Description
These chewy, soft-baked gingerbread cookies are warm, filled with gingerbread flavour, with a creamy, chai cheesecake centre. Finished with a sparkling cinnamon sugar coating, they offer a yummy balance of texture and spice.
Ingredients
Chai spice blend
- 1 tbsp (7g) ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp (2g) ground ginger
- 1 tsp (2g) ground cardamom
- 1/2 tsp (1g) ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp (0.5g) ground black pepper
Cheesecake flling
- 4 oz (113g) cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 tsp (16g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp (2g) chai spice blend, from the blend above
- 1/4 tsp (1.2ml) vanilla extract
- 1 tsp (3g) all-purpose flour
Gingerbread cookies
- 1 3/4 cups (220g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp (5g) baking soda
- 1/2 tsp (1g) ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp (2g) ground ginger
- 2 tsp (4g) chai spice blend
- 1/4 tsp (1.5g) salt
- 6 tbsp (84g) unsalted butter, softened, room temp
- 4 tbsp (50g) granulated sugar
- 4 tbsp (55g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg, room temp
- 3 tbsp (45g) molasses
Sugar coating
- 3 tbsp (37g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp (0.5g) ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Prepare the Chai Spice Blend: In a small bowl, combine the ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cardamom, ground cloves, and ground black pepper. Stir to mix well. Set aside.
- For the Cheesecake Filling: In a small mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, 1 tsp of the prepared Chai Spice Blend, vanilla extract, and all-purpose flour. Mix with an electric mixer on low speed until just smooth and combined, about 30 seconds. Do not overmix or whip. Place the filling in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the cookie dough.
- For the Gingerbread Cookies: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger, 2 tsp of the prepared Chai Spice Blend, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar together on medium speed until the mixture is light in colour and creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Beat in the large egg and molasses until the mixture is well combined and takes on a deep caramel colour.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Avoid overmixing, as this can make cookies tough.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour, or until it becomes firm and less sticky.
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Using a large cookie scoop (about 3 tbsp), portion out the dough.
- Flatten each dough ball slightly in your hand. Place about 1 teaspoon of the chilled cheesecake filling in the centre, and carefully fold the dough around the filling to encase it completely. Roll the filled dough into a smooth ball.
- In a small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon for the coating. Roll each filled dough ball in the sugar mixture until fully coated.
- Place the coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 3-4 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake for 12-13 minutes, or until the tops are lightly domed and the edges are set.
- Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This allows the cheesecake filling to set properly.
Notes
If you don’t have all the individual spices for the chai blend, you can use a good quality pre-mixed ground chai spice blend instead. Just measure out the total amount needed for the cookie dough and filling.
The cookie dough is quite soft when first mixed, so don’t skip the chilling step. It makes the dough much easier to handle and wrap around the filling without tearing.
These cookies keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I like them slightly chilled.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 mins
- Cook Time: 12 mins
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking