Tag: Stuffed Cookies

Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookies

I have made gingerbread cookies from scratch and yes, they are delicious, but they can be a bit time consuming. Especially if you are making Gingerbread cutouts which you are then decorating. One year I decided to try using Betty Crocker’s Gingerbread Cookie Mix and I was very happy with the results, so I always pick up a package or two around the holidays – the only time they are available in stores. One of my favorite flavor combinations for a cake during the holidays is a gingerbread cake with cream cheese frosting so I started wondering if I could recreate this with a cookie and lo and behold my idea worked out just as I had hoped. Today’s cookie, Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookies, uses Betty Crocker’s Gingerbread Cookie mix as the base and then three simple ingredients are whipped together for the cheesecake filling. The cookie is finished by rolling in a gingerbread spiced sugar to up the ante – an appearance – of the cookie.

Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookies

  • Servings: 18 Cookies
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Ingredients:

For the Cheesecake Filling:

6 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Gingerbread Spiced Sugar:

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

For the Gingerbread Cookies:

1 17.5oz package Betty Crocker Gingerbread Cookie Mix

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 large egg

1 tablespoon water

Directions:

For the Cheesecake Filling: Line a baking sheet or small cake pan with wax paper and set aside. In a medium bowl combine the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract and beat with a hand mixer on medium speed until well combined and the sugar has dissolved. Using a small cookie scoop (2 teaspoons) scoop the mixture and drop onto the prepared pan. You should have 18 portions. Freeze until they are frozen and firm, preferably overnight.

For the Gingerbread Spiced Sugar: Combine the sugar and all the spices in a small bowl and whisk together to combine. Set aside.

For the Gingerbread Cookies: Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Add the gingerbread cookie mix along with the butter, egg and water to a large bowl. Beat with a handheld mixer on medium speed until the dough forms.

Using a medium cookie scoop – 1 1/2 tablespoons – scoop the dough into 18 portions and divide amongst the 2 prepared cookie sheets. Working with the dough on one of the cookie sheets – roll the dough into a ball and then slightly flatten. Place a frozen cheesecake ball in the center of the flatten dough and then cover the ball with the cookie dough. Roll into a ball again and then roll in the gingerbread spiced sugar before placing back onto the cookie sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 9 – 11 minutes. Until the cookie is slightly puffed and edges begin to brown. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Some things to note, keep the remaining cheesecake balls in the freezer until a few minutes before the first batch of cookies finishes baking. Then remove from the freezer and finish assembling and baking the cookies.

And while I am sure it’s safe to store these cookies at room temperature, I opted to store mine in the refrigerator in an airtight container due to the cream cheese based filling. Just bring to room temperature to before enjoying!

Recipe first appeared on Bead Yarn & Spatula

S’Mores Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Not that long ago I finally joined Pinterest and while I am no nowhere near being an expert on it, I am getting the gist of it. Maybe with the holiday season just around the corner I’ll utilize it a bit more. Luckily I have friends who are on it who find cool things to share with me and politely hint at me to try, like S’mores Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies . I’ve actually never had a s’more; mainly because I am not particularly fond of marshmallows. I recall eating them as a child but chances are I ate one too many of them and got my fill. I figured since these marshmallows would melt into the cookie while baking I wouldn’t be bothered by them. And boy was I right!

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I began by making the chocolate chip cookie dough.

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I then gathered my three ingredients to make s’mores – graham crackers, chocolate and marshmallows.

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And a assembled a s’more. I should note that I opted to use mini-marshmallows as opposed to the larger ones which probably explains the lack of marshmallow gooeyness in my cookie. I’m not complaining though!

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This is where the messy part began and I’ll spare you those pictures – mainly because I didn’t take any since my hands were covered with cookie dough. Using an ice cream scoop I scooped the dough into the palm of my hand and flattened it. I then placed the s’more on the flattened cookie dough and then placed another ice cream sized scoop of cookie dough on top of the s’more and smoothed the dough to form a decent sized mound. One more thing about those pesky marshmallows, if I had used the larger sized ones it probably would have been easier to shape the cookies since the smaller ones allowed the graham cracker and chocolate to move around a lot while forming the cookie.

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I baked the cookies (4 at a time) in a 350 F preheated oven for 15 minutes – they were just beginning to brown and the tops were cracking a bit. I let them cook on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

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Overall these cookies are amazing! The cookie itself was delicious and I will probably use the recipe the next time I make basic chocolate chip cookies.

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But the best part is when you split the cookie in half and you have all that chocolate in the middle… YUM!!!

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S’Mores Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies 

Makes 12 Large Cookies

Ingredients:

2 sticks softened butter

1 Cup granulated sugar

3/4 Cup packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

1 Tablespoon vanilla

3 1/2 Cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 Cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

24 graham cracker quarters or 12 full sheets separated at perforations

3 Hershey Bars, broken into rows of 3 bars

12 large marshmallows cut in half lengthwise**

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a large baking sheet with parchment or a silpat liner.

2.  In a stand or electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla, continue to beat until well combined.

3.  Place flour, salt and baking soda into a bowl; mix to combine then add slowly to wet ingredients along with the chocolate chips.

4.  Layer a graham cracker quarter with 3 Hershey chocolate squares and 2 marshmallow halves.  Close with another graham cracker.  Top s’more with a large scoop of cookie dough.  Place in hands and place another large scoop on bottom then front and back sides as needed.  Form dough around s’mores.  Will get messy, but stick with it, it does not have to be perfect.  S’mores will move around but it’s no big deal.  Place large cookies onto prepared baking sheet and bake for 15-17 minutes or until edges are golden and centers are cooked through.  Let cool for 10 minutes before transferring to cooling rack or serving plate.