Cream Cheese Brownie Cookies (Print Version)

Fudgy brownies with a luscious cream cheese center, easy to prepare for a decadent sweet treat.

# Ingredient List:

→ Cream Cheese Filling

01 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened
02 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Brownie Cookie Dough

04 - 1 box brownie mix (18-19 oz)
05 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 1/3 cup vegetable oil
08 - 2 tablespoons water
09 - 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, optional

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a small bowl, beat softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined. Refrigerate for 10 minutes to firm up.
03 - In a large bowl, combine brownie mix and all-purpose flour. Add eggs, vegetable oil, and water. Mix until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips if using.
04 - Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of brownie dough and flatten slightly between your palms.
05 - Place 1 teaspoon of cream cheese filling in the center of each dough disc. Fold dough around filling, pinching edges to seal and rolling into a ball.
06 - Arrange stuffed dough balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
07 - Bake for 10-12 minutes, until edges are set but centers remain slightly soft. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Brownies and cheesecake collide in one cookie, so you get that fudgy depth with a tangy surprise in every bite.
  • Brownie mix does the heavy lifting, which means no complicated technique to master before you nail them.
  • They look fancy enough to gift or serve at gatherings, but they're genuinely this simple to pull off.
02 -
  • If your cream cheese filling is too warm or soft, it will leak out during baking and pool on your pan—those 10 minutes of chilling aren't optional, they're insurance.
  • Opening the oven door to peek before the 10-minute mark will drop the temperature and mess with your bake time, so set a timer and trust the process.
03 -
  • Softening cream cheese at room temperature for 20 minutes beats microwaving it because heat makes it grainy and impossible to work with smoothly.
  • If you're worried about the filling leaking, make it slightly thicker by using 3 tbsp of sugar instead of 2, which also makes it easier to handle without your hands warming it up.
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