Welcome to December! Christmas season is definitely in full swing now. I am not one of those people who gets super extra around Christmas time (I am yet to set up my tiny little Christmas tree) but I do really love making festive recipes.
In the past, I have left Christmas baking to the last minute, but this year I am hoping to share quite a few delicious recipes with you! I’m feeling excited and inspired… and you know how much I love an edible homemade gift!
And now onto the cookies! Believe me when I say these cookies are crowd pleasers. The original Cookies & Cream Cheesecake Stuffed Cookies have fans on at least three continents, and have sort of become my signature. They say you can’t buy happiness, but you can buy ingredients to make these cookies, and that’s pretty darn close.
These two versions are a small adaptation to make them feel festive and Christmassy. They are absolutely perfect for sharing with friends or giving as gifts. One has a candy cane cheesecake centre, because who doesn’t love the combination of peppermint and chocolate?!
For the other variation, I used crushed Pfeffernüsse (German gingerbread holiday cookies) and ginger for a lovely warm spiced filling. You can find these at Aldi around this time of year, or maybe try making your own? I would be hard pressed to pick a favourite because I really love them both. You could of course get creative with the filling too – maybe a fruit mince cheesecake? Or a salted caramel or red velvet version would be nice too.
The best thing about this recipe is that it’s super easy. You don’t need a mixer or a rolling pin, or piping bags or any other special equipment, and take less than 15 minutes to bake! They also seem to stay fresh and soft for quite a long time, so you can make them in advance. The only trick is to chill the dough and cheesecake filling for a while so they are easier to work with, especially because here in the southern hemisphere, our Christmas falls over summer.
I absolutely love homemade edible gifts. I think they are a really nice way to show your friends and family that you care and have taken the time to create something, put it in a cellophane bag and tie it with a ribbon. There are so many options that would suit any skillset, so you don’t need to be a Master Chef. It’s also a fantastic thing to get kids involved in doing, especially over the holidays.
Related Post: Chocolate Spice Gingerbread
Candy Cane and Gingerbread Cheesecake Stuffed Cookies
A delicious Christmas version of my famous crowd-pleasing Cheesecake Stuffed Cookie recipe, made with candy canes and Pfeffernüsse (German gingerbread cookies).
Ingredients
Cheesecake Filling
- 125 g cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 candy canes, crushed, plus extra to sprinkle on top
- 4-6 Pfeffernüsse cookies, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Cookies
- 1/2 cup (110g) butter
- 1 1/2 cups (350g) light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup (55g) cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour
- Fleur de sel, to sprinkle
Instructions
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To make the cheesecake filling, mix the cream cheese, caster sugar and vanilla together until well combined.
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Divide the mixture in half, into separate bowls. Gently mix the crushed candy canes into one bowl. Gently mix the crushed Pfeffernüsse and ground ginger into the other bowl.
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Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Take tablespoons of the chilled filling and shape into 6 x 3cm round patties for each flavour, about 1cm thick. Place back into the fridge until ready to use.
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Line two baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
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In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Take off the heat and stir in the brown sugar and eggs. Then add the cocoa, salt and baking powder and stir until well combined. Add the flour and stir until no floury patches are left. Place the mixture into the fridge for 30 minutes to firm slightly and make shaping the cookies easier.
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Take 1 heaped tablespoon of dough and flatten into a 5cm circle on the baking tray. They should be just larger than your cheesecake pattie. Place the cheesecake disc on top.
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Top with a flattened tablespoon of dough, and seal the edges. Repeat until you have twelve cookies. Sprinkle the tops of the Ginger cookies with fleur de sel and bake for 8-12 minutes. When baked and still warm, sprinkle the top of the Candy Cane cookies with a little crushed candy cane.