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Caramel Cheesecake Cookies – Soft & Gooey Dessert Bites

If you love soft, creamy desserts and rich caramel flavor, these Caramel Cheesecake Cookies are about to become your new favorite treat. They combine the silky, tangy richness of classic cheesecake with the buttery softness of freshly baked cookies, creating an indulgent dessert that melts in your mouth with every bite. Swirled with golden caramel and filled with a creamy cheesecake base, these cookies deliver the perfect balance of sweet, smooth, and chewy. What makes these cookies special is their texture: pillowy soft centers from the cream cheese, caramelized edges from the butter, and gooey ribbons of caramel sauce throughout. They taste like a fusion of cheesecake, caramel fudge, and bakery-style soft cookies — the best of all worlds in one bite-sized dessert. These cookies are perfect for: Christmas and holiday boxes Pinterest dessert boards Bake sales and parties After-dinner treats Trending TikTok or Insta Reels Cozy weekend baking Let’s bake the softest, creamiest, most delicious caramel cheesecake cookies you’ve ever tasted!
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 24 cookies
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes
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Ingredients
  

Fresh Ingredients
  • 2 Large eggs
Dairy
  • 1 cup Unsalted butter softened
  • 8 oz Cream cheese softened
Condiments
  • ½ cup Caramel sauce store-bought or homemade
Dry Ingredients
  • 3 cups All-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon Baking soda
  • 1 cup Packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup Granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup Powdered sugar for coating OR mixing into filling
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
Flavoring
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
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Equipment

  • Hand mixer or stand mixer
  • Mixing bowls
  • Whisk
  • Silicone spatula
  • Measuring cups & spoons
  • Baking trays
  • Parchment paper
  • Cooling rack
  • Spoon or piping bag (for caramel)

Method
 

Step 1: Make the Cheesecake Filling
  1. In a bowl, beat together:
  2. Cream cheese
  3. Powdered sugar
  4. 1 teaspoon vanilla
  5. Mix until smooth, thick, and creamy.
  6. Scoop teaspoon-sized dollops onto a plate and freeze 20–30 minutes.
  7. Frozen filling = perfect gooey centers.
Step 2: Cream Butter & Sugars
  1. In a large bowl, beat:
  2. Softened butter
  3. Brown sugar
  4. Granulated sugar
  5. Mix 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy.
  6. This creates the signature soft cookie base.
Step 3: Add Eggs & Vanilla
  1. Add:
  2. 2 eggs
  3. 1 teaspoon vanilla
  4. Beat until thick and glossy.
Step 4: Add Dry Ingredients
  1. Whisk together:
  2. Flour
  3. Baking soda
  4. Salt
  5. Slowly fold dry ingredients into the wet mixture until a soft dough forms.
  6. This dough will be slightly sticky — that’s perfect.
Step 5: Chill the Dough
  1. Refrigerate dough 20 minutes to improve thickness and flavor.
Step 6: Assemble the Cookies
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Line trays with parchment.
  3. Scoop cookie dough into 1 ½ tablespoon balls.
  4. Flatten each dough ball slightly.
  5. Place a frozen cheesecake filling dollop inside.
  6. Wrap dough fully around it and seal.
  7. Place onto tray.
Step 7: Swirl the Caramel
  1. Drizzle ½ teaspoon caramel on top of each cookie.
  2. Use a toothpick to create a marbled swirl.
  3. This gives each cookie that golden caramel look.
Step 8: Bake
  1. Bake 11–13 minutes, or until:
  2. Edges look set
  3. Tops look slightly glossy
  4. Centers appear soft and puffy
  5. Do NOT overbake — these should stay gooey.
Step 9: Cool
  1. Let cookies rest:
  2. 5 minutes on tray
  3. Then transfer to cooling rack
  4. Creamy centers will thicken, caramel will settle, and flavor will deepen.

Notes

🧊 Storage & Reheating
Room Temperature
Up to 2 days (because they contain cream cheese).
Fridge
Up to 5–6 days.
Freezer
Freeze stuffed dough balls or baked cookies up to 1 month.
Reheat
Microwave 8 seconds for warm caramel-gooey magic.
🥄 Variations
1. Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cookies
Add flaky sea salt after baking.
2. Lotus Biscoff Caramel Cookies
Add 2 tablespoons Biscoff spread in the dough.
3. Oreo Caramel Cheesecake Cookies
Fold crushed Oreos into dough.
4. Caramel Apple Cheesecake Cookies
Add tiny apple cubes + cinnamon.
5. Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake Cookies
Mix in chocolate chips.
6. Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Cookies
Swap caramel for dulce de leche for deeper flavor.
❓ 10 FAQs
1. Why did the cheesecake leak out?
The filling wasn’t frozen long enough or dough wasn’t sealed.
2. Can I use store-bought caramel?
Yes — any thick caramel works perfectly.
3. Why are my cookies flat?
Butter was too soft or dough wasn’t chilled.
4. Can I skip the filling and just swirl?
Yes — swirl cheesecake filling on top of the dough.
5. Why are my cookies dry?
They were overbaked — remove when slightly soft in center.
6. Can I make these gluten-free?
Use a gluten-free 1:1 flour substitute.
7. Can I add nuts?
Pecans taste amazing with caramel.
8. Can I use salted butter?
Yes — reduce added salt slightly.
9. Why is the dough sticky?
Cheesecake-based dough is naturally soft — chilling fixes this.
10. Are these good for gifting?
Yes — but gift with “Keep Refrigerated” note.
🏁 Conclusion
These Caramel Cheesecake Cookies are soft, gooey, creamy, and full of warm caramel sweetness. The combination of cheesecake filling, buttery cookie dough, and golden caramel ribbons creates a melt-in-your-mouth dessert bursting with flavor and texture. Every bite gives creamy tanginess, caramel richness, and buttery softness — truly dessert heaven.
Perfect for holiday cookie trays, dessert boards, Christmas boxes, bake sales, Pinterest posts, or an indulgent weekend treat, these cookies offer bakery-style luxury in every bite. Bake them once, and they’ll become one of your signature holiday recipes.
Enjoy the creamy, caramel magic — pure indulgence in every cookie.