Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cookies
There are some bakes that feel like a proper event, the kind you plan a weekend around. These Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cookies are exactly that. They blend the comforting chewiness of a perfect cookie with the luxurious tang of cheesecake and the deep, rich allure of salted caramel. It’s a combination that sounds complex, but I promise the process is as rewarding as the final bite. I stumbled upon this combination by accident, trying to use up leftover cream cheese and a jar of caramel, and it’s been a hit ever since.
What truly makes these cookies stand out is the texture and flavour journey in every mouthful. You first get the soft, buttery edge of the cookie, which gives way to a surprisingly cool, creamy cheesecake centre. Just as you’re savouring that tangy filling, the gooey, slightly bitter salted caramel pools on your tongue, all finished with a tiny, sharp crunch from a flake of sea salt. They look and taste like they’ve come straight from a high-end bakery, but they’re born in your very own kitchen.
This is a wonderful recipe for when you want to create something truly special. Whether you’re baking for a dinner party dessert that needs to impress, or settling in for an afternoon of therapeutic baking after a long week, these cookies fit the bill. They’re a sophisticated step up from a simple chocolate chip, perfect for anyone who appreciates a dessert with a little more depth. After a satisfying main like our Stuffed Peppers With Rice Recipe Dinner, these cookies are the ultimate sweet finale.
Recipe Overview
This recipe guides you through creating sublime, multi-layered cookies. We’ll make a simple cheesecake filling, a classic brown sugar cookie dough, and bring it all together with a luscious salted caramel topping. The key is in the assembly and chilling, which ensures a perfect texture. I’ve found that freezing the cheesecake filling for at least 30 minutes is the secret to preventing it from melting away during baking.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Chilling Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 44 minutes
- Servings: 18 cookies
- Difficulty: Medium
Why You’ll Love These Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cookies
- Genuine Flavour: The buttery cookie dough is balanced beautifully by the sharp tang from the full-fat cream cheese filling. The salted caramel isn’t just sweet; it has a deep, almost toasted flavour that cuts through the richness.
- Ready in Under 2 Hours: While there’s chilling involved, the active preparation time is just about 30 minutes, making it a manageable baking project for a weekend afternoon.
- Flexible Recipe: The concept is wonderfully adaptable. If salted caramel isn’t your thing, try filling the wells with a sharp lemon curd, a rich chocolate ganache, or a tart raspberry coulis.
- Great for Special Occasions: These are ideal when you want to bring something a bit more thoughtful than a standard dessert. They work beautifully for birthday gatherings, afternoon tea, or as a homemade gift.
- Family Tested: Friends always ask me for this recipe after trying it at dinner parties. My husband, who isn’t a huge dessert fan, will happily eat two or three of these in one sitting!
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the best results, use good quality, full-fat ingredients, especially for the butter and cream cheese. I always use Philadelphia full-fat cream cheese as I find it has the firmest texture and the most authentic tangy flavour, which is crucial for the cheesecake element.
- For the Cheesecake Filling:
- 120g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 50g icing sugar, sifted
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- For the Cookie Dough:
- 150g unsalted butter, softened
- 150g light brown soft sugar
- 50g caster sugar
- 1 large free-range egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 280g plain flour
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ½ tsp salt
- For the Topping:
- 150g thick salted caramel sauce (shop-bought or homemade)
- Flaky sea salt (like Maldon), for sprinkling
Ashley’s Tip: Having your butter and cream cheese at true room temperature is vital. If they are too cold, your filling will be lumpy and the cookie dough won’t cream properly. Take them out of the fridge a good hour before you start.
How to Make Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cookies
We’ll approach this in three stages: preparing the filling, making the dough, and finally, the assembly and baking. Don’t be intimidated by the steps; they are straightforward and worth the effort for that bakery-quality result.
- Prepare the Cheesecake Filling: In a small bowl, beat the room temperature cream cheese, sifted icing sugar, and vanilla extract together with a spatula or electric hand mixer until completely smooth and combined. Line a small tray or plate with parchment paper. Drop level teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto the tray, creating about 18 small mounds. Place the tray in the freezer for at least 30-60 minutes, until the mounds are firm.
- Make the Cookie Dough: In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the softened butter, light brown sugar, and caster sugar together for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the plain flour, bicarbonate of soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on a low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Chill the Dough: Wrap the cookie dough in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This step is crucial for preventing the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
- Assemble the Cookies: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and line two large baking trays with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the fridge and the cheesecake balls from the freezer. Take a scoop of dough (about 1.5 tablespoons) and flatten it in your palm. Place one frozen cheesecake ball in the centre and carefully wrap the dough around it, rolling it into a smooth ball. Ensure the filling is completely sealed inside.
- Bake the Cookies: Place the dough balls on the prepared baking trays, leaving plenty of space between them as they will spread. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown but the centres are still soft.
- Create the Caramel Well: As soon as you remove the cookies from the oven, take the back of a round teaspoon (a ½ tsp measure works well) and gently press an indent into the centre of each cookie. I find that doing this immediately is the key to a perfect well.
- Cool and Fill: Let the cookies cool on the baking tray for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, gently warm your salted caramel sauce if it’s too thick to drizzle. Spoon or pipe the caramel into the indent of each cookie.
- Finishing Touch: Sprinkle a few flakes of sea salt over the caramel on each cookie. Allow the caramel to set for about 30 minutes before serving.
Tips From My Kitchen
- Temperature Control: The success of these cookies hinges on temperature. The cheesecake filling MUST be frozen solid, and the cookie dough must be properly chilled. This dual-chill approach ensures the filling steams inside the cookie rather than melting out, creating that perfect creamy pocket.
- The Secret Step: I learned that creating the well for the caramel *after* baking is far more effective than trying to make an indent before. If you press before baking, the cookie just puffs back up. The post-bake press guarantees a neat, defined space for that glorious caramel.
- Make-Ahead: You can prepare the components in advance. The cookie dough can be made and refrigerated for up to 3 days. The cheesecake filling balls can be frozen in an airtight container for up to a month. You can even assemble the cookies and freeze the raw dough balls, ready to bake from frozen (just add 2-3 minutes to the baking time).
- Storage: Due to the cream cheese filling, these cookies must be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will keep for up to 4 days. For the best texture, let them sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.
Equipment You’ll Need
- Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
- Baking trays
- Parchment paper
- Wire cooling rack
What to Serve With Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cookies
These cookies are a decadent treat all by themselves, but pairing them thoughtfully can enhance the experience even more.
- A Hot Drink: A strong, freshly brewed coffee is the perfect partner. Its bitterness provides a wonderful contrast to the cookie’s sweetness. If you’re looking for a colder option, my Instant Coffee Iced Coffee Recipe Brew is a great choice.
- A Glass of Milk: Sometimes, simplicity is best. A tall, cold glass of milk is a classic pairing that never fails to satisfy.
- On a Dessert Platter: For a larger gathering, serve these alongside some sharp, fresh raspberries and perhaps a slice of a contrasting cake, like this delicate Rose Gold Cake, to give guests a variety of textures and flavours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Prepare the Cheesecake Filling: In a small bowl, beat the room temperature cream cheese, sifted icing sugar, and vanilla extract together with a spatula or electric hand mixer until completely smooth and combined. Line a small tray or plate with parchment paper. Drop level teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto the tray, creating about 18 small mounds. Place the tray in the freezer for at least 30-60 minutes, until the mounds are firm.
- Make the Cookie Dough: In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the softened butter, light brown sugar, and caster sugar together for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the plain flour, bicarbonate of soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on a low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Chill the Dough: Wrap the cookie dough in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This step is crucial for preventing the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
- Assemble the Cookies: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and line two large baking trays with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the fridge and the cheesecake balls from the freezer. Take a scoop of dough (about 1.5 tablespoons) and flatten it in your palm. Place one frozen cheesecake ball in the centre and carefully wrap the dough around it, rolling it into a smooth ball. Ensure the filling is completely sealed inside.
- Bake the Cookies: Place the dough balls on the prepared baking trays, leaving plenty of space between them as they will spread. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown but the centres are still soft.
- Create the Caramel Well: As soon as you remove the cookies from the oven, take the back of a round teaspoon (a ½ tsp measure works well) and gently press an indent into the centre of each cookie. I find that doing this immediately is the key to a perfect well.
- Cool and Fill: Let the cookies cool on the baking tray for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, gently warm your salted caramel sauce if it's too thick to drizzle. Spoon or pipe the caramel into the indent of each cookie.
- Finishing Touch: Sprinkle a few flakes of sea salt over the caramel on each cookie. Allow the caramel to set for about 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
I truly hope you enjoy making and, more importantly, eating these Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cookies. They are a real labour of love, but every step is worth it when you bite into that perfect combination of chewy, creamy, and salty-sweet. They always get compliments and I’m so excited to share the recipe with you. Please let me know how you get on in the comments below – I love hearing about your kitchen creations!
Happy baking,
Ashley
