Description
Sweet Potato Cheesecake Cookies combine the natural sweetness and creaminess of mashed sweet potatoes with a luscious cheesecake filling, creating soft, flavorful cookies perfect for fall and holiday desserts.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato (about 1 medium)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Cheesecake Filling
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy clean-up.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt. This ensures even distribution of the leavening agents and spices throughout the dough.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and creamy. This step creates a fluffy base for the cookie dough.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and mashed sweet potato until the batter is smooth and well combined. The sweet potato adds moisture and natural sweetness.
- Combine Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, mixing just until combined to avoid overworking the dough which could make cookies tough.
- Prepare Cheesecake Filling: In a separate bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
- Shape Cookies: Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of the cookie dough and flatten each slightly. Place about 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese filling in the center of half of the dough portions. Top with remaining dough portions and seal the edges carefully to encase the filling. Gently roll into balls and space these about 2 inches apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 12–14 minutes, or until the edges are set and the tops appear dry. Avoid overbaking to keep them soft.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to set, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely or serve slightly warm for a soft, melty experience.
Notes
- These cookies can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- If the cookie dough becomes too sticky to handle, chilling it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes will make shaping easier.
- Make sure the cream cheese is softened to prevent lumps in the filling.
- Space the cookies adequately to prevent them from merging during baking.
