Ghirardelli Turtle Cheesecake Cookies

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PREP TIME: 25 MIN

COOK TIME: 10 MIN

TOTAL TIME: 35 MIN

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My favorite kind of cookie just loaded with goodness!

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup Unsalted Brown Butter
• 1/2 Cup + 1 Tbsp Packed Brown Sugar
• 3 Tbsp Sugar
• 1 Large Egg (Room Temp)
• 1/2 Tsp Vanilla
• 1 1/4 Cups of All Purpose Flour(Spoon & Leveled)
• 1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
• 1/4 Tsp Salt
• 1/3 Cup Pecan Chips
• Ghirardelli Squares

Cheesecake Filling

3 oz Cream Cheese

1 1/2 Tbsp Sugar

1/4 Tsp Vanilla

Instructions

This makes 6 Cookies Please see tips before baking. These cookies require being precise and having a little patience so you can create this magical deliciousness.

1. Begin by making your cheesecake filling. The cream cheese must be room temp. In a stand mixer or handheld mixer beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth for about 2 to 3 minutes.
2. On parchment paper drop 1/2 Tablespoon dallops of cheesecake filling and freeze for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
3. Next, to make your brown butter cut butter into cubes. In a heavy saucepan heat butter over Medium heat to begin the browning process. Stir constantly until the butter begins to turn into a golden brown color. It will be foamy and that is ok. Once the butter has reached that beautiful golden brown color remove from the heat and place it on a heat safe bowl to cool.
4. Once your brown butter has cooled Preheat oven to 350F and in a large bowl combine your brown butter and sugars and whisk until combined.
5. Add eggs and vanilla and whisk until combined.
6. Add your sifted dry ingredients into the wet mixture and fold until just combined. Do not over mix.
7. Add pecan chips and gently fold until combined. Do not over mix.
8. This dough cannot be refrigerated, if left in the fridge for too long the dough will harden and be ruined.
9. Drop the dough balls by 1/4 cup or use a regular size ice cream scoop. Flatten the cookie dough with the palm of your hand right on the parchment paper and place a dallop of cheesecake filling in the center of the flattened cookie dough.
10. Close out the cookie dough over the cream cheese dallop.
11. Add pecan chips to the top of the cookie but make sure there are no pecan chips around the bottom of the pan so the cookies are able to spread well.
12. Give the cookies enough space in between on a large cookie sheet.
13. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom.
14. Once cookies are ready you can fix the shape with a large round cookie cutter or a big measuring cup.(Videos on my insta for reference)
15. Once the cookies have cooled a bit add the ghirardelli square on top.
16. Allow the cookies to cool completely and allow the cheesecake to set takes about 1-2 hours these are a bit softer then your regular cookies but they are amazing.

TIPS

1. Cookies will look a little undone once taken out they will finish baking in the baking sheet out of the oven. Allow them to cool completely to set.
2. Make sure your brown butter is cooled before you begin to make the cookie dough.
3. Cookies can be stored in the refrigerator and take out desired amount 1-2 hours before enjoying!
4. Share your pics with me on social media! #sweetmelibakery