Merry Cheesecake Cookies Food

MERRY CHEESECAKE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line an 8 by 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Let parchment come up over the sides of the pan to use as "handles" when unmolding after baking. In a mixer bowl, combine flour, butter, and brown sugar. Blend at low speed until incorporated and mixture is like sand, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in nuts. Reserve 1 cup of mixture for topping. With your fingers, press remaining mixture into pan. Bake on the middle rack of the oven until crust is set and golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool on a rack while assembling the filling.
• In a clean mixer bowl, combine cream cheese and sugar. Blend until smooth, then add the remaining filling ingredients, beating until smooth. Spread evenly over baked crust. Sprinkle the reserve crust mixture over filling. Bake until top is golden brown and filling is set, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack, then use parchment "handles" to remove from pan in 1 piece. Cut into bars, squares or festive shapes with cookie cutter of your choice. Sprinkle with red and/or green sanding sugar, if desired.

CHEESECAKE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Combine flour, sugar, cream cheese, butter, eggs, baking powder, vanilla, and salt in a bowl until a dough forms.
• Drop rounded tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart onto cookie sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until bottoms are very lightly golden brown and tops are just about to turn color, 10 to 14 minutes. Let cool for at least 10 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

MERRY CHEESECAKE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line an 8 by 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Let parchment come up over the sides of the pan to use as "handles" when unmolding after baking.
• In a mixer bowl, combine flour, butter, and brown sugar. Blend at low speed until incorporated and mixture is like sand, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in nuts. Reserve 1 cup of mixture for topping.
• With your fingers, press remaining mixture into pan. Bake on the middle rack of the oven until crust is set and golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool on a rack while assembling the filling.
• In a clean mixer bowl, combine cream cheese and sugar. Blend until smooth, then add the remaining filling ingredients, beating until smooth.
• Spread evenly over baked crust. Sprinkle the reserve crust mixture over filling.
• Bake until top is golden brown and filling is set, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack, then use parchment "handles" to remove from pan in 1 piece. Cut into bars or squares and top with colored sugar sprinkles.

CHERRY CHEESECAKE COOKIES

Steps:

• MAKE DOUGH Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in bowl. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese, butter, and sugar until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture, and mix until just combined. Refrigerate dough until firm, at least 30 minutes.
• HEAT OVEN Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Place graham cracker crumbs in shallow dish.
• ASSEMBLE COOKIES Roll dough into 1½-inch balls, then roll in crumbs. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Using tablespoon measure, make indentation in center of each ball. Place 3 cherries in each dimple. Bake until golden around edges, 12 to 14 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Cool 5 minutes on sheets, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. (Cookies can be stored in airtight container for 2 days.).