The Most Delicious Cheesecake Cookies Are Underbaked

Chocolate chip cookies and cheesecake are a few of the most popular desserts in America, per HowStuffWorks. So when you combine these beloved treats, how could the result be anything but fantastic? While cheesecake cookies account for only about 7.6% of the ways cheesecake is used (via Tastewise), this underdog of a dessert should not be forgotten. When chocolate chip cookies are stuffed with cheesecake, you get a sweet, creamy filling inside a soft, chewy exterior that just melts in your mouth with every bite.

There are plenty of variations on cheesecake cookies, but the classic chocolate chip ones can be made by stuffing cookies with a mixture of cream cheese and powdered sugar, as seen in Organically Addison. However, you can also make a strawberry cheesecake version by adding chopped strawberries into the cookie batter, per Cookie Dough Diaries. In fact, why not try that with any fruit that pairs well with cheesecake, like blueberries or cherries? Whichever you prefer, you should soften your cream cheese ahead of time, so it mixes with the sugar nicely to create a smooth consistency. And for the most tender cheesecake cookies possible, you'll want to underbake them just a tad.

While some may prefer their cookies to be crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, you'll want to take a different approach when it comes to cheesecake cookies. Since the cheesecake filling is so smooth, it won't pair well with a crispy coating. To ensure yours come out of the oven with the right texture, MasterClass advises underbaking the cookies just a little, as they'll firm up after they're out of the oven. If you let these cookies bake too long, you'll end up with something that's dry and crumbly — more a biscuit than a cookie — so you may even want to double check your oven's temperature with a thermometer ahead of time (via Yellow Bliss Road).

Another essential rule to follow when dabbling with cheesecake cookies is to make sure to chill the dough before baking. There are differing opinions as to how long you need to keep it cold for; Cookie Dough Diaries recommends refrigerating it for just as long as the oven preheats, while Yellow Bliss Road's version calls for up to 20 minutes in the fridge. The reason for chilling the dough, MasterClass explains, is that it's typically stickier than regular cookie dough and needs to be cold so you can work with it more easily. So feel free to chill the dough for as long as you need to, and don't forget to pull the cookies out of the oven before they're fully baked.