Delicious Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies with White Chocolate Chips: An Easy Cake Mix Recipe!
Get ready to bake a batch of pure joy! These incredible strawberry cheesecake cookies, studded with melt-in-your-mouth white chocolate chips, are truly the perfect sweet treat for any occasion. Imagine a cookie that captures the creamy, tangy essence of cheesecake blended with the vibrant flavor of fresh strawberries, all in a delightfully soft and chewy bite. What’s even better? We’re making these amazing strawberry cheesecake cookies from a simple cake mix, making the process incredibly easy and deliciously rewarding!
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If you’re a fan of strawberry desserts, these cookies are about to become your new favorite obsession. Their vibrant pink hue and irresistible aroma make them a showstopper, whether you’re bringing them to a potluck, baking for a holiday like Valentine’s Day, or simply indulging in a homemade treat. And if you enjoy the delightful flavors of strawberry in your desserts, you’ll also adore my Strawberry Crumble, my elegant French Strawberry Cake, and my charming Vanilla Cake with Strawberries!
Why You’ll Love These Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies with White Chocolate Chips
It’s no secret that baking with white chocolate adds a unique sweetness and creamy texture that elevates many desserts. My Raspberry and White Chocolate Blondies and my Brownie Mix Cookies with White Chocolate, Cherries and Pistachios are absolute favorites for a reason! But these strawberry cream cheese cookies truly take center stage. The combination of tangy cream cheese and the bright, fruity notes of strawberry is perfectly complemented by the sweet, vanilla-rich white chocolate chips. These cookies are not only incredibly easy to make but also deliver a gourmet taste experience that will impress everyone who tries them. The little pockets of melted white chocolate add a delightful chewiness and an extra layer of sweetness, making each bite an absolute delight.
What sets these cookies apart is their heavenly texture – they are wonderfully soft and slightly chewy, reminiscent of a classic cheesecake, but in a convenient, handheld cookie form. The beautiful pink color makes them visually appealing, especially for spring gatherings, baby showers, or holiday celebrations. Prepare for these cookies to disappear quickly from any dessert table!
The Genius of Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies from Cake Mix
Cake mix cookies are an absolute game-changer in the world of baking. They offer an incredibly easy shortcut that gets your cookies into the oven faster than traditional recipes, all while ensuring consistent, delicious results. For these strawberry cheesecake cookies, using a strawberry cake mix is particularly brilliant. It not only infuses the cookies with that bright, natural strawberry flavor we all crave, but also gives them a charming pink color without the need for artificial food dyes (unless you choose to enhance it further!).
I typically reach for a 15.25-ounce box of Betty Crocker strawberry cake mix, but any brand of strawberry cake mix in the same size will work perfectly. The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity. Thanks to the cake mix foundation, these delectable strawberry cheesecake cookies with white chocolate chips require only 6 core ingredients. This minimalist approach doesn’t compromise on flavor; instead, it streamlines the baking process, making it accessible even for novice bakers or those short on time. It’s the ideal way to whip up a batch of impressive, homemade cookies with minimal effort!
For more delightful strawberry treats, be sure to check out my festive Strawberry Crunch Cupcakes or my adorable Valentine’s Day Cake Pops!
Essential Ingredients for Perfect Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies
Creating these delightful strawberry cheesecake cookies requires just a handful of simple ingredients. Here’s a closer look at each one and why it’s key to achieving that perfect flavor and texture:
- Strawberry Cake Mix: You’ll need one standard 15.25-ounce box of strawberry cake mix. This is your foundation for both flavor and color. Remember, we’re using just the dry mix itself – there’s no need to prepare the batter according to the box directions. The mix provides a consistent blend of flour, sugar, and leavening agents, along with that irresistible artificial (or sometimes natural) strawberry flavor and pretty pink hue.
- Baking Powder: A small amount of baking powder is crucial for giving these strawberry cookies a beautiful lift and a wonderfully soft, slightly airy texture. While cake mix typically contains leavening, adding a bit extra ensures your cookies are perfectly plump and not overly dense.
- Cream Cheese: This is where the “cheesecake” magic comes in! Use full-fat cream cheese for the best results. It makes these cookies incredibly soft, moist, and adds a tangy richness that perfectly balances the sweetness of the strawberry and white chocolate. Ensure your cream cheese is at room temperature for easy, lump-free mixing.
- Egg: A single large egg acts as a binder, bringing all the ingredients together and contributing to the cookie’s structure and tenderness. Like the cream cheese, a room temperature egg will incorporate more smoothly into your dough, creating a more uniform batter.
- Vegetable Oil: You can use any neutral cooking oil you prefer, such as canola oil, sunflower oil, or even light olive oil. The oil adds essential moisture and helps create that desirable soft, chewy texture. Unlike butter, which can make cookies crispier, oil ensures a consistent moistness throughout.
- White Chocolate Chips: While technically optional, these are highly recommended! White chocolate chips add a delicious, creamy vanilla sweetness that complements the strawberry and cream cheese flavors beautifully. They melt slightly during baking, creating gooey pockets of deliciousness within the cookie. I personally love using Ghirardelli White Baking Chips for their superior quality and rich flavor. You can also experiment with other mix-ins, but white chocolate is a classic for a reason.
And if you adore strawberry desserts, you absolutely must try my Strawberry Blueberry Pie for another fruity delight!
Essential Equipment for Baking These Strawberry Cookies
You won’t need a professional pastry kitchen to whip up these fantastic strawberry cheesecake cookies. The tools are fairly standard for most home bakers, making this recipe even more approachable. Here’s what you’ll need and why:
- Large Baking Sheet: A good quality baking sheet is crucial for even baking. I highly recommend the Nordicware Baker’s Big Sheet, which provides ample space. Using a large sheet prevents overcrowding, allowing cookies to bake evenly without steaming each other.
- Silicone Liner or Parchment Paper: To ensure your cookies don’t stick and bake beautifully, line your baking sheet. A Silpat ¾ sheet liner is a fantastic reusable option, or you can use standard parchment paper. Both provide a non-stick surface and promote even browning.
- Small Cookie Scoop: While not strictly necessary, a small cookie scoop is incredibly helpful for creating evenly-sized cookies. Uniform cookies bake at the same rate, preventing some from being overdone while others are still raw. It also makes the process much quicker and cleaner.
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer: To mix up your dough efficiently and ensure all ingredients are well combined, a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment is ideal. While you can mix by hand, a mixer makes quick work of incorporating the cream cheese and cake mix, resulting in a smooth, consistent dough.
- Large Mixing Bowl: Essential for combining all your ingredients without making a mess.
- Rubber Spatula: Perfect for scraping down the sides of your bowl and gently folding in the white chocolate chips.
- Wire Cooling Rack: After baking, a cooling rack allows air to circulate around the cookies, preventing them from getting soggy on the bottom and ensuring they cool completely and evenly.
Having these tools ready will make your baking experience smooth and enjoyable, leading to perfectly baked strawberry cheesecake cookies every time.
Expert Tips and Frequently Asked Questions for Strawberry Cookies
To ensure your strawberry cheesecake cookies turn out perfectly every time, keep these expert tips and answers to common questions in mind:
The secret to soft, chewy cookies lies in a few key factors. First, always make sure you’re using full-fat cream cheese. The higher fat content contributes significantly to the cookie’s moisture and tenderness, preventing them from drying out and becoming hard. Second, do not skip the chilling step for the dough. Chilling helps solidify the fats in the dough, which prevents the cookies from spreading too much during baking. This results in thicker, softer cookies. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, do not overcook these strawberry cookies! They are done when the tops are set, and the edges are just barely golden brown. They might still look slightly underdone in the center, but they will continue to cook and firm up as they cool on the baking sheet and then on a wire rack. Overbaking is the quickest way to end up with hard, dry cookies.
Achieving room temperature cream cheese is essential for a smooth, lump-free cookie dough. If you forgot to take it out ahead of time, here are a couple of quick methods:
- Microwave Method: Remove the cream cheese from its foil wrapper and place it on a microwave-safe plate. Heat it in the microwave on low power (e.g., 50%) for 15-20 seconds. Check its softness; if it’s still too firm, continue heating in 5-10 second intervals, being careful not to melt it. It should be softened but not warm or liquid.
- Water Bath Method: Keep the cream cheese in its foil wrapper (or sealed in plastic wrap) and submerge it in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for 10-15 minutes. This gently warms it to an ideal consistency.
Once softened, it will be much easier to incorporate into your strawberry cream cheese cookies batter!
Absolutely! Freezing cookie dough is a fantastic way to prepare ahead and have fresh-baked cookies on demand.
- To Freeze Dough Balls: Scoop the dough into individual cookie scoops and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze until solid (about 1-2 hours). Once frozen solid, transfer the dough balls to a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. They can be stored in the freezer for up to two months.
- Baking from Frozen: When you’re ready to bake, there’s no need to fully thaw the dough. Simply arrange the frozen dough balls on your prepared baking sheet and let them sit at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes while your oven preheats. You might need to add an extra 1-3 minutes to the baking time, but keep an eye on them for those golden edges.
This method is perfect for having warm, delicious strawberry cheesecake cookies whenever a craving strikes!
To maintain their wonderful softness and fresh flavor, these strawberry cheesecake cookies should be stored in the refrigerator. Place them in an airtight container or a heavy-duty food storage bag. This method keeps them moist and prevents them from drying out. They will stay fresh and delicious in the fridge for up to 5 days. For longer storage, you can freeze baked cookies in an airtight container for up to two months. Simply thaw them at room temperature or warm them gently in the microwave for a few seconds before serving.
Absolutely! While strawberry is fantastic, you can easily adapt this recipe with other cake mix flavors. Lemon, red velvet, or even vanilla cake mix would make delicious variations. Just remember that the final color and flavor profile will change, so adjust your expectations accordingly. For instance, a lemon cake mix would create a delightful lemon cheesecake cookie!
If you try this delightful recipe, I would love it if you could leave a star review rating and comment below! Your feedback is so wonderful to hear and truly helps others discover these fantastic cookies! And don’t forget to share your beautiful creations with me by tagging @chenee_today on Instagram! I can’t wait to see your strawberry masterpieces!
More Irresistible Cookie Recipes You’ll Love
If you enjoyed baking these strawberry cheesecake cookies, you’re in for a treat with these other fantastic cookie recipes from my collection:
- Matcha Chocolate Chip Cookies: A unique twist on a classic, with earthy green tea flavor.
- Lemon Curd Cookies: Bright and zesty, filled with tangy lemon goodness.
- Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies: Rich, buttery, and melt-in-your-mouth tender.
- Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprint Cookies: A nostalgic favorite, combining two beloved flavors.
- Key Lime Cookies: Refreshingly tart and sweet, perfect for a taste of the tropics.
- Almond Lemon Cookies: Delicate and fragrant, with a lovely balance of nutty and citrus notes.
📖 Recipe
Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies
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Equipment you may need
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¾ sheet baking pan
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silicone baking mat
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parchment paper
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small cookie scoop
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measuring cups and spoons
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food scale
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mixing bowls
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whisk
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stand mixer
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hand mixer
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cooling rack
Ingredients
- 6 oz (170 g) cream cheese – room temperature
- 1 large egg – room temperature
- 1 box strawberry cake mix – 15.25 oz
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) baking powder
- ½ cup (118 ml) vegetable oil
- ¾ cup (135 g) white chocolate chips – optional
Instructions
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In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened cream cheese, room temperature egg, dry strawberry cake mix, baking powder, and vegetable oil. Mix until all ingredients are well combined and a soft, cohesive dough forms. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tougher cookies.
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Gently fold in the white chocolate chips, if you are using them. Distribute them evenly throughout the dough using a rubber spatula.
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Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This step is crucial for preventing the cookies from spreading too much during baking and helps to develop their rich flavor. While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a large baking sheet with a silicone liner or parchment paper.
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Once chilled, use a small cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons) to portion out scoops of dough. Place these dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet, ensuring they are about 2 inches apart to allow for proper spreading.
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Bake in the preheated oven for 12-13 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the tops of the cookies are set. Remember, these cookies will continue to firm up as they cool, so avoid overbaking to maintain their soft, chewy texture.
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Allow the cookies to cool on the baking pan for at least 10 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This resting period on the hot pan helps them to set and prevents them from breaking apart. Enjoy your delicious homemade strawberry cheesecake cookies!
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