Soft, chewy cookies with a creamy, tangy center and a spoonful of jammy raspberry are my idea of a perfect bake.
This raspberry cheesecake cookies recipe starts with a buttery cream cheese dough, then gets topped with fluffy cream cheese frosting and sweet seedless raspberry jam.
I first made a batch for a neighborhood potluck, and the plate was empty before I even sat down.
Now they are the cookies people ask me to bring to every gathering.
If you love this flavor pairing in pan form, my raspberry cheesecake bars are another crowd favorite.
| Quick Recipe Summary | |
|---|---|
| Prep Time | 20 minutes (plus 30 minutes chilling) |
| Cook Time | 12 minutes |
| Total Time | 1 hour 2 minutes |
| Servings | 24 cookies |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
Why You’ll Love This Raspberry Cheesecake Cookies Recipe
These cookies give you the full cheesecake experience without a springform pan, a water bath, or hours of cooling time.
Every bite has a soft cookie base, a creamy tangy topping, and a bright raspberry finish.
- Cheesecake flavor in every bite: Cream cheese goes into both the dough and the frosting, so the tang comes through from edge to center.
- Soft and chewy texture: The extra egg yolk and the cream cheese keep the cookies tender for days.
- Simple ingredients: You only need basic baking staples plus seedless raspberry jam and white chocolate chips.
- Beginner friendly: There is no rolling, no cutting, and no fancy technique, just a scoop and a thumb press.
- Great for sharing: One batch makes 24 cookies, which is perfect for parties, bake sales, and holiday cookie boxes.
You might also enjoy: Lemon Raspberry Cookies
Ingredients
Most of these ingredients are probably already in your kitchen, and the few specialty items are easy to find at any grocery store.
Let your butter and cream cheese soften on the counter for about an hour so the dough comes together smoothly.
- Unsalted butter: 1/2 cup (113 g) softened for the cookies, plus 2 tablespoons softened for the frosting
- Full-fat cream cheese: 8 ounces (226 g) total, softened and divided, 4 ounces for the dough and 4 ounces for the frosting
- Granulated sugar: 1/2 cup (100 g)
- Light brown sugar: 1/4 cup (50 g), packed
- Large egg: 1, at room temperature
- Large egg yolk: 1, at room temperature
- Pure vanilla extract: 2 teaspoons for the dough, plus 1/2 teaspoon for the frosting
- All-purpose flour: 2 1/4 cups (280 g), spooned and leveled
- Baking soda: 1/2 teaspoon
- Baking powder: 1/2 teaspoon
- Salt: 1/2 teaspoon for the dough, plus 1 small pinch for the frosting
- White chocolate chips: 3/4 cup (130 g)
- Powdered sugar: 3/4 cup (90 g) for the frosting
- Seedless raspberry jam: 1/2 cup (160 g) for the topping
- Fresh raspberries: 12, halved, for garnish
I love how well the same pairing works in baked goods, like my white chocolate raspberry scones.
Kitchen Equipment Needed
You do not need anything fancy for these cookies, but a few basic tools make the process smoother.
A cookie scoop in particular helps every cookie bake evenly and look bakery perfect.
- Stand mixer or hand mixer for creaming the butter and cream cheese
- Large mixing bowl and a medium bowl for the dry ingredients
- Rimmed baking sheets, at least 2
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
- Cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
- Wire cooling rack
- Rubber spatula, whisk, and a 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon for pressing the wells
- Small zip-top bag or piping bag for the frosting
Read Also: Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Recommended Products for This Recipe
These are my personal recommendations based on years of baking cookies in my own kitchen.
Each one solves a small problem that can make or break a batch.
1. Crofter’s Seedless Raspberry Jam
I reach for this jam because it has a true, tart raspberry flavor that balances the sweet frosting.
Seedless jam also spoons smoothly into the wells, so every cookie looks neat and polished.
2. Ghirardelli White Chocolate Baking Chips
Good white chocolate chips melt into creamy pockets that taste like the white chocolate cheesecake you get at a restaurant.
Cheaper chips can turn waxy, so this is a spot where quality really shows.
3. Stainless Steel Cookie Scoop
A sturdy scoop gives you evenly sized dough balls, which means even baking and no burnt edges.
The spring release also keeps your hands clean when the dough is soft and sticky.
4. Nordic Ware Aluminum Baking Sheets
I have used these half sheet pans for years, and they distribute heat so evenly that the bottoms of my cookies never overbrown.
They also resist warping, which keeps the cookies round and level.
I use the same scooping method in my strawberry cookies, and it works every time.
Step-by-Step Instructions: How to Make Raspberry Cheesecake Cookies
1. Prep Your Oven, Pans, and Ingredients
- Place an oven rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats so the cookies release easily.
- Measure all of your ingredients before you start, which makes the mixing go quickly.
- Confirm that your butter, cream cheese, egg, and egg yolk are at room temperature, since cold ingredients will not blend smoothly.
2. Cream the Butter, Cream Cheese, and Sugars
- Add 1/2 cup softened butter and 4 ounces of the softened cream cheese to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Beat on medium speed for about 1 minute until the mixture is smooth and creamy with no lumps.
- Add the 1/2 cup granulated sugar and the 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar.
- Beat on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture looks pale and fluffy.
- Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so nothing is left unmixed.
3. Add the Egg, Egg Yolk, and Vanilla
- Add the whole egg and the egg yolk to the creamed mixture.
- Pour in 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.
- Beat on low speed for about 30 seconds until everything is just combined and smooth.
- Do not overbeat at this stage, because too much air can make the cookies puff up and then collapse.
4. Mix the Dry Ingredients and Add Them to the Dough
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 1/4 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture in 2 or 3 additions, mixing on low speed after each one.
- Stop mixing as soon as you no longer see streaks of flour, since overmixing makes cookies tough.
- The dough will be soft and slightly sticky, and that is exactly what you want.
5. Fold in the White Chocolate Chips and Chill the Dough
- Add the 3/4 cup white chocolate chips to the bowl.
- Fold them in gently with a rubber spatula until they are evenly distributed.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean lid.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, which firms it up and keeps the cookies from spreading too much.
6. Scoop the Dough
- Use a cookie scoop to portion the chilled dough into balls of about 1 1/2 tablespoons each.
- Place the dough balls about 2 inches apart on the lined baking sheets.
- Aim for about 12 cookies per sheet so they have room to spread.
- If the dough feels very soft, return the tray to the refrigerator for 10 minutes before baking.
7. Bake and Press the Wells
- Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack for 8 minutes, until the edges are just set and the tops look puffy.
- Remove the pan from the oven and quickly press the back of a 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon into the center of each cookie to make a small well.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake for 3 to 4 more minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the centers still look soft.
- The cookies will firm up as they cool, so avoid baking them until they look completely dry.
- Repeat with the second baking sheet.
8. Cool the Cookies Completely
- Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes so they can set.
- Use a thin spatula to move them to a wire cooling rack.
- Let them cool for at least 30 minutes until they are fully cool to the touch.
- Do not frost warm cookies, because the cream cheese frosting will melt and slide off.
9. Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a clean bowl, beat the remaining 4 ounces of softened cream cheese with 2 tablespoons of softened butter until smooth.
- Add the 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and a small pinch of salt.
- Beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes until the frosting is light, fluffy, and spreadable.
- Spoon the frosting into a piping bag or a zip-top bag and snip off the corner.
10. Top the Cookies with Frosting, Jam, and Raspberries
- Stir the 1/2 cup raspberry jam well in its bowl so it loosens up and becomes easy to spoon.
- Pipe a generous swirl of cream cheese frosting into the well of each cookie.
- Spoon about 1 teaspoon of raspberry jam over the frosting in the center.
- Place a fresh raspberry half on top of the jam on each cookie.
- Serve right away, or chill the cookies for 15 minutes to set the frosting.
Another favorite: Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Tips for The Best Raspberry Cheesecake Cookies
A few small details make a big difference in how these cookies turn out.
These are the habits that give me tender, picture-perfect cookies every single time.
- Soften the cream cheese properly: Cold cream cheese leaves tiny lumps in the dough and the frosting, so give it a full hour on the counter.
- Use full-fat cream cheese: Low-fat and whipped versions hold extra water and can make the dough too wet.
- Do not skip the chill time: Cold dough spreads less and bakes up thicker and chewier.
- Measure the flour carefully: Spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off, or weigh it, because packed flour makes dry cookies.
- Underbake slightly: Pull the cookies when the centers still look soft, and they will finish setting on the pan.
- Choose seedless jam: It spoons cleanly and gives a smooth, glossy topping.
- Frost only when cool: Even slightly warm cookies will melt the frosting.
I picked up my creaming habits while testing my lemon sugar cookies, and they carry over perfectly here.
Serving Suggestions
These cookies are rich and creamy, so they pair best with something light and refreshing.
Serve them chilled or at cool room temperature for the best texture.
- A tall glass of cold milk or iced coffee
- A hot cup of black tea or herbal tea
- A holiday cookie platter next to chocolate and sugar cookies
- A dessert board with fresh berries and whipped cream
- A gift box tied with ribbon for teachers, neighbors, and friends
For a refreshing drink, try: Pink Lemonade
Variations of Raspberry Cheesecake Cookies
Once you have the base recipe down, it is easy to switch up the flavors.
The dough and the frosting stay exactly the same, so you only change the topping or a mix-in.
- Strawberry cheesecake cookies: Swap the raspberry jam for strawberry jam and top with a fresh strawberry slice.
- Blueberry cheesecake cookies: Use blueberry jam and a few fresh blueberries.
- Cherry cheesecake cookies: Spoon cherry preserves into the wells and top with a sprinkle of graham cracker crumbs.
- Graham cracker crust topping: Sprinkle crushed graham crackers over the frosting for a true cheesecake crust crunch.
- Extra chocolate: Drizzle melted white chocolate over the finished cookies.
- Lemon twist: Add 1 teaspoon of lemon zest to the dough for a bright, citrusy note.
The same idea works beautifully in a full-size dessert, like my cherry cheesecake.
Storage and Reheating
Because the frosting contains cream cheese, these cookies need to stay cold.
Proper storage keeps them fresh, soft, and safe to enjoy.
- Refrigerator: Store frosted cookies in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Room temperature: Do not leave frosted cookies out for more than 2 hours.
- Freezing unfrosted cookies: Freeze the baked, cooled cookies in a freezer bag for up to 3 months, then thaw and frost.
- Freezing the dough: Freeze scooped dough balls on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months and bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes.
- Reheating: Warm unfrosted cookies in a 300°F oven for 3 to 4 minutes, then let them cool before frosting.
Read Also: Mini Lemon Cheesecakes Recipe
Nutritional Facts
The numbers below are approximate and based on one frosted cookie from a batch of 24.
Your results may vary slightly depending on the brands and ingredients you use.
- Calories: about 205
- Total fat: about 10 g
- Carbohydrates: about 27 g
- Sugar: about 18 g
- Protein: about 3 g
- Sodium: about 120 mg
If you want a lighter cheesecake fix with no oven at all, my no bake cheesecake is a good place to start.
Health Benefits of Key Ingredients
These cookies are a treat, but a few of the ingredients do bring some real nutritional value to the table.
Enjoy them in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
- Raspberries: They are high in fiber and vitamin C, and they contain antioxidants called anthocyanins.
- Cream cheese: It provides a little protein and vitamin A, along with calcium in small amounts.
- Eggs: They offer high quality protein and choline, a nutrient that supports brain health.
- Butter: It supplies fat-soluble vitamins A and E, though it is best enjoyed in moderation.
- Vanilla extract: It adds big flavor without extra sugar or calories.
For another berry treat, try: Raspberry Streusel Bars
FAQs About Raspberry Cheesecake Cookies
1. Do raspberry cheesecake cookies need to be refrigerated?
Yes, because the frosting is made with cream cheese, the cookies should be stored in the refrigerator.
They keep well for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
2. Can I use fresh raspberries instead of jam?
You can use fresh raspberries as a garnish, but jam works better inside the wells because it holds its shape and does not release extra juice.
If you want more fresh berry flavor, simmer 1 cup of raspberries with 2 tablespoons of sugar until thick and use that as your topping.
3. Why did my cookies spread too much?
Warm butter, warm dough, or skipping the chill time are the most common causes.
Make sure your butter is only softened, not melted, and chill the dough for the full 30 minutes.
4. Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes, you can refrigerate the dough for up to 2 days or freeze scooped dough balls for up to 3 months.
Bake straight from the freezer and add 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time.
5. Can I use low-fat cream cheese?
I recommend full-fat cream cheese for the best flavor and texture.
Low-fat versions contain more water, which can make the dough sticky and the frosting runny.
If you love raspberry desserts, you will want to bake my raspberry pie next.
Raspberry Cheesecake Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 113g, softened
- 4 ounces full-fat cream cheese 113g, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar 100g
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar 50g, packed
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 280g, spooned and leveled
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup white chocolate chips 130g
- 4 ounces full-fat cream cheese 113g, softened
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar 90g
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- salt 1 small pinch
- 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam 160g
- 12 fresh raspberries halved, for garnish
Equipment
- Stand mixer or hand mixer for creaming the butter and cream cheese
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium bowl for the dry ingredients
- Rimmed baking sheets at least 2
- Cookie scoop about 1 1/2 tablespoons
- Wire cooling rack
- Rubber spatula
- Whisk
- 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon for pressing the wells
- Small zip-top bag or piping bag for the frosting
Method
- Place an oven rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and confirm all ingredients are at room temperature.
- Beat 1/2 cup softened butter with 4 ounces softened cream cheese on medium speed for about 1 minute until smooth. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat 2 to 3 minutes until pale and fluffy, scraping down the bowl.
- Add the whole egg, egg yolk, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and beat on low speed for about 30 seconds until just combined. Do not overbeat, as too much air can make the cookies puff up and collapse.
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Add to the wet mixture in 2 or 3 additions on low speed, stopping as soon as no streaks of flour remain. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
- Fold in the white chocolate chips with a rubber spatula until evenly distributed. Cover the bowl and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm it up and prevent excess spreading.
- Scoop the chilled dough into balls of about 1 1/2 tablespoons each and place them about 2 inches apart on the lined baking sheets, aiming for about 12 cookies per sheet. If the dough feels very soft, chill the trays for 10 minutes before baking.
- Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack for 8 minutes, until the edges are just set and the tops look puffy. Press the back of a 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon into the center of each cookie to make a well, then bake 3 to 4 more minutes until the edges are lightly golden and the centers still look soft.
- Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire cooling rack and cool for at least 30 minutes until fully cool to the touch. Do not frost warm cookies or the frosting will melt and slide off.
- Beat the remaining 4 ounces softened cream cheese with 2 tablespoons softened butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and a small pinch of salt, and beat 1 to 2 minutes until light, fluffy, and spreadable. Transfer to a piping bag or zip-top bag and snip off the corner.
- Stir the raspberry jam well so it loosens up. Pipe a generous swirl of frosting into the well of each cookie, spoon about 1 teaspoon of jam over the frosting, and top with a fresh raspberry half. Serve right away or chill for 15 minutes to set the frosting.
Nutrition
Notes
- Soften the cream cheese properly: cold cream cheese leaves tiny lumps in both the dough and the frosting, so give it a full hour on the counter.
- Use full-fat cream cheese: low-fat and whipped versions hold extra water and can make the dough too wet and the frosting runny.
- Do not skip the 30-minute chill time: cold dough spreads less and bakes up thicker and chewier.
- Measure the flour carefully by spooning it into the cup and leveling it off, or weigh it at 280g, since packed flour makes dry cookies.
- Underbake slightly: pull the cookies when the centers still look soft, and they will finish setting on the pan.
- Choose seedless jam: it spoons cleanly into the wells and gives a smooth, glossy topping.
- Frost only when the cookies are completely cool, or the cream cheese frosting will melt.
- Storage: because the frosting contains cream cheese, store frosted cookies in a single layer in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, and do not leave them at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
- Make ahead: refrigerate the dough for up to 2 days, or freeze scooped dough balls for up to 3 months and bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time.
- Freeze baked unfrosted cookies in a freezer bag for up to 3 months, then thaw and frost; reheat unfrosted cookies in a 300°F oven for 3 to 4 minutes and cool before frosting.
- Variations: swap the raspberry jam for strawberry, blueberry, or cherry preserves; sprinkle crushed graham crackers over the frosting for a cheesecake crust crunch; drizzle melted white chocolate over the finished cookies; or add 1 teaspoon lemon zest to the dough.
Private Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Conclusion
These raspberry cheesecake cookies are soft, creamy, and loaded with sweet-tart berry flavor.
They are simple enough for a weeknight and pretty enough for a party.
I hope you give this recipe a try and make a batch for the people you love.
If you do, leave a comment below and let me know how they turned out, or share a photo with a friend who would love one too.
Recommended:
- Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes Recipe
- Apple Pie Cookies Recipe
- Cherry Chip Cookies Recipe
- Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes
- Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe
