Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies
These delicious Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies are the perfect treat. They start with a soft, chewy sugar cookie base and are loaded with white chocolate chips, chopped graham crackers, and are full of sweet strawberry flavor. If you’re looking for an extra special cookie recipe, this one is for you!
For more Easy Cookie Recipes, be sure to check out my Oreo Chocolate Chip Cookies, Chocolate Peppermint Cookies, and Chewy Coffee Cookies.
If you’re looking for a fun and unique cookie, you need to try these Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies!
I mean, don’t get me wrong. I love a a good Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie just as much as the next guy (and will never turn one down!) But sometimes it’s fun to try something different and that’s where these cheesecake inspired strawberry cookies come in!
These chewy cookies have a similar flavor base to my Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies, with their soft texture and rich flavor that comes from the addition of the cream cheese. But for this version, I’ve added in white chocolate chips, graham cracker crumbs, and freeze-dried strawberries for a fun twist. These have all the strawberry cheesecake flavors you love, but in cookie form!
You might be wondering why I’ve used freeze-dried strawberries instead of fresh strawberries in this cookie recipe. For one, fresh strawberries just wouldn’t work well because they would add too much unnecessary moisture to the dough.
Freeze-dried strawberries are a much better option since they are crisp, lightweight and won’t affect the texture of the cookies. They also have a more concentrated strawberry flavor, which is what we want from our strawberry cheesecake cookies!
Ingredients for Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies
- Dry ingredients – you will need all purpose flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt for baking your strawberry cheesecake cookies.
- Butter – I recommend using unsalted butter. You will need two whole sticks, softened to room temperature.
- Sugar – I like to use both white sugar and dark brown sugar for the perfect chewy cookie texture.
- Eggs – allow your eggs to come to room temperature first, as they will blend into your batter much more smoothly. Pro tip: If you are short on time, simply place your whole eggs in a mug or small bowl of warm water for about five minutes before cracking and adding to your batter.
- Vanilla bean paste – gives depth of flavor to your cookies. You can also use pure vanilla extract instead.
- Cream cheese – make sure to use full fat, brick style cream cheese. Allow it to soften to room temperature before using.
- Freeze-dried strawberries – you can find these with the raisins and other dried fruit at your local grocery store. I like to roughly chop mine a bit before adding to the batter and using as decoration on the finished cookies.
- White chocolate chips – my favorite brand is Ghirardelli White Chocolate. It has the best flavor and melts nicely in the cookies. I use them exclusively in my White Chocolate Chip Cookies, and anytime I’m making a recipe that call for white chocolate.
- Graham crackers – adds a nice flavor to the cookies and helps hone in on the cheesecake aspect.
A full list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions are located in the recipe card below.
How to Make Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies – Step by Step
Step 1: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt with a whisk. Set aside.
Step 2: In a separate large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, softened cream cheese, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Be sure to stop periodically to scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula so that everything fully combines.
Step 3: Add the eggs and vanilla bean paste to the butter mixture. Continue to mix on low until everything is thoroughly combined.
Step 4: With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in small batches. You only want to mix until there aren’t any more streaks of white left. so be sure not to over-mix here.
Step 5: Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, gently fold in the freeze-dried strawberries, white chocolate chips, and graham cracker pieces. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes up to an hour to allow the cookie dough to chill.
Step 6: Once the dough has finished chilling, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and use a medium sized cookie scoop (I use a #40, two tablespoon sized scoop), to scoop heaping balls of cookie dough onto the prepared cookie sheet.
Step 7: Bake for 10-11 minutes in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven until cookies are set, and edges are golden brown.
Step 8: Once the cookies are finished baking, remove them from the oven and place the tray on a wire rack to cool. While the cookies are still warm, you can garnish the tops of each cookie with the additional freeze-dried strawberries, white chocolate chips and graham cracker pieces. After that you can sprinkle them lightly with the flaky sea salt, if desired.
Tips and Notes
- Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper. This will help your strawberry cheesecake cookies to bake evenly and prevent excessive spreading. It also makes clean-up nice and easy.
- Use room temperature butter and eggs. Your ingredients will blend together more seamlessly with room temperature ingredients, and your dough will rise better as well.
- Don’t skip the chill time for the dough. If you don’t let your strawberry cheesecake cookies chill, they will spread out too much, and your cookies will be too thin.
- Use full-fat, brick style cream cheese. Do not use light, fat- free, or whipped cream cheese. These types of cream cheese won’t incorporate into the dough properly.
- Toppings are optional, but do add a pretty flair to the cookies. I like to add some of mix-ins on top while the cookies are still warm. I also like to sprinkle some flaky sea salt on top for a nice finishing touch.
- Store your baked cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days. I will say that these taste best eaten the same day if you add the toppings. After storing for a day or so, the toppings tend to soften up.
More Strawberry Recipes You Should Try!
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below. I love to hear from you and always appreciate your feedback!
Recipe: Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, 2 sticks, softened to room temperature
- 4 ounces full fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 cup freeze dried strawberries, roughly chopped
- 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup graham cracker pieces, roughly chopped
Optional toppings
- chopped graham cracker pieces
- chopped freeze dried strawberries
- white chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt with a whisk. Set aside.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, softened cream cheese, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Be sure to stop periodically to scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula so that everything fully combines.
- Add the eggs and vanilla bean paste to the butter mixture. Continue to mix on low until everything is thoroughly combined.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in small batches. You only want to mix until there aren’t any more streaks of white left. so be sure not to over-mix here.
- Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, gently fold in the freeze-dried strawberries, white chocolate chips, and graham cracker pieces. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes up to an hour to allow the cookie dough to chill.
- Once the dough has finished chilling, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and use a medium sized cookie scoop (I use a #40, two tablespoon sized scoop), to scoop heaping balls of cookie dough onto the prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake for 10-11 minutes in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven until cookies are set, and edges are golden brown.
- Once the cookies are finished baking, remove them from the oven and place the tray on a wire rack to cool. While the cookies are still warm, you can garnish the tops of each cookie with the additional freeze-dried strawberries, white chocolate chips and graham cracker pieces. After that you can sprinkle them lightly with the flaky sea salt, if desired.
Notes
- Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper. This will help your strawberry cheesecake cookies to bake evenly and prevent excessive spreading. It also makes clean-up nice and easy.
- Use room temperature butter and eggs. Your ingredients will blend together more seamlessly with room temperature ingredients, and your dough will rise better as well.
- Don’t skip the chill time for the dough. If you don’t let your strawberry cheesecake cookies chill, they will spread out too much, and your cookies will be too thin.
- Use full-fat, brick style cream cheese. Do not use light, fat- free, or whipped cream cheese. These types of cream cheese won’t incorporate into the dough properly.
- Toppings are optional, but do add a pretty flair to the cookies. I like to add some of mix-ins on top while the cookies are still warm. I also like to sprinkle some flaky sea salt on top for a nice finishing touch.
- Store your baked cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days. I will say that these taste best eaten the same day if you add the toppings. After storing for a day or so, the toppings tend to soften up.
