I hate Cheesecake. I have ever since I got sick after eating it once as a little girl; the experience ruined the appeal it has for me. However, as I have gotten older, and seen how much other people LOVE it, I keep wanting to like it. So, whenever the opportunity arises I take at least one bite, and every time it makes me ill. Anyway, so when I found this new recipe, I was hopeful that since it's a cookie, I might like the whole "cheesecake" aspect of it more. SUCCESS! These are really yummy! And I'm posting the recipe because with three cherries on each, they look like little Valentine Hearts. So, enjoy!
Cherry Cheesecake Cookies
Makes about 4 ½ dozen cookies
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
20 tablespoons (2 ½ cubes) butter, softened
1 ½ cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup graham crackers crumbs*
3 (20 oz) cans cherry pie filling
MAKE DOUGH: Combine flour baking powder, and salt in bowl.
With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese,
butter, and sugar until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
Add eggs and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to
low, add flour mixture and mix until just combined.
HEAT OVEN: Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle
positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets
with parchment paper. Place graham cracker crumbs in a
shallow dish.
ASSEMBLE COOKIES: Roll dough into 1 ½-inch balls, then roll in
crumbs. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
Using tablespoon measure, make indentation in center of each
ball. Place 3 cherries in each dimple. Bake until golden around
edges, 12 to 14 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway
through baking. Cool 5 minutes on sheets, then transfer to wire
rack to cool completely. (Cookies can be stored in airtight
container for 2 days.)
*To make graham cracker crumbs, process 8 whole graham
crackers in a food processor until finely ground.
