Ingredients
Cookie dough
1 1/2 cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Cheesecake filling
4 oz full-fat brick cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Cinnamon sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, plus a pinch for dusting
Instructions
Whisk the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a bowl.
With a hand mixer, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
Mix in the dry ingredients on low just until no flour streaks remain. Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes (up to 24 hours).
Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese, 2 tablespoons sugar, flour, and vanilla until smooth. Cover and refrigerate.
Heat the oven to 350°F and line two rimmed half-sheet pans with parchment. Stir together the cinnamon sugar.
Scoop 3-tablespoon portions of dough (about 12), roll into balls, and roll each in cinnamon sugar. Place them on the prepared pans about 2 1/2 inches apart.
Press a deep well into the center of each ball with the back of a rounded teaspoon or your thumb, about two-thirds of the way down. Fill each well with about 2 teaspoons of cheesecake filling.
Bake one pan at a time for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are set and just golden and the filling looks matte, not wet. Keep the second pan refrigerated while the first bakes.
Cool on the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Dust the centers with a pinch of cinnamon. Refrigerate once cool (within 2 hours of baking).
Notes
Timing: 20 minutes active prep + 30 minutes chilling + 25 minutes baking (two pans, 12 to 13 minutes each) + 30 minutes cooling = about 1 hour 45 minutes until ready to serve.
Food safety: the cream cheese filling is perishable. Refrigerate cookies within 2 hours of baking (1 hour above 90°F), in an airtight container, for up to 4 days. Let sit 15 minutes before serving or warm for 10 seconds.
Do not taste raw dough or filling; they contain raw egg and raw flour.
Make ahead: freeze plain dough balls (unfilled) up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, roll in cinnamon sugar, fill, and bake.
If the wells puff up during baking, gently press them with a spoon right after the cookies come out.
Plus 30 minutes cooling (included in total)
- Prep Time: 50 minutes (20 minutes active + 30 minutes chilling)
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian