If you have never used freeze dried fruit in your baking then now is the time to do it! This Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies recipe is full of strawberry flavor. The freeze dried fruit keeps the cookies from having extra moisture that fresh fruit could add. The best ingredient however, is the addition of cream cheese to the cake mix cookie dough. It keeps the cookies soft for days and adds an extra flavor that makes them extra special.
Do you love Cheesecake Cookies? Try these Raspberry Cheesecake Cookies!
Why these Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies are the BEST
- Using freeze dried strawberries keeps your dough from getting too wet. Using fresh fruit in baked goods like cookies can make your dough too wet and in turn give you flat unappealing cookies.
- The cream cheese is in the cookie dough! There is not any need to freeze a cream cheese center! I always love to save you time without sacrificing flavor.
- Using a cake mix for the cookie base keeps the recipe super simple.
- The flavor combination is a classic but done in a bit of a different and delicious way.
Ingredients Needed
- Vanilla Cake Mix-The perfect base for this soft and amazing cookie.
- Cream Cheese-Added to the cookie dough to add both softness and flavor.
- Butter-Softened butter is the perfect fat to use in this strawberry forward cookie.
- Egg-Adding an egg will help bind the ingredients and give you a lighter cookie.
- Vanilla Extract-To amplify the vanilla flavor that you are already getting from the vanilla cake mix.
- Freeze Dried Strawberries-The perfect way to add strawberries to these cookies because you don’t get any added moisture.
- White Chocolate Chips-They go perfectly with the cream cheese and strawberries.
How to make Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies with a Cake Mix
- Combine cream cheese, butter, egg, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Add cake mix and mix using a handheld mixer {or by hand} until everything is well combined and thick.
- Add freeze dried strawberries and white chocolate chips.
- Stir into dough by hand to combine until everything is evenly incorporated. NOTE: You want to stir gently so that you don’t break up the strawberries completely.
- Isn’t the dough gorgeous with the flecks of strawberry and white chocolate?!
- Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough {using a medium scoop} onto a parchment {or silicone} lined baking sheet. Using your finger tips {palm of your hand or bottom of glass} gently press down onto the top of each cookie.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the edges are set. Remove cookies from the oven and let them cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes. Move to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Pro Tips
- Make sure that the cream cheese and butter are both at room temperature {softened}. This will help give you a really nice and smooth cookie dough free from lumps.
- Use a cookie scoop to scoop the cookies. This keeps all of the cookies the same size and allows them to bake at the same rate. I use this technique for all of my cookie recipe and think you will love this Strawberry Jam Cookie recipe.
- Don’t over bake the cookies. The only thing about using a cake mix is that the cookies can turn hard if they are the least bit over baked. The addition of cream cheese will help that.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet. The residual heat from the cookie sheet will continue to bake the cookies slightly and set them up perfectly.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I use a gluten free cake mix?
While I have not tested this recipe with a gluten free cake mix, I have had readers who have been super successful on other recipes.
How do I store Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies?
Strawberry Cheesecake Cake Mix Cookies can be kept at room temperature or in the refrigerator. I would recommend the refrigerator if you want to keep them for a few days longer. Plus, they taste great chilled.
Can I freeze Strawberry Cookies?
These Strawberry Cheesecake cookies freeze really well for up to 3 months. Keep them in an airtight container or cover tightly with plastic wrap.
The main thing is to be sure that there isn’t any air getting to the cookies. I would also put a layer of paper towel or parchment between layers to be sure they don’t stick together.
How can I get the cream cheese to room temperature quickly?
The best way to get cream cheese to room temperature quickly is to take it out of the foil and put it on a microwave safe plate. Microwave for 20-30 seconds and check it. If it isn’t softened then go ahead and add 10 second increments until it is.
What kind of cream cheese should I use for this recipe?
Use a full fat cream cheese for this cookie recipe. You may be able to use a reduced fat cream cheese without much change but I have not tested it.
I am of the opinion that if you are going to eat dessert that you should go for it!
Do you love cookies with cream cheese? Try these soft and amazing recipes…
- Easy Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies Recipe
- Cream Cheese Cake Mix Cookies Recipe
- Easy Crock Pot Potato Soup with Cream Cheese Recipe
- Red Velvet Cheesecake Cookies with a Cake Mix Recipe
- Copycat Crumbl Raspberry Cheesecake Cookies Made with a Cake Mix
Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies Recipe made with a Cake Mix
Ingredients
- 1 box vanilla cake mix {15.25 ounce box}
- 8 ounces cream cheese {softened}
- ½ cup butter {softened}
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups freeze dried strawberries
- ½ cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Combine the cream cheese, butter, egg, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl.
- Add cake mix and combine using a handheld mixer {or by hand} until everything is well mixed and thick. Add freeze dried strawberries and white chocolate chips. Stir into dough by hand to combine until everything is evenly incorporated. NOTE: You want to stir gently so that you don't break up the strawberries completely.
- Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough {using a medium scoop} onto a parchment {or silicone} lined baking sheet. Using your finger tips {palm of your hand or bottom of glass} gently press down onto the top of each cookie.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the edges are set.
- Remove cookies from the oven and let them cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes. Move to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store cookies in an air tight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Pat Wilde says
Can you use other freeze dried fruit instead of
strawberries?
June says
Absolutely! Whatever you like would work great. 🙂