If you love cheesecake, these strawberry cheesecake cookies are sure to become a favorite. They blend the creamy, tangy notes of cheesecake with the bright sweetness of fresh strawberries in a soft, tender cookie. The secret to the cheesecake flavor is instant cheesecake pudding mix, which keeps the cookies moist and gives them that signature taste. The dough comes together quickly using simple pantry ingredients: butter, shortening, sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, cheesecake pudding mix, white chocolate chips, and diced fresh strawberries.
Cookies are one of the most versatile desserts, and these are perfect for anyone who prefers non-chocolate treats. Pudding mix is a simple trick bakers use to add moisture and flavor; you may have seen vanilla or white chocolate pudding used in other cookie recipes. After making a strawberry cheesecake–style dip, the idea of turning that flavor into a cookie felt natural. The result is a soft, flavorful cookie studded with white chocolate chips and fresh strawberry pieces.
Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies Ingredients
This recipe uses instant cheesecake pudding rather than cream cheese to get the cheesecake flavor. Below are the ingredients used to make these strawberry white chocolate cheesecake cookies. Refer to the recipe card for exact quantities.
- Butter – Use real unsalted butter for best flavor.
- Shortening – Stick shortening (Crisco sticks) is convenient for measuring.
- Eggs – Large eggs at room temperature.
- Brown Sugar – Light brown sugar adds moisture and depth.
- White Sugar – Granulated sugar for sweetness and structure.
- Cheesecake Pudding – Instant cheesecake pudding mix provides the cheesecake flavor and extra tenderness.
- Vanilla – Real vanilla extract is recommended.
- Flour – All-purpose flour, sifted.
- Baking Soda – Helps the cookies rise slightly.
- Salt – A pinch enhances the sweetness.
- White Chocolate Chips – Adds creamy, sweet pockets throughout the cookie.
- Strawberries – Fresh strawberries, diced small so their juices flavor the dough.
Instructions – How to Make Strawberry Cheesecake Pudding Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Begin by combining the wet ingredients. Melt the butter and shortening together, which is easiest in short bursts in the microwave.
- Step 1: Beat the eggs and both sugars in a large bowl with a hand mixer or stand mixer until combined.
- Step 2: Slowly pour the melted butter and shortening into the egg-sugar mixture. Add the instant cheesecake pudding mix, vanilla, and salt, mixing until combined.
- Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk the sifted flour and baking soda. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until just combined — avoid over-mixing.
- Step 4: Fold in the white chocolate chips and diced strawberries gently with a spatula so the fruit disperses without turning the dough pink from over-handling.
Use a tablespoon or a hinged cookie scoop to place portions of dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet or cookie stone. Bake for 9–12 minutes at 350°F, depending on your oven and the size of each cookie. The cookies may appear slightly underbaked when removed — the pudding will continue to set as they cool. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a flat surface to finish cooling.
Hint: Avoid overbaking. These cookies should be soft and tender; they may look slightly underdone when you take them out of the oven.
Variations to Pudding Cookies
You can adapt this pudding cookie formula to other flavors:
- Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies – Use vanilla pudding mix and chocolate chips for classic, soft chocolate chip cookies.
- Lemon Pudding Cookies – Swap cheesecake pudding for lemon pudding and use white chocolate chips for a bright lemon cookie.
- White Chocolate Macadamia – Replace strawberries with chopped macadamia nuts and use white chocolate pudding for a rich, nutty cookie.
Pudding Cookie Equipment & Ingredients
A few useful items: an electric mixer (hand or stand), a cookie scoop, parchment paper or a baking stone, and a bowl for mixing. Use instant cheesecake pudding mix and fresh strawberries for the best flavor.
Storing Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies
Room temperature: Store cookies in an airtight container for short-term enjoyment.
Refrigerator: Refrigerating the cookies will extend their shelf life slightly and keep the fresh strawberry pieces from softening too quickly.
Freezer: Freeze baked cookies for up to three months. Wrap them well in plastic wrap and place in an airtight freezer container or freezer bag.
Top tip
Cool these cookies on a flat surface rather than a cooling rack. They stay soft and the juices from the strawberries can leave a little grease, so a flat, lined surface works best.
FAQ
No. Instant cheesecake pudding delivers cheesecake flavor and a soft texture without using cream cheese, making the recipe simpler and still full of cheesecake character.
More Cookie Recipes
If you enjoy these cookies, try other pudding-cookie variations such as Amish chocolate chip pudding cookies, white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, or flourless peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.
Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Eggs
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup melted butter
- ½ cup melted shortening (Crisco)
- 3.4 oz. box instant cheesecake pudding
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- ⅓ tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 2 ½ cup flour, sifted
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 cup strawberries, diced
Instructions
-
Beat eggs in a mixing bowl. Add white and brown sugars, melted butter, and melted shortening. Mix until combined, then add instant cheesecake pudding mix and vanilla.
-
In a separate bowl, combine the sifted flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until just combined.
-
Fold in white chocolate chips and diced strawberries gently with a spatula.
-
Using a scoop or spoon, portion the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment or a baking stone.
-
Bake in a 350°F oven for 10–12 minutes. The cookies should appear just set when removed. Let sit on the baking sheet for about 2 minutes, then transfer to a flat surface to cool.
Notes
Nutrition
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Carbohydrates: 27g
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Protein: 2g