Description

Indulge in the ultimate sweet-salty treat with these Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cookies! Creamy cheesecake filling, gooey caramel pockets, and buttery cookie dough come together in 5 easy steps. Perfect for dessert lovers craving bakery-quality results without the fuss.

Ingredients

Scale

Cookie Dough:

1 cup unsalted butter (softened)

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

½ tsp baking powder

Cheesecake Filling:

4 oz cream cheese (room temperature)

¼ cup powdered sugar

1 tsp lemon zest

Caramel Layer:

½ cup soft caramel bits (e.g., Kraft)

1 tbsp heavy cream

Flaky sea salt (for topping)

Instructions

Prep Filling: Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and lemon zest. Roll into 24 small balls; freeze 10 minutes.
Make Dough: Cream butter and sugar, add vanilla, then mix in flour and baking powder.
Assemble: Flatten dough into discs. Place a cheesecake ball and 3 caramel bits in the center; seal dough around filling.
Bake: Arrange cookies 2” apart on parchment-lined trays. Bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes until golden edges form.
Finish: Press extra caramel into warm cookies and sprinkle with sea salt. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Gluten-Free: Use 1:1 GF flour and GF caramel.
Freezer-Friendly: Freeze unbaked dough balls for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen (+1–2 minutes).
Caramel Swap: Use thick caramel sauce (freeze dollops first to prevent leaks).

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cookie
Calories: 185
Sugar: 12g
Sodium: 85mg
Fat: 9g
Saturated Fat: 5g
Unsaturated Fat: 3g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 24g
Fiber: 0.5g
Protein: 2g
Cholesterol: 25mg

Keywords: Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cookies, easy caramel cookies, cheesecake cookie recipe