5-Ingredient Creamy New York Cheesecake Cookies
Soft, tangy, and irresistibly creamy, these 5-ingredient cheesecake cookies are perfect for your next party!
These are the cookies you make when you need something impressive fast. With just five simple ingredients, you get that rich, tangy cheesecake flavor without the fuss. No crust, no water bath, no stress!
They’re soft, creamy, and just a little bit bright from the lemon juice. They’re easy enough for a weeknight, but special enough for parties and potlucks. This is the kind of recipe you want in your back pocket!
What’s in Cheesecake Cookies?
- Cream Cheese: This forms both the base of the cookies and the base of the cream cheese filling. In other words, it’s super important, so don’t sub it! I recommend full-fat cream cheese, but you can use lite if you’d like.
- Butter: This recipe works with salted and unsalted butter, as long as you use softened butter. You can even sub margarine — I’ve tried it, and it worked just fine!
- Granulated Sugar: You can sub this with brown sugar, but you will get a different texture and flavor here.
- Flour: This recipe was developed with all purpose flour. I’m not sure how it would work with any other flour.
- Lemon Juice or Vanilla Extract: I like the brightness and tang of the lemon juice, but you can also use vanilla extract to add a vanilla flavor to the creamy cheesecake filling!
Making 5-Ingredient Cheesecake Cookies
FAQs
Yes, because of the cream cheese, it’s best to store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving for the best texture.
Yes! You can prepare the dough and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking. This can also help the cookies hold their shape better.
The lemon juice adds a subtle tang that enhances the classic cheesecake flavor. It doesn’t make the cookies taste lemony—just brighter.
Definitely! Try a dusting of powdered sugar or cocoa powder, graham cracker crumbs, a drizzle of melted chocolate chips, or even a spoonful of fruit jam on top!
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened and divided
- 8 tbsp butter or margarine
- 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tsp lemon juice or vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Beat 4 oz of cream cheese, butter or margarine, and 2/3 cups sugar until fluffy.
- Add the flour and mix until it comes together into a dough.
- Roll the dough into roughly 1 inch balls. Place them on a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet. Use a thumb or the back of a measuring spoon to create a well in the center of the balls.
- In a separate bowl, mix the remaining 4 oz of cream cheese, 1/3 cup of sugar, and the lemon juice or vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and creamy.
- Drop about 1 tsp of the cream cheese filling into the wells in the cookie balls.
- Bake the cookies at 350° for 10-12 minutes, or until the filling is set.
- Leave the cookies on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Store cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
