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Butter Pecan Cheesecake Cookies

Chrissy Grundy
A buttery cookie dough base with butter toasted pecans and filled with a white chocolate cheesecake center.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chill Time 1 day 30 minutes
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

Butter Pecans

  • 1 tbsp Butter
  • ¾ cup Pecans I used pecan halves. Can also use pecan pieces.

White Chocolate Cheesecake Filling

  • 8 oz Cream Cheese Full fat, room temperature.
  • ¼ cup Powdered Sugar
  • 4 oz White Chocolate Bar I used Baker's brand white chocolate.
  • ½ tspn Vanilla Extract

Butter Pecan Cookie Dough

  • 2 sticks Butter unsalted, room temperature.
  • 1 tbsp Butter unsalted, additional butter for browning.
  • cup Brown Sugar
  • cup Granulated Sugar
  • 2 Eggs room temperature.
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 2 tsp Cornstarch
  • 2 cups Flour
  • ½ cup Graham Cracker Crumbs
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • ¾ cup Buttered Pecans (recipe below) chopped roughly.

Sugar Cinnamon Coating

  • ½ cup Granulated Sugar
  • ¼ tsp Cinnamon

Instructions
 

White Chocolate Cheesecake Filling

  • In a bowl using a handheld mixer on medium high, combine room temperature cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla extract. The mixture will look very creamy and have no lumps.
  • Break the white chocolate bar into pieces in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir.
  • Microwave on high for 20 seconds. Stir for 2 minutes allowing the white chocolate to melt. If needed, microwave for an additional 10 seconds if not thoroughly melted.
  • Add the melted white chocolate to the cream cheese mixture and mix on high until smooth and very creamy.
  • Cover and place in fridge until ready to use for stuffing cookies.

Buttered Pecans

  • Melt one tablespoon of butter in a sauté pan over medium low heat.
  • Once the butter is melted add the pecans and lightly toast over low heat for 5-8 minutes. They will be done when they are slightly darker and very fragrant.
  • Set aside to cool. Once cool roughly chop before adding to the cookie dough.

Butter Pecan Cookie Dough

  • In a sauce pan, brown one stick plus one tablespoon of butter. Set aside to cool.
  • Combine the cooled brown butter and the other stick of room temperature butter in a bowl with both types of sugar. I used a hand mixer on high for 2 minutes.
  • Next, I add the 2 room temperature eggs and vanilla extract. I mix on high speed until the mixture is smooth and glossy with no streak of egg remaining.
  • I sift the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda to the bowl of wet ingredients. I add the graham cracker crumbs to the bowl as well at this time and mix on low until a smooth dough forms.
  • Next, add the chopped buttered pecans and mix into the dough until thoroughly combined.
  • Using a 4 ounce cookie scoop, scoop a heaping scoop of cookie dough. Create a well in the center and place a heaping teaspoon of white chocolate cheesecake filling in the well.
  • Press the cookie dough opening shut, using extra cookie dough to create a solid seal of cookie dough around the filling.
  • Release the cookie dough into a bowl of cinnamon sugar and roll to coat all sides.
  • Repeat with remaining cookie dough. I like to gently squeeze the cookie up to make them taller rather than flatter before I leave them in the fridge over night.
  • The next day, place cookie dough in freezer until ready to bake (at least 30 minutes before baking. Can store in freezer for up to 3 months.)
  • Bake cookies at 375*F for 14-16 minutes. The cookies will be a deep golden brown.
  • Allow the cookies to cool completely for an hour on a wire rack.
  • Any cookies not consumed the day they are made can be stored in a tightly covered container in the fridge.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

Buttery, full of flavor, chewy, soft, and gooey, these buttered pecan cookies are heavenly.
Keyword Butter Pecan, Mother's Day, stuffed cookies, White Chocolate Cheesecake