Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Total: 32 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Yield: 36 cookies
Chocolate cookies are one of the greatest pleasures but stuff them with cream cheese and they might just become your new favorite. If you are fond of black bottom cupcakes, chocolate cookie crusted cheesecake, or just dig the combo of chocolate and cream cheese—which is a match made in heaven, by the way—we’ve got a cookie for you.
A simple chocolate cookie dough with secret ingredients (like shortening for a thicker, chewier cookie, and corn syrup for a moist cookie and even more chew) is filled with a mixture of cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar. Plus a dash of salt because salt makes everything taste better, especially sweets. The assembly sounds much trickier than it is, but all you need to do is flatten the portioned dough and dollop a small scoop of filling, then it’s fairly easy to wrap the dough around the filling.
Rolling the balls of stuffed cookies in granulated sugar gives them a wonderful sparkle and crunch post-bake. A short(ish) rest in the freezer helps the cookies keep their shape during baking. To say you are in for one heck of a dreamy cookie when you take your first bite is an understatement.
“These cookies are an absolute treat. I was skeptical about how well the filling would work with the cookies taking form, but they really turned out perfect! Just make sure to let them cool on the pans for a few minutes to keep their shape.” —Noah Velush-Rogers
A Note From Our Recipe Tester
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
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1 3/4 cups (210 grams) all-purpose flour
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3/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
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1 teaspoon baking soda
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3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
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2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips, optional
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1 large egg
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1 large egg yolk
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1/3 cup light corn syrup
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2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
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1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
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6 tablespoons melted vegetable shortening
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3/4 cup light brown sugar
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1/4 cup granulated sugar, more for rolling
For the Filling:
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8 ounces cream cheese, softened
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1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
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1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the chocolate chips, if using.
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In another medium bowl, whisk the egg, yolk, corn syrup, and vanilla.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, shortening, and sugars on medium-high speed until smooth and lightened in color, about 2 minutes.
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On medium speed, add the egg-yolk mixture and beat until just combined.
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Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the dry ingredients.
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Stop the mixer once there are still some streaks of flour left, then continue mixing by hand with a silicone spatula.
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Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop or measuring spoons, scoop about 36 balls of dough onto 2 parchment-lined baking sheets. Flatten the dough into thick discs with your hands or the bottom of a measuring cup. If the dough is super sticky, wet your hands before pressing on the portioned dough. Refrigerator for 1 hour.
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To make the filling, whisk the softened cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Refrigerate while the cookie dough chills.
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Remove the cookie discs from the refrigerator, then press them down so they are about 2 1/2 inches wide. Place 2 teaspoons of filling in the middle of each one.
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With your hands, gently stretch the cookie dough over the filling and roll the ball in your hands until the filling is surrounded by the cookie dough.
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Place additional granulated sugar in a small bowl, then roll each cookie dough ball in the sugar before returning to the baking sheets. Freeze for 1 hour (this will prevent the cookies from spreading in the oven).
Position 2 racks in the upper and lower third of the oven and heat to 350 F.
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Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through. The cookies are done, when they look dry and slightly crinkly on top.
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Remove from the oven and let cool briefly before enjoying.
Recipe Tip
- If you forget to bring your cream cheese to room temperature, you can cut it up and microwave it for 30 to 40 seconds or until softened.
- If you do not want to wait an hour for the cookie discs to chill, you can assemble the cookies after half an hour, but it may be a slightly stickier experience.
- Be exact about the amount of dough and filling or you will have filling ooze out of your cookies during baking.
- If a tiny bit of cream cheese filling gets on the outside of your dough ball while you are rolling it in your hands, don't worry. As you roll, the cream cheese will disappear.
Recipe Variations
- You may omit the chocolate chips if you do not want to use them.
- You may place a single chocolate chip inside of the filling for a slightly "molten chocolate" experience.
- If you do not want to use a stand mixer to mix the dough, you can do so by hand. Just make sure you whisk the butter, shortening, and sugars until the mixture is light in color.
- You may use a stand mixer to mix the cream cheese filling, if you like.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 12 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 416 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 22g | 29% |
| Saturated Fat 12g | 58% |
| Cholesterol 89mg | 30% |
| Sodium 319mg | 14% |
| Total Carbohydrate 49g | 18% |
| Dietary Fiber 1g | 5% |
| Total Sugars 32g | |
| Protein 5g | |
| Vitamin C 0mg | 0% |
| Calcium 41mg | 3% |
| Iron 3mg | 16% |
| Potassium 76mg | 2% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
