Description
Chocolate walnut thumbprint cookies hide a creamy cheesecake center that elevates classic dessert expectations. Rich chocolate and nutty walnuts create an irresistible flavor profile you cannot resist indulging in right now.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookies
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
Filling
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Topping
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 2 tbsp chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a medium bowl until uniformly combined.
- Cream butter with granulated and brown sugars in a separate large mixing bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
- Incorporate egg and vanilla extract into the butter mixture, blending until smooth and well integrated.
- Gradually fold dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until a cohesive chocolate dough forms.
- Roll dough into small round balls, approximately 1 inch in diameter.
- Roll each dough ball in chopped walnuts, pressing gently to ensure nuts adhere to the surface.
- Place cookies on prepared baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between each.
- Use the back of a small measuring spoon to create a gentle indentation in the center of each cookie.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges appear slightly firm.
- Remove from oven and let cookies cool for 5 minutes.
- Whip cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
- Carefully spoon cheesecake filling into the cookie centers while still slightly warm.
- Optional: Sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top of the cheesecake filling.
- Allow cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before serving.
Notes
- Toast walnuts lightly before chopping to enhance their nutty flavor and create a deeper, more complex taste profile.
- Use room temperature ingredients like butter, egg, and cream cheese to ensure smooth, even mixing and better cookie texture.
- Make cheesecake filling ahead of time and refrigerate for firmer, easier-to-handle consistency when filling cookie centers.
- Experiment with alternative nut options like pecans or almonds for different flavor variations and dietary preferences.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 170
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 85 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg