Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies with Freeze Dried Strawberries

Love cheesecake? Love cookies? This is the ultimate strawberry cheesecake cookies recipe!

These cookies consist of standard sugar cookie dough ball that’s packed with freeze-dried strawberries, enveloping a sweet and tangy cheesecake filling. Drizzle with melted white chocolate and a sprinkle of extra freeze-dried strawberries.

And voila! Soft strawberry cheesecake cookies that are crispy and chewy on the outside while gooey on the inside. The cheesecake filling is not just a fun surprise to bite into; it packs incredible flavor and texture into each cookie; it’s impossible just to have one!

Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies Recipe

Stuffed with real cheesecake filling – each cookie hides a creamy, tangy center made with sweetened cream cheese. This is the perfect contrast to crispy and chewy cookies.

Made with pantry-friendly ingredients – these strawberry cream cheese cookies with freeze-dried strawberries call for simple baking staples that you likely already have. Forget about fancy kitchen tools or hard-to-find ingredients.

Kid-friendly and fun to make – from shaping the dough to stuffing the cheesecake filling, these strawberry cheesecake cookies are a hands-on baking activity your kids will love helping with.

Strawberry Cheesecake Cookie Recipe Ingredients

Strawberry Cookie Dough

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• ¾ cup white granulated sugar
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon strawberry extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 ¾ cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup freeze dried strawberries, crushed to powder
• ½ cup freeze dried strawberries, in pieces

Cheesecake Filling

• ¾ cup cream cheese
• ¼ cup powdered sugar

Topping

• ½ cup white chocolate chips/bar, melted

More quick treats here:

• Chocolate Biscoff Brownies With Cookie Butter Swirl
• Mini Apple Hand Pies
• Pumpkin Carrot Cake Recipe
• Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Recipe Substitutions & Variations

Here are some easy and delicious substitutions and variations to try:

• For extra strawberry flavor, add strawberry extract to the cheesecake filling.
• Make lemon blueberry cheesecake cookies instead with a creamy lemon cheesecake filling and freeze-dried blueberries. Simply swap the strawberry extract for lemon extract and use freeze-dried blueberries in the cookie dough and as a topping.
• Replace the white chocolate drizzle with dark or milk chocolate for a richer, more decadent finish.
• Top your cookies with frosting to make strawberry cookies with cream cheese frosting.
• Make mini strawberry cheesecake cookies. Use a small cookie scoop to measure the dough and halve the cheesecake filling dollops per cookie. These would be perfect for parties and lunchbox treats.
• Mix in chopped almonds, pistachios, or crushed graham crackers to the dough for extra texture.
• Add pink food coloring to the cookie dough for a pretty pink strawberry hue to the baked cookies.
• IT IS NOT POSSIBLE to substitute freeze-dried strawberries for fresh or frozen berries as they’ll add too much moisture to the cookie dough.

Exploring Vegan and Gluten-Free Options

With a few smart swaps, you can easily make this recipe work for different dietary needs:

• To make vegan strawberry cheesecake cookies, use vegan butter and a dairy-free cream cheese alternative, replace eggs with flax eggs (1 tablespoon of flaxseed meal + 2.5 tablespoons of water per egg), and choose dairy-free white chocolate chips.
• To make this recipe gluten-free, substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend. You should also ensure that your baking soda and other ingredients are certified gluten-free to avoid cross-contamination.

How To Make Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies

Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.

Making The Cookie Dough

Add the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar to a mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer to blend the ingredients on medium speed until creamy.

Then add the vanilla and strawberry extract and eggs. Whip the mixture together until smooth.

Pour in the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt, and crushed dried strawberries). Use a rubber spatula to fold all the ingredients and distribute them evenly until a thick batter forms

Wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge.

Making The Cheesecake Filling

While the dough chills, make the cheesecake filling.

In a separate smaller bowl, blend the cream cheese until creamy. Then add the powdered sugar, blending again until smooth.

Place a large teaspoonful of the cream cheese filling on a parchment-covered plate or small baking sheet.

Repeat and fill the parchment paper with cream cheese balls until all the cream cheese filling is gone.

Place the baking sheet in the freezer and let the cheesecake dollops harden along with the cookie dough chilling for 30 minutes.

Remove the frozen cream cheese dollops from the freezer and fridge.

Stuffing The Cookies With The Filling

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Use a scooper or medium cookie scoop to scoop a 2-inch round ball of strawberry cookie dough. Flatten it in your hand and place a cold ball of cream cheese filling in the center.

Wrap the cookie dough around the cream cheese and roll into a ball. Place on the prepared baking sheet from earlier.

Repeat with the rest of the dough balls, keeping each about 2 inches apart when placing them on the baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 13-15 minutes or until the center has puffed and the edges of the cookies have slightly browned.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 10-12 minutes. While those cool, heat the white chocolate in the microwave at 30-second intervals until melted.

Drizzle the white chocolate diagonally over half of each strawberry cheesecake cookie and place the frozen dried strawberry pieces on top of the cookies.

Let the chocolate set and harden. Serve and enjoy! 

Tips To Make The Best Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies

• Don’t skip the steps to chill the cookie dough and harden the cheesecake filling in the freezer. Chilling the cookie dough makes it easier to handle and will prevent it from spreading too much while baking. Freezing the cream cheese centers helps them stay intact and creamy during baking.
• Don’t be tempted to use fresh or frozen berries – freeze-dried strawberries add extra concentrated flavor and won’t add unnecessary moisture to the cookie dough.
• Seal the cookie dough around the filling to prevent the cheesecake filling from spilling out while baking.
• Let the cookies cool before decorating – let them cool on the baking tray before adding the white chocolate drizzle. This will keep the chocolate from melting and give the cookies a clean, glossy finish.

Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies Storage Instructions

To keep your soft strawberry cheesecake cookies fresh for longer, follow these simple storage tips:

In The Fridge

Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. For best texture, let them sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Freezing

These cookies freeze beautifully! Make sure to place them in a single layer on a baking sheet to freeze individually, then transfer to a zip-top freezer bag or airtight container. They’ll keep for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for about 30 minutes before enjoying.

FAQS for Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies

Can You Use a Different Fruit Instead of Strawberry?

Yes, you can. Swap the freeze-dried strawberries for other freeze-dried fruits like blueberries, raspberries, or mango. Make sure to use freeze-dried (not fresh or frozen), as they won’t add extra moisture to the dough.

Why are my cookies so soft?

These cookies are meant to be soft and slightly gooey in the center, especially right after baking. That said, they may need an extra minute or two in the oven if they seem too soft. Also, make sure they’re fully cooled before storing, as warm cookies can steam in a container and become overly soft.

What kind of cream cheese should I use?

Use full-fat cream cheese in a sleeve and avoid whipped or tub-style cream cheese, as those contain more moisture and can make the filling runny or unstable during baking.

Can I use frozen strawberries?

I don’t recommend it as frozen or fresh strawberries add too much water to the dough and can make your cookies soggy. Stick with freeze-dried strawberries to maintain the chewy texture and concentrated flavor.

Check out these fun strawberry recipes for kids too:

• Strawberry Cheesecake Topped Cinnamon Rolls
• Decadent Strawberry Crepe Cake Recipe
• Easy Homemade Strawberry Cheesecake Tacos
• Fresh Strawberry Loaf Cake (With Yogurt & Oil)
• Easy & Decadent Strawberry Chocolate Milkshake
• Easy Cake Mix Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake Jars