract into the sugar mixture, blending thoroughly until fully integrated.
- Separately combine flour, baking soda, and salt, then gradually fold into the wet ingredients to form a cohesive cookie dough.
- Warm the oven to 350°F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Extract a generous tablespoon of cookie dough, gently flatten it, and nestle a frozen cheesecake orb at its center.
- Carefully envelop the cheesecake filling with additional dough, rolling into a smooth, uniform sphere.
- Arrange the cookie spheres with ample spacing across the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, watching for golden-tinged edges and set centers.
- Allow cookies to rest on the baking sheet for several minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
- Elegantly drizzle warm caramel sauce over the cooled cookies and crown with a delicate sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
Notes
- Freeze cheesecake filling completely to prevent melting during cookie assembly, ensuring clean and neat cookie formation.
- Use room temperature cream cheese and butter for smoother, lump-free mixing and better incorporation of ingredients.
- Chill cookie dough for 15-20 minutes before shaping to prevent excessive spreading and maintain cookie structure during baking.
- Adjust caramel drizzle thickness by warming sauce slightly, allowing for easier and more elegant coating on cooled cookies.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 46 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 62 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg