Peanut Butter Graham Cracker Cheesecake Cookies

There are two rules that I absolutely must follow when it comes to making (and eating) the best peanut butter cookies: 1) they must be chewy and buttery 2) they absolutely MUST taste overwhelmingly peanut butter-y. These peanut butter graham cracker cheesecake cookies surpass both of my rules.

Are you, yes you, looking for a new Christmas cookie recipe to knock your family’s socks off? You need to try these chewy peanut butter cookies with a twist: it’s all the things you love about chewy peanut butter cookies and cheesecake but TOGETHER. Um YUM.

Trust me, you will want to snuggle up on the couch with a glass of cold milk or hot cocoa and eat a whole tray by yourself—sorry Santa. 

What to do with leftover graham crackers

This recipe started with me looking for a way to use up a sleeve of graham crackers in my pantry. I always seem to have a lonely, overlooked half-used box of graham crackers sitting on my pantry shelf. Here at Frugal Fancy Fixes, we are always trying to find ways to use up what we already have and be good stewards in our managing resources and food waste–and this is the ULTIMATE pantry use-it-up cookie. 

In this recipe, I used on whole block of cream cheese. If you are like me and sometimes get a bit over-zealous filling the first few cookies you might wind up with too much dough and not enough filling at the end—I prefer to just make these one or two cookies with plain peanut butter, rather than opening up another package of cream cheese that I, honestly, will probably forget about in my fridge. If this happens to you, remember to measure out the cheesecake filling the next time, but don’t worry these still make KILLER peanut butter cookies even without the luxurious filling.

How to make peanut butter graham cracker cheesecake cookies

Make the Peanut Butter Graham Cracker Cookie Dough

Start by mixing the butter and sugars in a stand mixer, then add in the vanilla and eggs and mix until they are incorporated. In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined—be careful not to overmix the dough. Could it be easier?

Chill the Cookie Dough

When I first started baking, I was skeptical about the chill rule, BUT it does make a difference in both handling the dough and baking performance. Make sure to chill the dough for 30 minutes before popping these bad boys in the oven.

Make the Cheesecake Filling

Using a block of softened cream cheese add the cheese to a bowl along with sugar and vanilla. Blend the cheesecake filling with a handheld mixer until smooth and creamy. If the dough is still firming up in the fridge, place the cheesecake filling in the fridge until ready to use.

Prep Your Pan and Preheat

I always use parchment paper, or silicon baking mats for cookies! This saves cookies from breaking when removed from the pan and also makes cleanup a breeze. Line 4 sheet pans (or you can line one and bake in shifts) and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Scoop and Roll the Peanut Butter Dough

Roll the cookies into 1-inch balls (you should get about 4 dozen cookies). Make sure to leave space between the cookies, as these cookies tend to spread.

Thumbprint and Fill With Cheesecake Filling

Treat these cookies like thumbprint cookies. Using your thumb or teaspoon press the center of the cookies to make an indent. DO NOT press too deep or the middle of the cookie will be too thin and might break when cooked. Using a teaspoon to teaspoon and a half, scoop the filling and add to the indent of the cookie.

Bake Those Yummy Cookies

Depending on your oven and the cookie sheet placement in the oven, these cookies can take about 10-14 minutes to set. Take out when cookies have spread and have a very light golden brown tinge around the bottom. ( I find that pans situated on the bottom rack tend to bake quicker).

Let the Cookies Cool On The Sheet Before Moving

Do NOT try to move these cookies off the sheet right away. The cookies will continue to set on the pan as they cool, but the cheesecake filling may be too loose to start moving. Leave the cookies to set for at least 10 minutes before attempting to move the cookies to a cooling rack. If the cookies do not move easily when you lift them let the cookies sit until they move easily.

DEVOUR the Yummiest Peanut Butter Graham Cracker Cheesecake Cookies

These chewy peanut butter graham cracker cheesecake cookies are so good with a glass of milk or a hot beverage of your choice (I always lean towards lattes). I dare you to eat just one! Set them out and watch the pan disappear.

Twist on a Christmas favorite: peanut butter cookies

I love peanut butter cookies and my husband REALLY loves peanut butter cookies, but I was getting a bit tired of the same peanut butter cookies. These cookies are a twist on the classic, but with traditional flavors that your family is sure to love. Need to satisfy chocolate peanut butter lovers? Add a chocolate drizzle over the top by microwaving 4 oz of dark chocolate and 1 tsp of coconut or olive oil together.

Can I use other nut butter or natural nut butter in this recipe?

While I love almond butter and other nut butter, I wouldn’t use alternatives or natural peanut butter for this recipe. This is a very soft dough, so I would suggest sticking with smooth or crunchy peanut butter for this recipe. 

Should I use a specific brand of peanut butter?

When we are talking natural peanut butter, I see the merit in local farm market fresh peanut butter, but for this recipe, I would stick to the regular crunchy or smooth peanut butter jars found in every grocery store. I do not think that brand-name peanut butter is worth the splurge, generic delivers the same great peanut buttery taste.

Can I make the cookie dough ahead of time?

Absolutely, you can make this dough and the filling up to two days ahead of time. Keep them covered tightly in the refrigerator. This is a great make-ahead dough and filing for a holiday cookie-baking marathon.

How do I store the peanut butter cheesecake cookies?

I like to keep mine covered in a sealable container in my refrigerator for maximum freshness and extended life.