Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies

Do you like cookies? Yes.
Do you like cheesecake? Yep.
Do you like suprises?
Well if your answers were "yes" then this recipe for Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies is for you.

Actually the recipe is for simple cheesecake thumbprint cookies, but I add some blackberry preserves and mini chocolate chips into some of the cookies to give it something extra.
These cookies are buttery, crumbly, and melt in your mouth. 
The cheesecake filling is rich and creamy.
In some of the cookies, after making the impression, I added some mini chocolate chips before covering it with the cheesecake mix.
In other cookies, (and my personal favorite) I added a tiny bit of blackberry preserves before covering it up with the cheesecake mix. Also with the cheesecake covering the jam, its a surprise when you bite into a seemingly plain cookie and get a sweet bite of jam.

Cheesecake Thumbprints

Found @ desertculinary.blogspot.com

(Adapted from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook)

                                                     Yields: about 30 cookies (I got 26 this time)

For the cheesecake filling
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons sour cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

For the cookie dough
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg yolk
2 cups all-purpose flour

 

*Fillings: Optional (the cookies taste good both with and without the add ins)

mini chocolate chips. maybe 6-8 per cookie

favorite jams or preserves. I used seedless blackberry perserves

To prepare cheesecake filling
In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in sugar and salt until smooth. Mix in egg yolk, sour cream and vanilla - cover and place into the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To prepare the cookie dough
In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, sugar and salt until creamy and combined. Mix in egg yolk until incorporated. Gradually add flour and mix just until combined. Place the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Scoop out level tablespoons worth of the dough and roll into balls. Place balls onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Using the handle end of a thick wooden spoon, lightly dipped in flour, make an indentation in the center of each ball.

Place into the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully use your thumb (or the end of the same wooden spoon) to press the middle of the cookies back down, remaking the indentations. Place cookies back into the oven, rotating them from their original position, and continue to bake until slightly golden around the edges, about 7 minutes.

Remove cookies from the oven and fill the indentations* with a few mini chocolate chips or some preserves (about 1/8-1/4 tsp per cookie) before covering it up with the cheesecake filling using a 1/2 teaspoon meaure. Place back into the oven and bake for 7 more minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer cookies to a wire rack to cook completely.

When cool, place cookies into the refrigerator to chill before serving.