Crumbl New York Cheesecake Cookies
These Crumbl New York Cheesecake Cookies are basically reverse cheesecake. The recipe features a thick chewy cookie with crisp edges packed with graham crackers and a tangy cheesecake filling (no bake!) on top. Want even more cheesecake indulgence? Just make double the cheesecake topping! Yum.
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Mm, cheesecake in a cookie. When Crumbl released this new cookie to their (huge) flavor menu I knew instantly I would be baking a copycat recipe.
What makes my cheesecake cookies different from other Crumbl copycat recipes is that I use a no-bake cheesecake filling instead of a cream cheese frosting on top of the cookies. Cream cream frosting is packed with sugar and I just felt like, ugh. Sometimes you really can have too much sugar!
I saw a lot of comments on the original Crumbl Cookie where people were wondering where all the cheesecake flavor was and I wanted to be sure my cookie had plenty of cheesecake flavor.
If you love the tangy flavor of a New York Cheesecake, this filling recipe won’t disappoint. The tanginess balances the sweetness of the cookie and it’s a fun “reverse cheesecake” treat. I hope you love these!
How close is it to Crumbl’s recipe? This recipe amps up the graham cracker flavor and the tangy cheesecake topping for a yummy treat that might just be better than Crumbl’s! These cookies are a bit smaller at 3.5″, and you can adjust the sizing if you wish (just be sure to adjust the baking time as well).
Inspiration: Thanks to Sally’s Baking Addiction for the starting point for the no-bake cheesecake filling!
More recipes! Also try my easy Classic Pink Sugar Crumbl Cookies & my Crumbl Blueberry Muffin Cookies!
Ingredients
Here’s a quick preview of all the ingredients you’ll need to make Crumbl New York Cheesecake Cookies including the cheesecake topping and the graham cracker crust sprinkle on top. Don’t miss the tips below too!
Cream Cheese – Always full fat!
Crushed Graham Crackers – You’ll use plenty of graham crackers in this recipe. I have you grab a ziptop bag and a rolling pin to quickly crush amounts as the recipe calls for them.
Butter – Use unsalted throughout the recipe.
Flour – Always weigh the flour if possible! I use the “King Arthur Flour” weights for flour (which is what you’ll find on your flour package) where 1/4 cup = 30g. This is a considered a “light” cup of flour, so if you don’t weigh your flour and end up with dry or floury cookies, you can bet that too much flour was added.
How to Make Crumbl New York Cheesecake Cookies
Let’s start with the no bake cheesecake topping!
No Bake Cheesecake Topping
Start with the filling so it can chill while the cookies are baking and cooling.
The key here is to be sure the cream cheese is very soft and perfectly smooth between each addition. Start by using a hand mixer to beat it until it’s perfectly smooth. Repeat after adding the sugar and then the remaining filling ingredients (except the heavy cream). Set aside.
Use your hand mixer again (this time with the whisk attachment) to beat heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Chill at least 2 hours (though the mixture will continue to set up to about 8 hours).
Graham Cracker Cookies
Crush 1 ½ sheets of graham crackers and set aside. We’ll use these to roll the cookies in later. Crush another nine crackers in the same bag and set aside.
Cream together the softened butter and sugars (I use a hand mixer). Beat until totally combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until just combined.
Pour the nine ground graham crackers, flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt into the bowl. Use a spatula to gently fold everything together until combined.
Scoop out 10 large cookies (I use a 1/3 cup scoop), roll each one in the reserved graham crackers. Place cookie on a cookie sheet and flatten to about 1″ tall. Bake cookies one sheet at a time until the cookies are lightly crackled on top and the edges are just turning golden, about 14-16 minutes. Don’t overbake.
OPTIONAL: Right after the cookies come out of the oven, use a glass to gently & lightly smoosh in the middles of the cookies to create a well to place the frosting. You can skip this step if you prefer.
Topping (graham cracker crust) and Assembly:
Cookies need to be completely cooled and the filling should be chilled before beginning assembly. Note that the frosted cookies can be stored in the fridge, but the cookie itself will soften quite a bit.
Mix up more crushed graham cracker crumbs with a little sugar and melted butter to form the crust sprinkle on top of the cookies.
Fit a pastry bag with medium-large round tip (I used a #12 but I would’ve preferred something a little larger) and fill the bag with the chilled cheesecake filling. Note that in a pinch you can pipe with a ziptop storage bag–just cut off one of the corners to pipe from. Pipe a swirl evenly in the center of each cookie leaving an unfrosted ridge around the edge. Sprinkle each cookie with the graham cracker crust mixture.
Shaping the Cookies
I realized later that Crumbl doesn’t actually smoosh in the centers of this particular cookie! It works great for frosting them, but it’s really totally optional.
If you opt to leave the cookies as-is (instead of adding the indentation) when they come out of the oven, you can double the frosting amount when you make the cookies and then you can frost them right to the edge if desired.
How to Add More Filling
If you want a really thick cheesecake layer, feel free to make more of the filling. That’s the best part about baking your cookies at home. You can customize size, fillings, and flavorings just as you like.
Each cookie (following the recipe as-is) will get about 2-2.5 tablespoons of cheesecake filling in the center of the cookie. Note that if you skip adding the indentation in each cookie, you’ll need a little more frosting to cover the cookie to the edge. I recommend just doubling the frosting recipe in this case. It’s a no bake cheesecake so if you have a little leftover, no one will complain.
Can I Freeze These for Later?
Yes! The frosted cookies freeze well. The cookie portion will soften, so be aware of that. Thaw cookies in the fridge when ready to eat. Keep them a maximum of 1-2 months in the freezer. Here’s more tips on how to freeze Crumbl cookies with frosting!
If you loved this recipe, leave a 5-star rating! I would so appreciate it!
More Crumbl Copycat Recipes
- Crumbl Cookie Recipes To Bake at Home!
- Crumbl Sugar Cookie for One
- Crumbl Milk Chocolate Chip Cookie for One
- Crumbl Classic Pink Sugar Cookie Recipe!
- How to Freeze Crumbl Cookies for Later
Crumbl New York Cheesecake Cookie
Ingredients
No Bake Cheesecake Topping:
- 5 ounces cream cheese (full fat)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons sour cream
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- tiny pinch of salt (optional)
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream well chilled
Graham Cracker Cookies:
- 1 ½ sheets graham crackers (for rolling the cookies in before baking)
- 9 sheets graham crackers full sheets, (about 135g)
- 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened room temp (196g)
- ¾ cup light brown sugar packed, (150g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Topping (graham cracker crust):
- ¾ sheet graham cracker (see recipe)
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ tablespoon unsalted butter melted
Instructions
No Bake Cheesecake Topping:
- We'll start with the filling so it can chill while the cookies are baking and cooling. Using a large bowl and hand mixer with beaters attached, beat the softened cream cheese until it's perfectly smooth. Add the sugar and beat again until perfectly smooth.
- Add the sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla extract, and tiny pinch of salt and beat until smooth. Set aside.
- Using a small bowl and the whisk attachment for your hand mixer, beat 1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. This will go quickly, so check the cream frequently.
- Scoop the whipped cream into the bowl with the cream cheese mixture and gently fold it in with a spatula until totally combined. Pop this mixture in the fridge for at least two hours (it will continue to set up as it stays in the fridge so 4-8 hours is even more ideal, though totally optional).
Graham Cracker Cookies:
- Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Crush 1 ½ sheets of graham crackers in a ziptop bag (use a rolling pin or a glass) until finely ground. Pour into a bowl and set aside. These are for rolling the cookie dough in before baking.Use the same bag to crush nine graham crackers until finely ground and set aside. Save the bag to use for making the quick "crust" topping.
- In a large bowl, use a hand mixer with beaters to cream together the softened butter and sugars. Beat until totally combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until just combined.
- Pour the nine ground graham crackers, flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt into the bowl. Use a spatula to gently fold everything together until combined. Mixing it with your hands is also an option–messy, but effective.
- Use a 1/3 cup scoop or measuring cup to scoop/measure 10 cookies. Roll each scooped cookie lightly into a ball shape and roll it in the reserved graham crackers. Place cookie on a cookie sheet and flatten to about 1" tall. Place 5-6 cookies on each baking sheet, at least 3" apart.
- Bake cookies one sheet at a time until the cookies are lightly crackled on top and the edges are just turning golden, about 14-16 minutes. Don't overbake.
- OPTIONAL: Right after the cookies come out of the oven, use a glass to gently & lightly smoosh in the middles of the cookies to create a well to place the frosting. You can skip this step if you prefer.
Topping (graham cracker crust) and Assembly:
- Begin assembly after cookies are cooled and the filling has chilled. Use the same bag you crushed the crackers in earlier and crush 3/4 of a graham cracker. Mix in a small bowl with the 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1/2 tablespoon melted butter.
- Fit a pastry bag with medium-large round tip (I used a #12 and would've wanted something a bit larger) and fill the bag with the chilled cheesecake filling. Note that in a pinch you can pipe with a ziptop storage bag–just cut off one of the corners to pipe from. Pipe a swirl evenly in the center of each cookie leaving an unfrosted ridge around the edge. Sprinkle each cookie with the graham cracker crust mixture.
- Store frosted cookies and any leftover frosting/filling in the fridge. Note that frosted cookies will soften in the fridge.To maintain crisp cookies, the best way to store them is to store the unfrosted cookies at room temp in an air-tight container (up to 3-4 days). Store the frosting and the graham cracker topping in the fridge and top cookies as you are ready to eat them.
