Caramel Cheesecake Cookies (Printable)
Cream cheese cookie dough swirled with rich caramel, baked until soft and golden.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cookie Dough
01 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened
03 - 1 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
06 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1/2 tsp baking powder
08 - 1/4 tsp salt
→ Caramel Swirl
09 - 1/2 cup soft caramel sauce, slightly cooled
# Directions:
01 - Beat the softened butter and cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
02 - Add the granulated sugar and beat until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
03 - Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined.
04 - Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
05 - Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes until firm.
06 - Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
08 - Use the back of a spoon to gently press an indent into the center of each cookie dough mound.
09 - Dollop about 1/2 teaspoon of slightly cooled caramel sauce into each indent and swirl gently with a knife or toothpick.
10 - Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
11 - Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- These give you all the cheesecake drama without the terrifying water bath or the six hour chill time.
- The caramel swirl situation is genuinely magical and looks like you tried way harder than you actually did.
02 -
- Do not skip the dough chilling step or your cookies will spread into thin crispy disks with nowhere to hold the caramel.
- If your caramel sauce is too warm when you dollop it, it will melt right into the dough during baking and vanish completely, so let it cool to just barely warm.
03 -
- Wet your spoon slightly before pressing indents into the dough and it will not stick at all, saving you from ragged looking centers.
- The secret to the perfect swirl is less movement, drag the toothpick through just once or twice and trust it to look beautiful on its own.