Prepare the Cheesecake Filling: In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with an electric hand mixer until smooth and creamy. Sift in the icing sugar and add the vanilla extract and plain flour. Beat again until everything is fully combined and there are no lumps.

Freeze the Filling: Line a small plate or tray with parchment paper. Using a teaspoon, scoop out 14 small, even-sized balls of the cheesecake mixture (each should be about 2cm in diameter). Roll them gently between your palms to smooth them out. Place the balls on the prepared tray and freeze for at least 1 hour, or until completely solid. This step is crucial!

Make the Cookie Dough: In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened butter with the light brown sugar and caster sugar until light and fluffy. This technique, known as creaming, incorporates air and is key to a good cookie texture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then 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, salt, and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon.

Finish the Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on a low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. The dough will be soft.

Assemble the Cookies: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and line two large baking trays with parchment paper. In a shallow bowl, mix together the 100g of caster sugar and 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon for the coating.

Stuff and Roll: Take a scoop of cookie dough (about 1.5 tablespoons). Flatten it into a disc in the palm of your hand. Place one of the frozen cheesecake balls in the centre. Carefully wrap the dough around the filling, pinching the seams to seal it completely. Roll the ball between your palms to make it smooth. What works best for me is ensuring there are no cracks where the filling can escape.

Coat and Bake: Roll the stuffed cookie dough ball generously in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until it's fully coated. Place it on the prepared baking tray. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling, leaving at least 5cm of space between each cookie as they will spread.

Bake to Perfection: Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centres are set but still look a little soft. They will continue to bake on the hot tray.

Cool Down: Let the cookies cool on the baking tray for 10 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. They are delicate while warm due to the soft centre.