Last night I became the proud owner of Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook. It may be my imagination, but Martha's recipes seem to have become more creative over the past year. This book is a gem, and so is this recipe for Cheesecake Filled Thumbprint Cookies.

These are so good. I had low expectations for some reason, but the filling is very creamy and tart and the cookie part has a sandy texture and nice flavor, despite the simplicity of the ingredients. Next time, I'm going to add a few teaspoons of cocoa powder and some red food coloring to the dough to make red velvet cheesecake thumbprints, but for now, here's the regular recipe. Ignore those darker cookies in the back. I was messing around.

Recipe

Cheesecake Filled Thumbprint Cookies

Cookie Madness

Rich thumbprint cookies with a cheesecake filling in the center.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 24

Total Time 34

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings

Ingredients

Filling:

4 ounces cream cheese softened
¼ cup sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 egg yolk
1 ½ tsp. sour cream
¼ teaspoon vanilla

Cookies:

1 cup butter softened
¼ cup sugar
1 egg yolk
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups flour

Instructions

Make filling first. Beat together cream cheese, sugar and salt until fluffy and smooth. Stir in egg yolk, sour cream and vanilla. Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
Beat together butter, sugar, egg yolk and salt. Stir in flour (do not over beat) and mix until dough forms. Form dough into 24 to 30 balls and set on cookie sheets. Wet finger (or use handle of a spoon) and make a deep indentation - do now worry about how wide it is yet. Cookies will spread anyway.
Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and press in middles to re-make indentations. Turn cookies sheets and bake cookies another 5 to 7 minutes or until edges start to brown a bit. Remove from oven and fill indentations with cream cheese filling, using a small teaspoon. Return cookies to oven and bake for another 7 minutes. Cool completely and chill.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Comments

I love hearing from other bakers and appreciate helpful comments. Rude ones will be deleted immediately.

Anna

December 22, 2018 at 6:13 am

Thanks for reminding me about this recipe. It's a good one and I haven't made it in a while. Will try your tip of making more dough and using jam.
DWhite

December 22, 2018 at 1:19 am

Been making this recipe (from this blog) since 2006! It's a family tradition now - it's 2018 now! I usually make more cookie dough and fill the rest with raspberry or blackberry jam.
Anna

October 20, 2006 at 6:21 pm

Hi Lori,

Good call on adding the lemon extract. I like using lemon in place of vanilla sometimes too.
lori

October 20, 2006 at 6:01 pm

I made these this afternoon they are really good, but the filling i add lemon extract not vanilla. Gave it differnt flavor.
Debbi

October 13, 2006 at 12:09 pm

I just made these this morning and they are HEAVENLY!! Thanks for the recipe!!
Anna

December 29, 2005 at 8:06 am

S'kat, I wish I had that new camera. What a beautiful picture this might have been, no?Joe, thanks for the birthday wishes!!Ali, let me know if you try them. I may do the red velvet version for Valentine's Day.
s'kat

December 29, 2005 at 6:53 am

I'm glad to hear this one worked out- very pretty, too!
Joe

December 28, 2005 at 10:35 pm

Happy Birthday Anna!
Randi

December 28, 2005 at 6:16 pm

my friends are in austin now, do you have any good restaurant recomendations?
Jen

December 28, 2005 at 4:02 pm

I knew I needed this book! Perhaps it shall be a late Christmas gift to myself.;-)
Alicat

December 28, 2005 at 2:40 pm

yummy - i love anything cheesecake-y 🙂 i will have to try these out.