Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake Cookies
These chocolate peppermint cheesecake cookies feature a fudgy chocolate cookie base stuffed with peppermint cheesecake filling.
Chocolate and peppermint are some of my favorite flavors, especially as a pairing! If you’re a mint and chocolate fan, I urge you to try this recipe! They are also perfect cookies for St Patrick’s day, with the green mint centers.
The cookie base is rich and fudgy, and it’s based on the chocolate cookies I use for these inside-out cookies and these Christmas chocolate peppermint cookies too. I tweaked the flour ratio a little to make it slightly firmer since, in this recipe; they’re stuffed with cheesecake filling.
The peppermint flavor in this recipe is in the filling, along with a hint of green food color (though the color bit is optional!) You’ll need at least 2 hours of chilling time for the dough and the cheesecake centers.
You might like these chocolate ganache stuffed cookies or chocolate-swirled peppermint marshmallows, too!
Ingredients
Find the amounts for these easy orange-chocolate cookies in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here is a rundown of what you will need.
- Butter. This can be salted or unsalted butter softened to room temperature.
- Granulated sugar.
- Light brown sugar. A brown and white sugar mix brings the right amount of moisture and chewiness to the cookie, with ever so slightly crisp edges.
- Large egg
- Vanilla extract or vanilla paste.
- All-purpose flour.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder. This can be natural or dutch processed cocoa.
- Baking soda.
- Salt.
Cheesecake filling
- Cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- Granulated sugar
- Peppermint extract
- Green food coloring (optional)
Method
Cream cheese centers
In a medium bowl, using an electric hand mixer, whip together the cream cheese, sugar, peppermint extract, and food color until creamy.
Dollop 10 spoonfuls of the mixture onto parchment paper, then place it into the freezer while you make the cookie dough.
Cookie dough
Whisk all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
Add the softened butter and sugars to a large bowl and cream these on high speed with an electric mixer, or use the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
Once creamy, add the egg and vanilla extract and beat these in.
Add the dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to fold them together until combined.
Shape the dough into 10 mounds and place on a parchment paper lined plate. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours or up to 24 hours.
Shaping
Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Flatten a piece of cookie dough in your hand, then place a cold cheesecake dollop in the center.
Fold the dough around the cream cheese ball until it’s covered, then roll the ball in the palms of your hand. Repeat with the remainder of the dough balls and cheesecake.
Place cookies at least 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes until puffed.
Let them cool on the baking tray for 10 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool further.
Storing
These cheesecake-stuffed cookies can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. The baked cookies can also be frozen for up to three months, wrapped in plastic or a freezer-safe bag.
The unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well too. Roll and stuff the dough, and freeze them in an air-tight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. They can be baked from frozen with no need to thaw. They will need a little longer baking time.
More cookie recipes
If you liked this recipe, you might like these cookie recipes and brownie recipes too!
Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake Cookies
These decadent peppermint cheesecake cookies feature rich chocolate cookies stuffed with peppermint cream cheese.
Ingredients
Cheesecake filling
- 140g (5oz) cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 40g (3 Tablespoons) granulated sugar
- 2-3 drops of green food coloring (optional)
Cookie dough
- 156g (1 ¼ cups*) all-purpose flour
- 45g (½ cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 113g (½ cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 100g (½ cup) granulated sugar
- 100g (½ cup) soft brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Cream cheese centers
- In a medium bowl, using an electric hand mixer, whip together the cream cheese, sugar, peppermint extract, and food color until nice and creamy.
- Dollop 10 spoonfuls of the mixture onto parchment paper, then place it into the freezer while you make the cookie dough.
Cookie dough
- Whisk all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
- Add the room-temperature butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and creamy.
- Once creamy, add the egg and vanilla extract and beat these in.
- Add the dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to fold them together until combined.
- Shape the dough into 10 mounds and place on a parchment paper lined plate. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours or up to 24 hours.
Shaping
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Flatten a piece of cold cookie dough in your hand, then place a cold cheesecake dollop in the center. Fold the dough around the cream cheese ball until it's covered, then roll the ball in the palms of your hand. Repeat with the remainder of the dough balls and cheesecake.
- Place cookies at least 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes until puffed.
- Let them cool on the baking tray for 10 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool further.
Notes
*The cup measurements given are US-sized. Note that these are smaller than metric cups. For best results, use grams.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 301Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 172mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 1gSugar: 23gProtein: 4g
This is an informational estimate only. I am not a certified Dietitian or Nutritionist
While these cooked up contents do taste amazing, all of the insides oozed out underneath during baking, creating a literal hot mess. Maybe they need a second chilling after they’re formed? Or an adjustment to the amount of butter?
Sorry that happened for you Shannon! Perhaps the dough wasn’t chilled enough, mine are always quite puffy when baked! Was the bottom of the cookie properly covered with dough? Maybe it wasn’t and the cheesecake oozed out through a gap there. If you make them again, I would ensure there’s not a gap there.
Loved these!! they turned out so good. I didn’t use the green colour though