Chocolate Cheesecake Cookies with Irish Cream

A bitten cookie stacked on top of two other cookies.

5 from 2 votes

Chocolate Cheesecake Cookies with Irish Cream

These chocolate cheesecake cookies are the ultimate stuffed cookies, made with soft dark chocolate cookies stuffed with Irish cream cheesecake filling.

Prep Time1

Cook Time12

Chill Time45

Total Time2 10

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 296kcal

Author: Allison Ferraro

Equipment

Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
Cookie scoops (1 Tablespoon and 1 ½ Tablespoons) (optional)

Ingredients

Cheesecake Filling:

4 ounces full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
¼ cup confectioners' sugar
2 Tablespoons Baileys Irish cream liqueur
pinch of salt

Chocolate Cookies:

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup Dutch process cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 Tablespoon whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
fine or flaky sea salt for sprinkling on top (optional)

US Customary - Metric

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

Storage: 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.

If you'd prefer not to use Baileys or another Irish cream liqueur in these cookies, try either of these substitutions:

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.

This recipe calls for Dutch process cocoa powder, which adds a delicate chocolate flavor and deep brown color to the cookies. Dutch process cocoa powder can be found in the baking aisle at 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.

Nutrition