Chocolate Cheesecake Cookies

INGREDIENTS

Cheesecake Filling

• 8 Tablespoons (4oz) cream cheese, softened (regular or vegan)
• 3 Tablespoons powdered sugar (icing sugar/confectioner's sugar) SEE NOTES if using regular (not vegan) cream cheese

Chocolate Cookies

• ½ cup butter, softened (regular or vegan)
• ¾ cup light brown sugar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (may sub dark or white chocolate)

DIRECTIONS

1. Start by making the cheesecake filling. Line a plate with parchment paper. In a bowl, combine all of the cheesecake filling ingredients until smooth. Place 16 heaping teaspoons of the filling onto the parchment paper, slightly flattening each ball. Freeze until solid, this can take 45-60 minutes.
2. When the cheesecake filling is almost solid, start making the cookies. Preheat your oven to 350°Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the butter with the white sugar and light brown sugar until soft and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract.
3. Add in the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
4. Scoop out the cookie dough into 2 tablespoon sized balls and place on the lined baking sheets.
5. Take the cheesecake filling out of the freezer and gently press one onto each cookie dough ball. Using your hands, work the dough around the cream cheese filling so it is completely covered with cookie dough. You can press a few extra chocolate chips on top of each cookie for that bakery style look!
6. Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 9-12 minutes. While one sheet is baking, keep the sheet with unbaked cookies in the fridge. Enjoy!

NOTES

Please Note: I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh your dry ingredients. Metric measurements are found above, under the "Metric" tab.

• Measuring flour and cocoa powder - I highly recommend using a $15 kitchen scale to weigh your dry ingredients. If you aren't using a scale, use the scoop and level method.
• Cream Cheese: I don’t recommend using Daiya brand cream cheese as it tends to melt into the dough. If you’re looking for a dairy free or vegan option, then I suggest using Violife or another vegan cream cheese which has a coconut base. Depending what kind of cream cheese you use, the amount of time it takes to freeze the filling may vary.
• Powdered Sugar: If you are using regular (not vegan) cream cheese, add an extra Tablespoon of powdered sugar (4 Tablespoons total). It's firmer than vegan cream cheese so more icing sugar will make the filling softer.