Ultimate Crumbl Copycat Cherry Cheesecake Cookies: Your Guide to Decadent Homemade Bliss

Craving the iconic taste of Crumbl’s Cherry Cheesecake Cookies but don’t live near a bakery? Look no further! This comprehensive guide brings you the ultimate **Crumbl copycat Cherry Cheesecake Cookies recipe**, meticulously crafted to replicate those famous New York Cheesecake Cookies with a homemade touch. Imagine a buttery, graham cracker infused cookie base, generously topped with a rich, creamy cheesecake frosting, a delightful sprinkle of crunchy graham cracker streusel, and finished with a vibrant, juicy tart cherry topping. Each bite is a symphony of textures and flavors – a true showstopper for any occasion.

As a devoted enthusiast of Crumbl Cookie recipes, I understand the desire to enjoy these delectable treats without the frequent trips to their bakeries. My kitchen has become a haven for experimenting with copycat recipes, from delightful Strawberry Pop Tart Cookies to indulgent German Chocolate Cookies. This Cherry Cheesecake Cookie recipe stands out as a particular triumph, capturing the essence of a classic New York cheesecake in a convenient, handheld cookie form. The foundation is a soft, chewy cookie enriched with authentic graham cracker flavor, creating the perfect “crust.” This is then elevated with a tangy-sweet cream cheese frosting, a layer of textural graham cracker streusel for added crunch, and finally, a bright, tart cherry topping that beautifully balances the cookie’s sweetness and rich creaminess.

🛒 Key Ingredients: Crafting Your Cherry Cheesecake Cookies

The magic of these homemade Crumbl copycat cookies lies in a few essential ingredients that come together to create that signature cheesecake flavor and texture. Pay attention to the quality and temperature of these components for the best results. You’ll find precise measurements in the comprehensive recipe card below!

• Salted Butter: For the cookie base and frosting, salted butter is generally preferred as it enhances the overall flavor profile, balancing the sweetness. If you’re using unsalted butter, simply add an extra pinch of salt to both the cookie dough and frosting. Ensure your butter for the cookie dough is at room temperature for optimal creaming, and softened for the frosting to achieve a smooth, lump-free consistency.
• Brown Sugar (Light or Dark): Brown sugar is crucial for giving the cookies their signature soft, chewy texture and a richer, more molasses-like flavor compared to white sugar. Dark brown sugar will lend a deeper caramel note and slightly more moisture, while light brown sugar offers a milder sweetness. Either works beautifully, contributing to the cookie’s tenderness without thinning out the dough.
• Large Egg: The egg acts as a vital binder, providing structure to the cookies and adding richness. Using a large, room-temperature egg helps it incorporate more smoothly into the batter, ensuring an even texture.
• Vanilla Extract: A staple in baking, high-quality vanilla extract boosts the flavors in both the cookie base and the cheesecake frosting, adding warmth and depth that complements the graham cracker and cherry. Don’t skimp on this!
• Graham Cracker Crumbs: This is where the “cheesecake” in the cookie truly shines! Finely ground graham cracker crumbs are incorporated directly into the cookie dough, creating that unmistakable, buttery crust flavor and a unique texture. You’ll also use them for the streusel. To make crumbs quickly, simply pulse whole graham crackers in a food processor until fine.
• All-Purpose Flour: Providing the necessary structure and volume, all-purpose flour ensures your cookies hold their shape while remaining tender. It’s important to measure your flour correctly (preferably by weight, or spooned lightly into a measuring cup and leveled off) to avoid dry or dense cookies.
• Baking Soda: This leavening agent reacts with the brown sugar and other acidic components to give the cookies a slight lift and contributes to their characteristic crackled tops and soft interior.
• Full-Fat Cream Cheese (Room Temperature): The star of the luscious cheesecake frosting! Using full-fat cream cheese yields the richest, most stable, and flavorful frosting. It is absolutely imperative that your cream cheese is at room temperature before mixing. Cold cream cheese will result in a lumpy frosting that is difficult to spread or pipe smoothly.
• Powdered Sugar: Also known as confectioners’ sugar, this fine sugar is essential for achieving a silky-smooth, melt-in-your-mouth cream cheese frosting. Its fine texture dissolves easily, preventing graininess.
• Cornstarch: A secret weapon for perfect cheesecake frosting! Cornstarch acts as a stabilizer, helping the cream cheese frosting maintain its structure and prevent it from becoming too soft or runny, especially when piped onto warm cookies or in warmer environments. It helps achieve that ideal, slightly firm yet creamy cheesecake texture.
• Cherry Pie Filling: While not always part of every Crumbl original, the cherry pie filling elevates these cookies to another level. Its vibrant color, sweet-tart flavor, and juicy texture provide the perfect contrast to the rich cookie and frosting. It’s the literal “cherry on top” that makes these cookies utterly irresistible. Don’t skip it for the full experience, or consider making your own homemade cherry pie filling for an even fresher taste.

✏️ Substitutions and Adaptations

While this recipe is crafted for optimal results, there are a few substitutions you can make based on your pantry or dietary preferences, though they may slightly alter the final outcome:

• Brown Sugar: If you only have light brown sugar, it can certainly be used in place of dark brown sugar. The cookies might be slightly less rich in flavor and a touch less chewy, but they will still be delicious and moist.
• Cream Cheese: For those looking to reduce fat, fat-free or ⅓ fat cream cheese can be used. However, be aware that these alternatives tend to be softer and may result in a less firm and slightly less rich frosting. You might need to add a bit more cornstarch or powdered sugar to achieve a desirable piping consistency, and it might not hold its shape as well, especially in warmer conditions. Full-fat is always recommended for the best texture and flavor.
• Cornstarch in Frosting: While cornstarch is highly recommended for frosting stability, it can be omitted. If you choose to leave it out, you can replace it with up to ½ cup additional powdered sugar to help thicken the frosting. Be mindful that this will increase the sweetness and may still result in a softer frosting that requires more chilling time to firm up before piping. The texture may also be slightly different.
• Salted vs. Unsalted Butter: If you only have unsalted butter, simply add an extra ¼ teaspoon of salt to the cookie dough and a pinch to the frosting to compensate for the flavor loss.

🧑‍🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions: Baking Your Perfect Cherry Cheesecake Cookies

Follow these detailed steps to create your delicious Crumbl copycat Cherry Cheesecake Cookies. Precision and patience are key to achieving the perfect texture and flavor.

For the Graham Cracker Cookie Base:

Step 1. Begin by preparing your wet ingredients. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the room temperature salted butter and brown sugar. Beat on high speed for approximately 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and noticeably paler in color. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally to ensure everything is thoroughly incorporated.

Step 2. Reduce the mixer speed to medium. Add the large egg and vanilla extract to the creamed butter and sugar. Continue mixing until the egg is fully incorporated and the mixture is well-combined and fluffy. This usually takes about 1 minute.

Step 3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: graham cracker crumbs, salt, and baking soda. Gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients in the mixer bowl. Mix on low speed until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Overmixing can lead to tough cookies. Slowly add the all-purpose flour, one cup at a time, mixing on low speed for about 1 minute after each addition until the flour is just incorporated and a soft, uniform dough forms. Stop mixing as soon as no dry streaks of flour remain.

💡 PRO TIP: Achieving fine graham cracker crumbs is essential for the cookie’s texture and flavor. Use a food processor or blender for quick and uniform results. For a slightly coarser, more rustic crumb texture for the streusel, blend for less time; for the cookie dough, aim for fine, powder-like crumbs for even distribution.

Step 4. Preheat your oven to 350℉ (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent sticking and promote even baking. Using a ⅓ cup scoop (or about 5-6 tablespoons), portion out 12 balls of cookie dough. Gently flatten the tops of each dough ball slightly with your palm or the back of the scoop. This helps them spread properly and bake evenly into perfectly shaped cookies. Optionally, you can roll the flattened dough balls in extra graham cracker crumbs for an enhanced crust-like exterior.

Step 5. Place 6-8 cookie dough balls on each prepared baking sheet, ensuring they are spaced far apart to allow for proper spreading. Bake one sheet at a time for 10-11 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are just set and begin to crack. The cookies may still look slightly soft in the middle, but they will firm up as they cool. Remove from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Cooling completely is crucial before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

Step 6. While the cookies are cooling, prepare the rich cheesecake frosting. In the clean bowl of your electric mixer, beat the room temperature cream cheese and softened salted butter together on medium-high speed until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy, with no lumps. This should take about 2-3 minutes. Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing on low speed until each addition is fully incorporated before adding more. Once all powdered sugar is mixed in, add the vanilla extract and mix well. Finally, add cornstarch, one tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition, until you reach your desired piping consistency. The cornstarch helps stabilize the frosting, giving it that perfect cheesecake-like texture.

💡 PRO TIP: Starting with room temperature cream cheese and butter is paramount for a lump-free, silky-smooth frosting. Once fully mixed, transfer the frosting to a piping bag (with a large round tip for those classic Crumbl swirls) and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This chilling period will help the frosting firm up, making it much easier to pipe beautiful, defined swirls onto your cooled cookies without melting.

For the Graham Cracker Streusel:

Step 7. In a small bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted salted butter. Stir until the crumbs are evenly coated and resemble wet sand. This simple streusel adds a wonderful buttery crunch and an extra layer of graham cracker flavor to each cookie.

Assembling Your Cherry Cheesecake Cookies:

Step 8. Once your cookies are completely cool, it’s time for assembly! Take your chilled frosting piping bag and pipe a generous spiral of cream cheese frosting onto the top of each cookie, starting from the center and working your way outwards to create a beautiful swirl. Next, liberally sprinkle the prepared graham cracker streusel over the frosting, ensuring an even coating for maximum crunch. Finally, spoon a dollop of cherry pie filling onto the center of each frosted and streuseled cookie. Aim for 3-5 cherries per cookie, or adjust to your preference for a perfect balance of fruit and cream. Serve immediately for the best experience, or refrigerate according to the storage instructions below.

🆒 Creative Variations for Your Cheesecake Cookies

While classic cherry is a timeless choice, this Crumbl copycat cheesecake cookie recipe is a fantastic canvas for culinary creativity. Here are some exciting variations to try:

• Explore Different Fruit Pie Fillings: The possibilities are endless! Swap out the cherry for your favorite fruit pie filling. Our top recommendations include:
  • Strawberry: A classic pairing with cream cheese, offering a sweet and summery flavor.
  • Blueberry: Creates a beautiful contrast and a burst of juicy, tart sweetness. Try adding a hint of lemon zest to the frosting for a “lemon blueberry” twist.
  • Raspberry: Delivers a vibrant, intensely tart flavor that perfectly cuts through the richness.
  • Apple: For a comforting, autumnal feel, apple pie filling works wonderfully. A sprinkle of cinnamon on the streusel would be a fantastic addition.
  • Peach: Offers a delicate, sweet, and fragrant topping, especially lovely in warmer months.
  • Mixed Berry: Combine various berries for a complex and delightful fruit topping.
• Experiment with Frosting Flavorings: Beyond vanilla, a simple extract can dramatically transform your cheesecake frosting. Just ensure the flavors complement your chosen topping:
  • Almond Extract: Pairs beautifully with cherry pie filling, enhancing its fruity notes with a subtle, sophisticated nuttiness.
  • Maple Extract: A superb choice with apple or pumpkin pie filling, evoking warm, cozy fall flavors.
  • Lemon or Orange Extract/Zest: Brightens up any frosting, especially when paired with berry or citrus toppings.
  • Coconut Extract: A tropical twist that would be wonderful with pineapple or peach toppings.
• Elevate with Vanilla Bean Paste or Caviar: For the most exquisite vanilla flavor and a beautiful speckled appearance, consider using vanilla bean paste or the seeds scraped directly from a vanilla bean (vanilla bean caviar) in your frosting. This provides a depth of flavor that extract alone cannot match.
• Add a Chocolate Drizzle: For chocolate lovers, a simple drizzle of melted semi-sweet or dark chocolate over the finished cookies adds an extra layer of decadence and visual appeal. It pairs particularly well with cherry or raspberry toppings.
• Nutty Graham Cracker Crust: Incorporate finely chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds into your graham cracker cookie dough (reducing the graham cracker crumbs slightly to maintain texture) for an added layer of flavor and crunch, mimicking a classic nutty pie crust.
• Holiday Spice Twist: For a festive touch, add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to your cookie dough or streusel, especially if using apple or pumpkin pie filling for a seasonal treat.

❓Frequently Asked Questions About Cherry Cheesecake Cookies

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