These Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies will quickly become a new family favorite dessert recipe. They’re subtly sweet, perfectly textured and so delicious!
Using REAL freeze-dried strawberries, gives the authentic strawberry taste, instead of the artificial strawberry flavoring that so many cookie recipes have. And to be honest, it’s a close favorite to the strawberry crunch cheesecake and these stuffed cheesecake strawberries, that I know you’ll love too!
Hey friends! Meg popping in from Meg’s Everyday Indulgence with another tasty strawberry dessert. Today’s treat is reminiscent of strawberry cheesecake but in cookie form. You’re going to love the texture in these strawberry cheesecake cookies!
Strawberry Cheesecake Cookie Recipe
The texture in these cookies is unlike any cookie I’ve ever made. The cream cheese in the recipe creates a perfectly soft, creamy texture that reminds me SO much of cheesecake.
To ensure you keep that perfect texture, make sure not to overbake them. You’ll know they are done when they are just lightly golden on the bottom. You don’t want them to be golden on top though so keep a close eye on them while baking.
Ingredients for Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies
Here’s what you’ll need to make these cream cheese strawberry cookies:
- Butter
- Cream cheese
- Powdered sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Instant cheesecake pudding mix
- Salt
- Freeze dried strawberries
Secret Ingredient
The cheesecake pudding mix adds so much luscious cheesecake flavor. You just need the dry packet of mix. You do not need to actually make the pudding as directed on the box.
If you can’t find the cheesecake flavor at your grocery store, vanilla or French vanilla pudding mix will also work. It will still add that extra flavor and give the most incredible texture.
Freeze Dried Strawberries
Freeze dried strawberries are one of my new favorite baking ingredients. They add so much more strawberry flavor than fresh strawberries. There’s something about the fruity flavor, combined with sweet sugars – similar to these Key Lime Pie Cookies!
Another bonus: the water in fresh strawberries is known to water down and alter the texture of baked goods. No need to worry about that with freeze-dried strawberries.
They are pretty easy to find in any grocery store in the dried fruit section.
Simply pulse them in your food processor or blender until you have a fine powder. You can also put them in a ziplock bag and roll a rolling pin over them to crush them.
How to Make These Pretty Speckled Pink Strawberry Cookies
First, make sure you have your cream cheese, butter and egg at room temperature. This will ensure the cookie dough comes together super smoothly.
Pulse your freeze dried strawberries in a food processor until you have a fine powder.
Add cream cheese, butter and powdered sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Cream together until super smooth. Add egg and vanilla and mix again until combined.
Add remaining ingredients and mix until the batter just comes together.
Bake the Cookies
Using a cookie scoop, portion out the cookies onto a greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet. They won’t spread too much so you can place them a little closer together than you normally would.
Bake cookies until just golden on the bottom. The color of the tops of the cookies won’t change.
Subtly Sweet Cheesecake Cookies
I wanted to keep these strawberry cheesecake cookies as close to taste and texture of a cheesecake as I possibly could so they aren’t overly sweet.
The powdered sugar and instant pudding mix bring some sweetness but nothing overwhelming.
That Cheesecake Texture
Because of the cream cheese in these strawberry cheesecake cookies, the interior stays super creamy. It’s unlike any other cookie I’ve made.
It’s basically like cheesecake and a cookie had a baby. Slightly dough, creamy, and the perfect amount of sweetness.
You’ll Also Love These Easy Desserts:
If you loved these cookies, then you’ll also love these No Bake Cookies, Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies, Strawberry Malt Cookies and these Lemon Blueberry Cookies!
Now, if you’re hosting a party, making individual desserts like this walking cheesecake dessert is a great idea too!
📖 Recipe
Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies
Ingredients
- 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 3.4 oz. package instant cheesecake pudding mix
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 1 oz. packages freeze dried strawberries, pulverized into a powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add cream cheese and butter. Mix until combined. Add powdered sugar and mix together until well combined. Add egg and vanilla extract. Mix until just combined.
- Add flour, baking powder, cheesecake pudding mix (just the powder, do not make the pudding), salt and freeze dried strawberry powder. Mix until the dough just comes together.
- Using a cookie scoop, portion dough onto prepared cookie sheet 1-inch apart. Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until bottoms are just golden. The tops will still be a pale color. Let cool for 2 minutes on cookie sheet then move to a cooling rack.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
Tammy says
In your directions you say to mix the powdered sugar and cream, but there is no cream in the ingredients list. How much and is it whipping cream or sour cream?
Jessica says
Hi Tammy. Sorry for the confusion. It means mix the powdered sugar in with the cream mixture (cream cheese and butter). I hope that helps!
Hilly Danvers says
Fantastic! Mine turned out very red in color, not sure what I did differently. The flavor is exceptional and the texture is delightful. I’m making these for a party and I’m so excited to serve them!
Jessica says
Oh interesting! It could just be the different strawberries used?? But I’m so glad that you liked them too! Thank you for sharing.