Description
Delight in these Cherry Cheesecake Sugar Cookies featuring a soft sugar cookie base filled with creamy cheesecake filling and topped with sweet cherry pie filling and a crunchy graham cracker crumble. Perfectly balanced with a buttery crumb and luscious cherry topping, these cookies make an irresistible treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 package sugar cookie mix
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons unbleached flour
Cream Cheese Filling
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Topping
- 1 can (about 1 cup) cherry pie filling
- 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix Cookie Dough: In a medium bowl, combine the sugar cookie mix, softened butter, and egg. Mix thoroughly until combined.
- Add Flour: Stir in 2 tablespoons of unbleached flour until a soft but slightly crumbly dough forms.
- Chill Dough: Refrigerate the dough while preparing the cheesecake filling and crumb topping to make it easier to handle.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Filling: Beat the softened cream cheese with granulated sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a piping bag or sturdy zippered bag and cut off the tip for easy filling.
- Make Crumb Topping: Combine graham cracker crumbs and light brown sugar in a small bowl and set aside.
- Form Cookies: Using a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop, form dough balls and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Create Indentations: With a tablespoon, press an indentation in the center of each dough ball to form a small well for the fillings.
- Pipe Cheesecake Filling: Pipe or spoon about a teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture into the indentation of each cookie.
- Add Cherry Filling: Add three whole cherries or about 2 teaspoons of cherry pie filling on top of the cream cheese layer in each cookie.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes, or until cookie edges start to brown and the centers are set.
- Cool Cookies: Remove from the oven and let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack.
- Finish with Topping: Once cooled, drizzle remaining cream cheese mixture over the cookies and sprinkle evenly with the graham cracker crumb topping for added texture and flavor.
Notes
- Use softened butter and cream cheese for smoother mixing and better consistency.
- Chilling the dough helps prevent spreading during baking.
- For even-sized cookies, use a cookie scoop when portioning dough.
- Make sure the cherry pie filling is drained slightly if very watery to avoid soggy cookies.
- Cookies store well in an airtight container for up to 3 days and can be refrigerated if desired.
