Cherry cheesecake drop cookies made with a chewy graham cracker cookie base, topped with creamy cheesecake and sweet cherries. An easy dessert that tastes just like cheesecake in cookie form.
These cookies have a soft, chewy center with crisp, craggy edges. They’re then topped with cheesecake from a no-bake cheesecake recipe I have made in the past. I had to scale it down a bit to fit 17 cookies. On top of that, I added cherry pie filling to the top of each cookie.
I was pleasantly surprised at how well it matched real cherry cheesecake and quickly went back for seconds.
The cookies are a part of my collection of frosted drop cookies. All of them have rustic, craggy edges topped with a dollop of frosting.
If you are looking for my mini cookie cup version, check out cherry cheesecake cookie cups.
Ingredients
- Butter
- Light Brown Sugar
- White Granulated Sugar
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Large Egg
- Graham Cracker Crumbs
- All-Purpose Flour
- Cornstarch
- Baking Soda
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Cream Cheese
- Powdered Sugar
- Lemon Juice
- Cherry Pie Filling
How to Make Cherry Cheesecake Drop Cookies
Drop Cookies
- In a mixing bowl, beat butter and both sugars until fluffy. Add vanilla and egg and mix until combined. Add graham cracker crumbs, flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until the dough pulls from the sides of the bowl and becomes a ball in the center.
- Using a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop, drop dough mounds on a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for 1 hour so they hold their shape as they bake. Make the cheesecake mousse while it chills.
- After 1 hour, preheat the oven to 400℉. Place the cookies directly from the fridge into the oven. Bake for 11-13 minutes, until the edges are crisp and lightly golden brown while the centers are slightly underdone. Let cool.
Cheesecake Mousse
- Add heavy whipping cream to an electric mixer with a whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until it has stiff peaks, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whip cream cheese for about 3-4 minutes until creamy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice, and continue to beat for another 2-3 minutes on high speed.
- Fold the heavy whipping cream into the cream cheese mixture.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes to thicken.
- Use a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop or a spoon to add a mound of frosting onto each cookie. Add a cherry and cherry gel/syrup to each cookie.
FAQ
One of the most common causes is adding warm or melted butter to the batter. It’s important to add room-temperature butter that is soft but still solid.
For this particular recipe, another important step is making sure to chill the cookies for a full hour before putting them in a preheated oven. This prevents them from spreading as they bake.
These cookies are easy to customize. Try blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, or peach pie filling for a different cheesecake-inspired flavor.
Yes! You can bake the cookies a day or two in advance. Store them at room temperature, then add the cheesecake topping and cherry pie topping when ready to serve.
Yes. Since the topping is made with cream cheese and whipped cream, keep the cookies refrigerated in an airtight container. They’re best enjoyed within 3 to 4 days.
Freeze only the plain baked cookies. Once they’ve cooled completely, place them in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before decorating with the cheesecake topping and cherries.
You can use fresh cherries, however, you won’t have the cherry gel/sauce that comes with cherry pie filling that has a lot of sweet flavor.
Recommended Recipes
- 35 Best Frosted Drop Cookies
- Cherry Cheesecake Bites
- Cherry Chip Cupcakes
- Cherry Pop-Tart Hearts
- Cherry Puff Pastry Turnovers
- Gingerbread Cheesecake Bars
- Lemon Cream Cheese Drop Cookies
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Drop Cookies
- Red Velvet Drop Cookies
- Strawberry Shortcake Drop Cookies
Cherry Cheesecake Drop Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
Drop Cookies
- 6 tablespoons Butter room temperature
- ⅓ cup Light Brown Sugar packed
- 3 tablespoons White Granulated Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 Large Egg
- ⅓ cup Graham Cracker Crumbs
- 1 ¼ cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
Cheesecake Mousse
- ½ cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 4 ounces Cream Cheese room temperature
- 6 tablespoons Powdered Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- Cherry Pie Filling for topping
Instructions
Drop Cookies
- In a mixing bowl, beat butter and both sugars until fluffy. Add vanilla and egg, mix until combined. Add graham cracker crumbs, flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until the dough pulls from the sides of the bowl and becomes a ball in the center.
- Using a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop, drop dough mounds on a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for 1 hour, so they hold their shape as they bake. Make the cheesecake mousse while it chills.
- After 1 hour, preheat the oven to 400℉. Place the cookies directly from the fridge into the oven. Bake for 11-13 minutes, until the edges are crisp and lightly golden brown while the centers are slightly underdone. Let cool.
Cheesecake Mousse
- Add heavy whipping cream to an electric mixer with a whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until it has stiff peaks, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whip cream cheese for about 3-4 minutes until creamy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice, and continue to beat for another 2-3 minutes on high speed.
- Fold the heavy whipping cream into the cream cheese mixture.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes to thicken.
- Use a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop or a spoon to add a mound of frosting onto each cookie. Add a cherry and cherry gel/syrup to each cookie.
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