These chocolate cheesecake cookies are the ultimate stuffed cookies! This recipe pairs soft dark chocolate cookies with rich and creamy cheesecake to create a truly decadent chocolate cookie. Plus we've added a little something special and elevated the flavor of the cheesecake filling by adding Bailey's Irish cream.
Where do I even begin with these chocolate cheesecake cookies? I mean... just look at them!
The chocolate cookie is beautifully soft and chewy, and its richness comes from the ultra-creamy Irish cream cheesecake filling, whose flavor is the perfect complement to the cookies' delicate chocolatey-ness. They're just the right amount of decadent.
Why You'll Love These Cookies
They're perfect for St. Patrick's Day! Skip the green food coloring and celebrate with a batch of these cheesecake stuffed cookies instead.
This small batch recipe makes just 8 cookies but can be easily multiplied for more cheesecake stuffed goodness!
Not a fan of Baileys? No problem! Check out my recommended ingredient substitutions for this recipe below.
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Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Cream Cheese - For the best flavor and texture, use full fat cream cheese and let it come to room temperature before mixing to avoid lumps in your cheesecake filling.
Irish Cream - This Irish whiskey-based liqueur adds a subtle yet distinctive richness to the cheesecake filling. I used Bailey's, which also includes hints of chocolate flavor, but you can use any brand you like or even homemade. If you want to substitute the Irish Cream, you have two options:
- Milk and vanilla extract - Substitute 1 Tablespoon milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for an alcohol-free vanilla cheesecake filling.
- Kahlua - If you prefer the flavor of coffee to Irish whiskey, use 2 Tablespoons of Kahlua coffee liqueur in place of the Irish cream.
Cocoa Powder - This recipe calls for Dutch process cocoa powder, which adds a smooth chocolate flavor and deep brown color to the cookies. Dutch process cocoa powder can be found in the baking aisle of grocery stores and online. Alternatively, you can substitute an equal amount of natural unsweetened cocoa powder; just know that doing so will change the chocolate flavor of the cookies and their color won't be such a deep brown.
See recipe card at the bottom of this post for full ingredient list and measurements.
Special Equipment
In addition to essential baking equipment (like a mixing bowl and spatula), I recommend some special tools for making this recipe.
- Stand mixer or electric hand mixer, for mixing cheesecake filling and cookie dough.
- Cookie scoops (1 Tablespoon and 1 ½ Tablespoon sizes), for scooping balls of cheesecake filling and cookie dough. The cookie scoops are optional but very helpful, and measuring spoons can be used in their place.
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
Step 1: Make the cheesecake filling. Beat cream cheese, confectioners sugar, Irish cream, and salt until well blended and smooth.
Step 2: Scoop 8 heaping Tablespoons of cheesecake filling. Chill the cheesecake filling while you make the cookie dough.
Step 3: Make the chocolate cookie dough. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
Step 4: Cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg, milk, and vanilla and beat to combine.
Step 5: Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, blending until combined. Chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes.
Step 6: Stuff the cookies. Use a 1 ½ Tablespoon cookie scoop or measuring spoons to scoop 2 balls of cookie dough. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to flatten each ball into a flat circle about ⅛ inch thick. Place one chilled scoop of cheesecake filling onto one of the flattened cookie dough scoops.
Step 7: Fold the edges of the cookie dough up around the sides of the cheesecake filling. Top with the other flattened cookie dough scoop, pressing the sides of the cookie dough down so they meet the other piece of cookie dough. Roll the ball between your hands to seal the two pieces of cookie dough together, trapping the cheesecake filling inside. Repeat this process to form 8 cookies.
Step 8: Place the stuffed cookie dough balls onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper and chill them for 15 minutes while you preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 10: Bake the cookies, one tray at a time, for about 12 minutes. The cookies will flatten as they bake, and they're ready when the centers are no longer puffed. Sprinkle with salt and cool on a wire rack
See recipe card at the bottom of this post for detailed recipe instructions.
Allison's Top Tips
Be sure that the cheesecake filling is chilled when you stuff the cookies. Working with cold scoops of cheesecake will make forming the cookies easier.
Scoop just 2 scoops of cookie dough (for forming one cookie) at a time, keeping the remaining dough chilling in the fridge as you work. Keeping the cookie dough chilled will make it easier to work with, as the dough will become more sticky when warm.
The cookie dough will be a bit sticky, so it's helpful to dust the bottom of your measuring cup and your hands with cocoa powder to keep them from sticking to the cookie dough.
Storage Instructions
Because of their cheesecake filling, these cookies should be stored in the fridge. They will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. For the best taste and texture, let the cookies sit at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before eating.
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Recipe
Chocolate Cheesecake Cookies with Irish Cream
Special Equipment
- Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
Ingredients
Cheesecake Filling:
- 4 ounces (113 grams) full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
- ¼ cup (30 grams) confectioners' sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (30 grams) Baileys Irish cream liqueur
- pinch of salt
Chocolate Cookies:
- 1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (43 grams) Dutch process cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon (2 grams) baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon (1.5 grams) salt
- ½ cup (114 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup (110 grams) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tablespoon (15 grams) whole milk
- 1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract
- fine or flaky sea salt for sprinkling on top (optional)
Instructions
Make the Baileys cheesecake filling.
- In a medium bowl, add cream cheese and confectioners' sugar and mix using an electric hand mixer until well blended and smooth. Add the Baileys and salt and blend until well combined.
- Place a piece of parchment paper or wax paper onto a baking sheet or plate. Use a 1 Tablespoon cookie scoop or measuring spoon to scoop 8 heaping Tablespoons of cheesecake filling, placing each scoop onto the prepared baking sheet or plate. Place the cheesecake filling in the fridge to chill while you make the cookie dough.
Make the chocolate cookie dough.
- In a medium bowl, add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl using an electric hand mixer), cream the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg, milk, and vanilla and beat to combine.
- With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture blending until combined and stopping to scrape the bowl as needed.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place the cookie dough in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes. Line 2 baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper and set aside.
Stuff the cookies.
- Use a 1 ½ Tablespoon cookie scoop or measuring spoons to scoop cookie dough. Scoop just 2 scoops at a time, keeping the remaining dough chilling in the fridge as you work. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to flatten each of the two cookie dough scoops into a flat circle about ⅛ inch thick. Place one chilled scoop of cheesecake filling onto one of the flattened cookie dough scoops and fold the edges of the cookie dough up around the sides of the cheesecake filling. Top with the other flattened cookie dough scoop, pressing the sides of the cookie dough down so they meet the other piece of cookie dough. Roll the ball between your hands (without squishing the cookie) to seal the two pieces of cookie dough together, trapping the cheesecake filling inside. (NOTE: The cookie dough will be a bit sticky, so it's helpful to dust the bottom of your measuring cup and your hands with cocoa powder to keep them from sticking to the cookie dough. Keeping the cookie dough chilled while you form each cookie will also help, as the dough will become more sticky when warm.) Repeat this process to form 12 cookies, placing each cookie dough ball onto the baking sheets at least 2 inches apart.
- Transfer the baking sheets to the fridge and let the cookies chill for 15 minutes before baking. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) while the cookies chill.
Bake the cookies
- Bake the cookies, one tray at a time, for 12-13 minutes. The cookies will flatten as they bake, and they're ready when the centers are no longer puffed. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire cooling rack and immediately sprinkle with salt (if using). Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Milk and vanilla extract - Instead of Baileys, you can substitute 1 Tbsp. milk and 1 tsp. vanilla extract for an alcohol-free vanilla cheesecake filling.
- Kahlua - For a delicious coffee flavor, use 2 Tbsp. Kahlua coffee liqueur in place of the Baileys.
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