These double chocolate cheesecake cookies combine a chewy, fudgy chocolate cookie with a smooth chocolate cream cheese center for an irresistible treat.
Why you’ll love them
Perfect texture. These cookies are chewy with slightly crisp edges and a tender interior.
Cheesecake filling. A creamy chocolate cream cheese center that is rich without being overly sweet.
Simple to make. Despite their gourmet appearance, the recipe uses basic techniques and common ingredients.
Two desserts in one. If you can’t decide between cookies and cheesecake, this recipe gives you both in every bite.
Ingredients
- Butter – salted butter at room temperature.
- Brown sugar
- White sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs – one large egg plus one additional egg yolk.
- Flour – all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled.
- Milk – about 1 tablespoon for extra fudginess.
- Cocoa powder – unsweetened.
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Cream cheese – full-fat, at room temperature for the filling.
Step-by-step instructions
(Full recipe measurements are shown in the recipe card below)
Cheesecake filling
Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl, combine room-temperature cream cheese with vanilla, cocoa powder, and sugar. Beat on medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth and fully combined. Scoop out 18 portions of about 1.5 teaspoons each onto the parchment-lined sheet, forming small balls, and place the tray in the freezer until the cheesecake balls are firm. Freezing the filling while you make the cookie dough makes assembly much easier.
Chocolate cookies
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl or in a stand mixer, cream together the room-temperature butter with the brown and white sugars until light and fluffy—about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the whole egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and milk, and mix until fully incorporated.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined, taking care not to overmix. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky but manageable.
Assembling the cookies
Scoop about 3 tablespoons of dough for each cookie and roll into a ball. Flatten a dough ball in your palm and place one frozen cheesecake ball in the center. Wrap the cookie dough around the cheesecake, fully enclosing it, and roll back into a smooth ball. Roll each assembled cookie in a little white sugar, then place on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Keep any unused cheesecake balls in the freezer between batches to ensure they stay firm.
Bake the cookies for about 13 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown. They will look puffy when removed from the oven; gently press the top of each cookie with the bottom of a glass to flatten them slightly for an even appearance. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the pan before transferring to a wire rack—this helps the filling set and prevents breakage.
Frequently asked questions
Storing the cookies
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They keep well for up to four days. For longer storage, freeze the baked cookies in an airtight container for up to one month; thaw in the fridge before serving.
What does “spooned and levelled” flour mean?
Spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife rather than scooping the cup directly into the flour container. Scooping compresses the flour and can result in too much flour, which makes cookies dry or dense.
How to get perfectly round cookies
After baking, while cookies are still warm, you can place a slightly larger round cookie cutter or the rim of a glass around each cookie and gently swirl to round the edges. This helps create a uniform, professional look.
Can I make the cookies smaller?
It’s not recommended. These cookies are intentionally large to accommodate the cheesecake center; reducing dough size will make it difficult to fully encase the filling and may result in leaks.
If you make these double chocolate cheesecake cookies, please leave a rating and a comment with your feedback.
Recipe card
Double Chocolate Cheesecake Cookies
Author: Jessie M | Prep: 30 mins | Cook: 13 mins | Yields: 18 large cookies
Cheesecake filling
- 3/4 cup full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 tbsp white sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Chocolate cookies
- 3/4 cup salted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup white sugar for rolling
Instructions (summary)
- Make and freeze cheesecake filling balls as described above.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets.
- Cream butter and sugars until light, add eggs, milk, and vanilla.
- Whisk dry ingredients; fold into the wet mixture until just combined.
- Assemble each cookie with a frozen cheesecake ball, roll in sugar, and bake 13 minutes.
- Gently press warm cookies flat, then cool completely on the pan.
Notes
*Spooned and levelled flour: spoon flour into your measuring cup and level with a knife. Scooping directly from the container packs the flour and adds extra, which can make baked goods dense.
These chocolate cheesecake-stuffed cookies are ideal for parties, bake sales, or an indulgent weekend bake. The contrast between the fudgy cookie and silky cheesecake center makes each bite memorable—enjoy!