Description
Delight your taste buds with these soft and creamy Caramel Cheesecake Cookies. Featuring a luscious cream cheese and butter base, these cookies are filled with gooey caramel centers and topped with crunchy graham crackers for an irresistible dessert experience. Perfect for any occasion, these thumbprint-style cookies combine the rich flavors of cheesecake and caramel in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 4 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Fillings and Toppings
- 1/2 cup caramel sauce (plus extra for drizzling)
- 1/2 cup crushed graham crackers (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. This ensures even distribution of leavening and seasoning throughout the dough.
- Beat Cream Cheese and Butter: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and unsalted butter together until the mixture is smooth and creamy, creating the perfect rich base for your cookies.
- Add Sugars and Mix: Add granulated sugar and light brown sugar to the cream cheese mixture. Beat until the mixture becomes fluffy, incorporating air for a lighter texture.
- Incorporate Egg and Vanilla: Mix in the large egg and vanilla extract thoroughly, blending them evenly into the dough to enhance flavor and texture.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
- Chill Dough: Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Chilling helps prevent spreading during baking and improves texture.
- Shape Cookies: Scoop tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing each about 2 inches apart. Using your thumb or the back of a spoon, make a small indentation in the center of each cookie to create a well for the caramel filling.
- Fill with Caramel: Fill each cookie indentation with approximately 1 teaspoon of caramel sauce, ensuring a gooey center once baked.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden, indicating they are perfectly cooked.
- Cool and Transfer: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to set. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Drizzle and Finish: Once cooled, drizzle each cookie with additional caramel sauce and sprinkle with crushed graham crackers for a delightful crunch and enhanced presentation.
Notes
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate to keep them fresh longer.
- You can use either store-bought or homemade caramel sauce depending on your preference and convenience.
- For a salted caramel twist, sprinkle a pinch of sea salt on top of the cookies before serving.
