Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies

Arrange racks in the bottom and top third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a second baking sheet with parchment paper.

Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator. If the dough has chilled for longer than a couple of hours, let it sit on the counter for about 20 minutes to soften slightly. Use a cookie scoop (size 40 portioner, or about 1 1/2 tablespoons) to drop 12 cookies onto the lined baking sheet. Press your thumb into the center of each cookie to make a well, just as if you were making thumbprint cookies.

Remove the cheesecake filling from the freezer. Place 1 frozen ball of filling into the indentation of each cookie. You can use your hands to reshape the filling slightly, if needed, for it to fit nicely.

Scoop the remaining cookie dough on top of the cheesecake filling. Spread the cookie dough around the filling, ensuring it is completely covered and sealed. The cookie dough mounds will be big and tall.

Place 6 cookies on each of the lined baking sheets, spacing them at least 3 inches apart. Bake both trays at once for 8 minutes, then rotate the pans from top to bottom and back to front. Continue baking for 7 to 9 minutes longer until the edges are set and just beginning to brown.

Let the cookies cool and set them on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. They are too soft to move straight out of the oven.

The cookies will keep in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days, or up to 1 week in the refrigerator.

Baked cookies will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

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