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These white chocolate peppermint cheesecake cookies have quickly become my go-to treat for holiday cookie exchanges and cozy winter gatherings. Each cookie wraps a creamy cheesecake filling in a chewy peppermint-studded dough and gets a festive finish from white chocolate and crushed candy canes. Every bite feels like a sweet dose of Christmas spirit these are truly irresistible for anyone who loves peppermint.
Every Christmas I bake these with my kids who love stuffing the cookies and rolling them in sugar. They have become our snow day tradition and the entire house smells like a candy cane bakery.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter: fresh and room temperature lets the dough cream up light and smooth always check for sweet cream options
- Brown sugar: adds rich chewy texture and deeper flavor choose dark brown for extra caramel warmth
- Granulated white sugar: sweetens the dough filling and gives that classic cookie finish when rolled
- Egg yolks: give richness and help the cookies stay chewy use fresh large eggs for best results
- Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste: adds warmth and rounds out the mint flavor paste gives extra vanilla flecks and depth
- All purpose flour: structure builder in these cookies sift before measuring for accuracy or weigh for best results
- Baking soda and baking powder: help the cookies spread and rise pick fresh leaveners and check expiration dates
- Fine salt: brightens all the flavors use kosher or sea salt for cleaner taste
- Peppermint extract: energizes the dough with classic mint flavor start with less if you like subtle mint
- Candy canes: add both sweet crunch and extra peppermint use freshly crushed for the brightest taste
- White chocolate chips: melt inside the dough for creamy bites select high quality chips check labels for cocoa butter
- Cream cheese: makes the hidden filling stay tangy and smooth buy blocks not tubs for best texture
Step by Step Instructions
- Make the Cheesecake Filling:
- Mix softened cream cheese granulated sugar peppermint extract and vanilla in a small bowl with a hand mixer at high speed until the mixture is fluffy and sugar dissolves about two minutes. Scoop into sixteen portions each about two teaspoons. Chill these on parchment paper in the freezer until totally firm.
- Whisk Dry Ingredients:
- In a medium bowl whisk together flour baking soda baking powder and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- Cream the Butter and Sugars:
- In a large bowl beat room temperature butter brown sugar and granulated sugar on high for two minutes until fluffy and light. Scrape down the bowl as needed to catch all the sugar.
- Add Yolks and Flavors:
- Beat in egg yolks peppermint extract and vanilla at medium speed for one minute so the dough gets creamy and the flavors distribute fully.
- Combine and Mix:
- Pour the whisked dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Combine gently on low speed until just mixed and no streaks of flour remain.
- Stir in Add Ins:
- Fold in crushed candy cane pieces and white chocolate chips with a spatula. Mix until everything looks evenly speckled.
- Shape and Fill Cookies:
- Portion the dough into sixteen balls about two tablespoons each. Flatten each one gently press a frozen cheesecake ball into the center then wrap dough securely around the filling and reshape into a ball. Roll each in granulated sugar for sparkle.
- Bake:
- Space dough balls six per parchment lined baking sheet. Bake until the edges are lightly golden and middles puffed. Cool on the tray ten minutes then transfer to a rack and finish cooling. Top with extra candy cane pieces if desired.
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My absolute favorite ingredient here is the white chocolate it melts into the dough and adds creaminess that perfectly balances the peppermint snap. I remember my daughter sneaking handfuls of chips while we baked together and now we always save a few just for snacking. Watching the cheesecake centers melt into creamy pockets when you bite in is simply magical.
Storage Tips
Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. To keep longer tuck the cooled cookies in a freezer safe bag with parchment between layers and freeze up to two weeks. Thaw at room temperature before eating.
Ingredient Substitutions
If you are out of candy canes swap in peppermint candies or Andes peppermint baking chips for similar flavor. You can also use chopped white chocolate bars in place of chips for bigger chocolate chunks. Full fat block style cream cheese works best but mascarpone could stand in during a pinch.
Serving Suggestions
These cookies look festive piled on a tiered platter or tucked in small bakery boxes for edible gifts. Serve them with mugs of hot cocoa or alongside other holiday treats for a colorful dessert spread. For extra indulgence drizzle melted white chocolate over the tops and sprinkle with more crushed candy canes just before serving.
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Cultural and Holiday Joy
Peppermint is a classic flavor for American Christmas sweets from candies to cookies. Combining it with creamy cheesecake centers and white chocolate makes these cookies the best of all worlds they remind me of vintage holiday tins and old family recipes but with a playful twist. Baking them together creates memories that last as long as the sweet scent lingering in the kitchen.
Recipe FAQs
- → Can peppermint chips replace crushed candy canes?
Yes, peppermint chips such as Andes peppermint chips work well and add a similar minty crunch throughout the dough.
- → How should these treats be stored?
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days, or freeze for up to two weeks to maintain freshness.
- → What is key to preventing cheesecake filling leakage?
Freezing the cheesecake filling balls completely before enclosing them in dough helps prevent any leaking during baking.
- → How do I achieve the chewy texture in the dough?
Using mostly brown sugar and properly measuring the flour contributes to a tender, chewy dough with excellent texture.
- → Why should the treats cool before eating?
Cooling allows the cheesecake filling to firm up, ensuring a creamy but stable center that doesn’t run.