Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Cookies
These brown butter Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Cookies are one of my favorite fall bakes. They’re soft, chewy and filled with a sweet cream cheese center. The brown butter gives them a cozy, nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with the cinnamon sugar coating. This recipe makes 11 big, delicious cookies.
I’ve been obsessed with using brown butter in everything lately, it just makes every recipe taste extra delicious. It adds that rich, nutty flavor that makes cookies like these Snickerdoodles feel cozy and special. And honestly I’ve been a huge fan of Snickerdoodles, so turning them into cream cheese filled cookies was a must this fall.
Right now I’m also testing a Snickerdoodle Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookie recipe (sounds amazing right?) and even thinking about Snickerdoodle Blondies next. Ughhhhhhh so many fall recipe ideas this year! But before all that, I had to share these Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Cookies because they truly deserve their moment.
This recipe is easy to make as long as you follow the steps carefully. The most important one? Refrigerating the dough. Please don’t skip that part. I know it’s tempting but it makes all the difference! When you chill the dough, it helps the butter firm up so your cookies bake thick and soft instead of spreading into a puddle.
The dough will feel soft and sticky right after mixing, so don’t try to scoop it right away. It’s best to refrigerate the entire bowl of dough for about an hour first. Once it’s chilled it’s much easier to portion, fill and roll in cinnamon sugar.
TIPS & TRICKS
· Refrigerating the dough for an hour is a must. This step helps the dough firm up and keeps your cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
· If the cookies still feel soft after stuffing them, freeze for 30 minutes. Sometimes the dough can get warm while handling, especially if your kitchen is warm. A quick chill before baking will help them hold their shape.
· Do not overmix the dough after the flour is added. Overmixing develops gluten and can make the cookies dense instead of soft and tender. Mix only until just combined.
· Try not to overbake these cookies. They might look slightly underbaked when you take them out, but they’ll continue to cook a bit as they cool. That’s how you keep them soft.
· Freeze the cream cheese balls for at least 1-2 hours. The filling needs to be very firm so it doesn’t melt while baking. You can even make them the day before and store them in the freezer until ready to use.
· Work fast when stuffing as the cream cheese balls melt extremely fast!!!
· Use a scale for accurate measuring. A scale ensures perfect texture every time.
Frequently asked questions
1. How should I store these cookies? You can keep them at room temperature in an airtight container for about half a day, but after that transfer them to the fridge for up to 3 days. They’ll firm up a bit in the fridge so pop them in the microwave for about 10 seconds before eating.
2. Can I freeze the raw cookies? Yes. Once stuffed and shaped, place the cookies on a tray and freeze until solid, then transfer them to a freezer safe bag. Keep in the freezer for 1 month.
3. How big should each cookie scoop be? I use a 5.5 cm diameter scoop for each cookie, which gives you about 11 bigger cookies.
4. Why are my cookies cakey? That usually happens if too much flour was added or if the dough was overmixed.
5. Why did my cookies melt into a puddle? The most common reasons are skipping the chilling step. Make sure the dough is well chilled and that the cream cheese balls are frozen solid before stuffing.
6. What is cream of tartar? Cream of tartar is an acid that helps activate baking soda and gives Snickerdoodles their signature tangy flavor and chewy texture.
7. What can I substitute cream of tartar with? If you don’t have cream of tartar, you can replace it by using both baking powder and baking soda. For this recipe use 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda instead of the cream of tartar and baking soda combination. The cookies might be a little less tangy, but they’ll still turn out soft, puffy and delicious.
8. How do I brown butter? Place your butter in a pan over medium heat and let it melt completely. Stir constantly, it’ll start to foam and after a few minutes you’ll notice brown specks forming at the bottom. That’s when it’s ready! Remove it immediately from the heat to prevent burning.
Ingredients you will need for this recipe
For the filling:
Cream cheese: My favorite brand to use is Philadelphia cream cheese.
Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cream cheese.
Vanilla sugar: Adds a subtle sweet vanilla aroma. You can skip it and add a bit more vanilla bean paste or extract instead.
Vanilla bean paste: Gives the filling a deep vanilla flavor with real vanilla specks. Vanilla extract works fine too.
For the cookies:
Unsalted butter: Browning it adds a nutty, toasty flavor that makes these cookies taste extra delicious.
Light brown sugar: You can use dark brown sugar for a deeper taste.
Granulated sugar: Helps with sweetness.
Egg + egg yolk: The extra yolk makes the cookies soft and chewy.
Vanilla bean paste: Vanilla extract works just as well.
All purpose flour: The base of the cookies. Don’t overmix once added or your cookies might turn cakey.
Baking soda: Helps the cookies spread slightly.
Cream of tartar: Gives Snickerdoodles their signature tang and chewy texture. You can replace baking powder if needed.
Cinnamon
For the topping:
Sugar + cinnamon: The classic Snickerdoodle coating. Roll each cookie in this mix before baking.
Step by step instructions with photos
1. Prepare the cream cheese mixture by mixing together the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla sugar and vanilla bean paste.
2. Scoop 11 tablespoon sized balls of cream cheese onto a parchment lined plate. Freeze for 1-2 hours.
3. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring frequently until it foams and turns golden brown. Once ready, pour into a different bowl and let it slightly cool for about 15 minutes.
4. In a large bowl mix together the brown butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar.
5. Then add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla bean paste, mixing until incorporated.
6. Next add the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and cinnamon. Mix until just combined.
7. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour!
8. Preheat your oven to 180•C.
9. Take the cookie dough out the refrigerator.
10. Scoop out 11 medium sized cookies onto a tray. (I used a 5.5cm diameter scoop)
11. Take a cookie dough ball, flatten it, place the frozen cream cheese in the center and wrap the dough around it to form a ball again. I recommend doing this quickly because the cream cheese melts very easily.
12. *NOTE: At this point if your cookies feel too soft, I recommend freezing them for 30 minutes!
13. Roll each cookie into the cinnamon-sugar mixture and place them on your bakimg sheet lined with parchment paper. Make sure to leave some space between the cookies.
14. Bake in the preheated oven at for 12 minutes.
15. Let them firm up and cool before serving.
Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Cookies
These brown butter Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Cookies are one of my favorite fall bakes. They’re soft, chewy and filled with a sweet cream cheese center. The brown butter gives them a cozy, nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with the cinnamon sugar coating. This recipe makes 11 big, delicious cookies.
Ingredients
- 175g cream cheese - 3/4 cup
- 80g granulated sugar - 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon
- 16g vanilla sugar - 3 teaspoons
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 180g unsalted butter - 3/4 cup + 2 teaspoons
- 100g light brown sugar - 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons
- 100g granulated sugar - 1/2 cup
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 250g all purpose flour - 2 cups
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Prepare the cream cheese mixture by mixing together the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla sugar and vanilla bean paste.
- Scoop 11 tablespoon sized balls of cream cheese onto a parchment lined plate.
- Freeze for 1-2 hours.
- In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring frequently until it foams and turns golden brown.
- Once ready, pour into a different bowl and let it slightly cool for about 15 minutes.
- In a large bowl mix together the brown butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar.
- Then add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla bean paste, mixing until incorporated.
- Next add the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and cinnamon. Mix until just combined.
- Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour!
- Preheat your oven to 180•C.
- Take the cookie dough out the refrigerator.
- Scoop out 11 medium sized cookies onto a tray. (I used a 5.5cm diameter scoop)
- Take a cookie dough ball, flatten it, place the frozen cream cheese in the center and wrap the dough around it to form a ball again. I recommend doing this quickly because the cream cheese melts very easily.
- *NOTE: At this point if your cookies feel too soft, I recommend freezing them for 30 minutes!
- Roll each cookie into the cinnamon-sugar mixture and place them on your baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make sure to leave some space between the cookies.
- Bake in the preheated oven at for 12 minutes.
- Let them firm up and cool before serving.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
348Fat
19 gSat. Fat
12 gCarbs
41 gFiber
1 gNet Carbs
48 gSugar
22 gProtein
4 gSodium
82 mgCholesterol
80 mg
