I had to share my Churro Cheesecake Donut Cookies, a surprising mash-up that tucks a cheesecake center into a cookie coated in cinnamon sugar and made from just flour, butter, and cream cheese.

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I turned a late night sweet craving into Churro Cheesecake Donut Cookies, a strange hybrid that keeps stealing my thoughts. I can’t stop picturing the creamy surprise from the cream cheese tucked inside a pillowy all-purpose flour dough, then rolled in warm spice, its almost wrong how addictive it is.

If you ever skim a Cheesecake Donuts Recipe or scroll past Baked Churro Donut Recipes and keep going, stop, this one will make you double back. They look like tiny donuts but bite in and you find cheesecake joy, messy and brilliant, I swear.

Ingredients

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All-purpose flour: gives carbs and structure, little fibre, makes dough tender or dense.
Unsalted butter: rich fat, adds moisture and flavor, helps browning, not healthy in large amounts.
Cream cheese: creamy tang, has fat and some protein, makes filling rich and soft.
Granulated sugar: pure sweetness, fuels browning and crispness, mostly empty calories.
Egg: binds ingredients, adds protein and moisture, helps rise and gives richness.
Ground cinnamon: warm spice, adds aroma and a sweet spicy note, tiny antioxidants.
Vanilla extract: boosts flavor, adds sweet scent, almost no nutrients but big impact.

Ingredient Quantities

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup granulated sugar (for coating)

1 to 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (for coating)

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

2. In a large bowl beat 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter, 1/2 cup softened cream cheese and 3/4 cup granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl once or twice.

3. Add 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix until incorporated, don’t over mix.

4. In a separate bowl whisk 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

5. Gradually add the dry mix to the wet mix and stir until a soft dough forms. If it feels too sticky chill it briefly, 10 to 20 minutes, so it’s easier to handle.

6. Meanwhile mix the coating: 1/4 cup granulated sugar with 1 to 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon in a shallow bowl.

7. Portion dough into golf ball sized pieces (about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons each), place on the prepared sheet about 2 inches apart. To make donut holes press your thumb or the back of a piping tip or a floured straw into the center of each ball to form a ring, it’s ok if the hole shrinks in the oven. Chilling the shaped cookies 10 minutes helps them hold the ring shape.

8. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are set but the centers still look slightly soft. Don’t over bake if you want them soft and creamy.

9. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, let them sit 1 minute then gently roll each warm cookie in the cinnamon sugar so the coating sticks. If a hole starts to close up use the handle of a wooden spoon while still warm to reopen it. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 350°F / 175°C)
2. Baking sheet plus parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
3. Large mixing bowl and a smaller bowl for the dry mix, or two bowls if you only got same size ones
4. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer, or a sturdy whisk if you want to do it by hand
5. Measuring cups and spoons
6. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon (the spoon handle helps reopen the donut hole if it squashes)
7. Cookie scoop or a tablespoon for portioning the dough
8. Piping tip, floured straw, or your thumb to press the center, and a cooling rack for finishing up

FAQ

Q: Can I make the dough ahead or freeze the cookies?

A: Yes. You can chill shaped dough in the fridge for up to 48 hours. For longer storage freeze the unbaked shaped cookies on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time. Baked cookies freeze well too, about 2 months, thaw at room temp.

Q: My cookies spread too flat, what went wrong?

A: Usually the butter was too soft or the dough was overmixed, or your oven temp is low. Try using butter just softened not melted, chill the dough 15 to 30 minutes before baking, and don’t overwork the flour. That’ll help them keep a nice donut-cookie shape.

Q: How do I get the cinnamon sugar coating to stick like a churro?

A: Roll the cookies in the cinnamon sugar while they’re still warm from the oven so the coating clings. If they cool too fast, brush a tiny bit of melted butter or a thin simple glaze on first then toss in the sugar mix.

Q: Can I swap ingredients like using low fat cream cheese, or gluten free flour?

A: You can, but expect texture changes. Full fat cream cheese gives the best rich, creamy center. Low fat or yogurt will make them less tender. For gluten free try a 1-to-1 GF flour blend with xanthan gum, but the cookies might be a bit crumbly. Egg size matters a little too so use a large egg if possible.

Q: How do I make them into donut-shaped cookies or donut-holes?

A: You can use a mini donut pan for perfect shapes, or roll dough into balls and press a hole with your thumb or the back of a piping tip before baking. For donut-holes just bake as small balls then coat while warm.

Q: What is the best way to store and reheat these cookies?

A: Store in an airtight container at room temp up to 2 to 3 days, or in the fridge up to 5 days because of the cream cheese. To refresh, warm in a 300 F oven for 5 to 7 minutes so they get a little crisp again. Microwaving makes them gummy, so avoid that if you want texture.

Irresistible Churro Cheesecake Donut Cookies With Cinnamon Sugar Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All-purpose flour: try a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose blend (pick one with xanthan gum), or use whole wheat pastry flour 1:1 but expect a slightly denser cookie and maybe add a splash more milk, or swap for pastry/cake flour for a more tender bite using the same amount.
Unsalted butter: swap with solid coconut oil 1:1 (chill the dough if it feels too soft), or use unsalted margarine 1:1 for similar texture, or vegetable shortening 1:1 for crisper edges though less buttery flavor.
Cream cheese: use mascarpone 1:1 for richer creaminess, or well-drained ricotta blended smooth (might need a tsp cornstarch to firm it up), or thick Greek yogurt strained overnight and used at about 3/4 the amount for a tangier, lighter filling.
Large egg: replace with a flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water, let sit 5 minutes), or 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce for moisture (makes cookies softer), or 1/4 cup mashed banana for binding but expect banana flavor, or a commercial egg replacer per package instructions.

Pro Tips

1. Soften the butter and cream cheese until they are super easy to stir but not greasy, zap them in 5 second bursts in the microwave if needed and stir between each burst, dont overwork the batter after you add the egg or the cookies will turn dense.

2. If the dough is sticky chill it for 10 to 20 minutes, and chill shaped rings too so they hold the hole. Use a floured straw or the back of a piping tip to make the ring, and if the hole starts closing up just push a wooden spoon handle through while the cookie is still warm.

3. Keep a close eye in the last few minutes of baking, pull them when the edges look set but centers still look a little soft, they will finish cooking on the tray. Oven temps vary a lot so an oven thermometer and rotating the pan once helps prevent overbaking.

4. Roll them in the cinnamon sugar right out of the oven so it sticks, and for a smoother coating pulse regular sugar briefly in a food processor or use superfine sugar. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container with parchment between layers to keep them soft, and rewarm briefly if they firm up.

Irresistible Churro Cheesecake Donut Cookies With Cinnamon Sugar Recipe

Recipe by Sammy Hunter

0.0 from 0 votes

I had to share my Churro Cheesecake Donut Cookies, a surprising mash-up that tucks a cheesecake center into a cookie coated in cinnamon sugar and made from just flour, butter, and cream cheese.

Servings

servings

Calories

231

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheat to 350°F / 175°C)
2. Baking sheet plus parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
3. Large mixing bowl and a smaller bowl for the dry mix, or two bowls if you only got same size ones
4. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer, or a sturdy whisk if you want to do it by hand
5. Measuring cups and spoons
6. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon (the spoon handle helps reopen the donut hole if it squashes)
7. Cookie scoop or a tablespoon for portioning the dough
8. Piping tip, floured straw, or your thumb to press the center, and a cooling rack for finishing up

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar (for coating)
1 to 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (for coating)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
In a large bowl beat 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter, 1/2 cup softened cream cheese and 3/4 cup granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl once or twice.
Add 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix until incorporated, don’t over mix.
In a separate bowl whisk 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Gradually add the dry mix to the wet mix and stir until a soft dough forms. If it feels too sticky chill it briefly, 10 to 20 minutes, so it’s easier to handle.
Meanwhile mix the coating: 1/4 cup granulated sugar with 1 to 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon in a shallow bowl.
Portion dough into golf ball sized pieces (about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons each), place on the prepared sheet about 2 inches apart. To make donut holes press your thumb or the back of a piping tip or a floured straw into the center of each ball to form a ring, it’s ok if the hole shrinks in the oven. Chilling the shaped cookies 10 minutes helps them hold the ring shape.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are set but the centers still look slightly soft. Don’t over bake if you want them soft and creamy.
As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, let them sit 1 minute then gently roll each warm cookie in the cinnamon sugar so the coating sticks. If a hole starts to close up use the handle of a wooden spoon while still warm to reopen it. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.