These Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Cookies are soft and chewy featuring a rich and creamy cheesecake center. If you enjoy a good Snickerdoodle cookie you are going to love this indulgent twist. Perfectly spiced with a cinnamon and sugar coating, each bite is a scrumptious blend of two treats in one.

A tray of snickerdoodle cheesecake cookies, with one broken in half.

Why I Love This Recipe

I always thought basic Snickerdoodle Cookies were a true holiday classic I needed to add to my to-do list every year until I made these Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Cookies that is. Now, I’ll be making this decadent, cream cheese filled cookie instead.

Super simple to prepare and great for your next cookie exchange, you will fall in love with these rich, dreamy cheesecake stuffed snickerdoodles. Be prepared to be amazed at how the filling really takes these cookies up a notch for a truly decadent eating experience. Soft, chewy, cinnamon-doused cookies with a cheesecake-like filling are simply irresistible. If you want to make them dairy-free you can always use non-dairy butter and a plant-based cream cheese.

Tools I Recommend

For this snickerdoodle cheesecake cookie, recipe I find the following tools quite handy (Amazon affiliate links):

Mixing bowl
Cookie sheet
Parchment paper
Whisk
Hand or stand mixer
#40 cookie scoop
#100 cookie scoop

Tips For Making This Recipe

Make the cream cheese mixture the evening before – This allows ample time for the mixture to firm up in the refrigerator overnight, making it a lot easier to handle.
Use a tablespoon to portion the dough – A tablespoon or cookie scoop will ensure the dough balls are all the same size so your cookies bake up at the same pace.
Fold the dough over the cheese filling well – You don’t want to see any of the cheesecake filling so pinch the dough together well. If the dough isn’t sealed well the cheesecake filling will ooze out during the baking process.
Use room temperature ingredients – Take the eggs, butter, and cream cheese out of the fridge before you begin so they can come to room temperature. Room temperature ingredients will blend more easily.

Ingredients

Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough

All-purpose flour: All purpose flour works well to make these cookies. If you want gluten-free snickerdoodle cookies, substitute with a 1-1 gluten-free flour.
Baking soda/powder: I used baking powder and baking soda to get a soft, light texture.
Cream of tartar: I added a pinch of cream of tartar to help give the snickerdoodle cookies their unique flavor and texture.
Butter: Use unsalted softened butter. If you only have salted butter you can use it but adjust the amount of added salt.
Granulated sugar: White granulated sugar adds sweetness to the cookie dough. I prefer white sugar as opposed to brown sugar.
Egg + egg yolk: You’ll need a whole egg and an egg yolk. Adding an extra egg yolk helps create a tender and chewy cookie.
Vanilla extract: I like to use real vanilla extract to make my cookies but artificial vanilla extract will still work.

Cheesecake Filling

Cream cheese: Softened cream cheese makes the cheesecake filling rich and smooth. Use full-fat cream cheese for the best taste and texture. I find using block cream cheese is better than whipped cream cheese.
Granulated Sugar: For the filling, I also used white granulated sugar.

Cinnamon Sugar Coating

Granulated sugar: More granulated sugar is used to coat the cookies.
Ground cinnamon: Ground cinnamon adds to the traditional snickerdoodle taste.

A snickerdoodle cookie with a cheesecake filling broken in half to show its center.

How To Make Snickerdoodle Cookies With Cheesecake Filling

Make the Cheesecake Filling

Beat the softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
Place the cream cheese mixture in the refrigerator until the cream cheese has firmed up.

Make the Cookie Dough

Preheat the oven and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt until fully combined and set aside.
In a separate bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Beat in the egg and egg yolk one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix until just combined and a soft dough forms.

Assemble and Bake the Cookies

Divide the cookie dough into 2 tablespoon portions.
Take a ball of cookie dough and flatten it into a disc-like shape and then scoop the chilled cheesecake filling onto the center.
Wrap the dough around the cheesecake filling, ensuring no filling is exposed, and roll then roll it into a ball.
Combine the ingredients for the cinnamon sugar coating in a small bowl and then roll each cookie ball in the mixture.
Place cookie dough balls on the parchment paper lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool.

Variations

Though these Snickerdoodle cream cheese cookies taste great as they are, here are a few things you can do to change them up a bit:

Add some spice: Stir apple pie spice into the cookie dough or use pumpkin pie spice and make pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies.
Mix in cocoa powder: Add cocoa powder to the cookie dough or the cheesecake filling.
Stir in chocolate chips: Sprinkle a few mini chocolate chips into the cheesecake mixture.
Grate in lemon zest: Mix a touch of lemon zest into the cheesecake mixture for a slight citrus flavor.

FAQs

What should I do if I forget to refrigerate the cream cheese mixture?

If you forget to refrigerate the cream cheese mixture the night before you can place it in the freezer while you prepare the rest of the recipe.

Can I make these cookies in advance?

Yes, absolutely! If you want to get them almost off your to-do list, prepare the stuffed cookie dough balls and place them in the fridge for up to 2 days. When you are ready to bake them, bring them to room temperature and then bake.

How to store

Allow the cheesecake stuffed snickerdoodles to come to room temperature and then place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Flash freeze these snickerdoodle cookies on a cookie sheet and then transfer them to a freezer-safe container and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

You can also freeze the unbaked cream cheese snickerdoodles on a cookie sheet and once frozen, transfer them to a container and then thaw and bake whenever the mood hits. Let the cookie dough come to room temperature before baking.

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