These bite-sized Strawberry Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies scream summer! You NEED them for your 4th of July bash this year.
Any major cheesecake lovers out there? While I do love making cheesecake, it can be so time consuming when the craving strikes. I mean, It’s hard to get a random hankering for cheesecake and then whip one up on the fly. With these Strawberry Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies, you can have the flavor of cheesecake that you love without the pesky springform pan and water bath.
I remember the first time I made a legit cheesecake like it was yesterday. It was maybe 1o years ago and I set out on a mission to make the perfect chocolate cheesecake. I had to go buy the pans and research the most highly rated recipe, which was honestly probably from All Recipes. Long story short, my hopes and dreams were crushed when the whole thing cracked and bubbled terribly in the oven. Lo and behold, you do actually need that water bath most of the time. My cheesecake-making skills have gotten better over the years, but these cookies are a fine alternative in a pinch if you ask me.
Since we’re in the thralls of summer, I decided to go for a filling of strawberry preserves, but you could easily go for cherry, raspberry, blueberry, or… OMG Nutella. I can’t wait to try these babies with a spoonful of lemon curd in the middle. If you try any of those variations first let me know how it goes!
Try my Peanut Butter Mini Egg Thumbprint Cookies or Dirty Chai Cheesecake!
Adapted from Dessert for two and The Perfect Cookie Cookbook.
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 12 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 6 whole graham crackers, crushed into fine crumbs — 1 cup of boxed graham cracker crumbs would work, too
- 1/2 strawberry preserves
- Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the cream cheese and butter until creamy, about 1 minute. While the mixer is running, stream in the sugar and beat until combined.
- Next, add the egg yolks and vanilla extract. Beat until combined.
- Finally, add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Cover the dough and chill for at least 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Pour the graham cracker crumbs into a shallow dish.
- Scoop out the dough in heaping tablespoons, then roll them into a ball, and then roll in the crushed graham crackers.
- Place each cookie on the sheet, spaced about 2″ apart.
- Using the back of a tablespoon or your thumb, make a large indent in the center of each cookie. Place about 1 tsp of strawberry preserves in the center of each indent.
- Bake the cookies for 12-13 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, move to wire racks to cool completely, then chill in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving.
Strawberry Shortcake Biscuits -
Wednesday 18th of July 2018
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