Cheesecake Cookie Sandwiches Two Ways: Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk & Strawberry Shortcake.

Things.

1. I finally got caught up with The Secret Circle.

And it got cancelled! What? This is not okay. Dear The CW: please write Jake, Adam, Melissa, Diana, and Faye into The Vampire Diaries. Which I'm also not caught up on. 

2. COOL WHIP Whipped Topping + cream cheese + sugar = basically impromptu cheesecake for your face. 

3. Can life please slow down? I cannot juggle being an adult, finding time to enjoy life, and laundry. 

4. I'm blogging this in a Starbucks. I never thought I'd be that girl. Plus I feel like everyone's staring. "Look at that girl in the corner, staring at twenty pictures of cookies like she's doing important business. Her hair's cute though." 

4. Strawberry shortcake cookies. Totally an acceptable summer breakfast thing.

They're soft, muffin-y, and best the very minute they're made.

... especially with spoonfuls of creamy cheesecake filling.

It turns them into magical strawberry shortcake sandwiches. Who doesn't need that in their summer?

5. Chocolate chip cookies are tasty with cheesecake too. Who knew?

How festive would these be rolled in some sparkly red and blue sprinkles for a 4th of July/summer/barbeque situation?

Answer: Do it.  

6. Also... brown butter? It makes everything better. 

It's kind of like ice coffee after work. 

Actually, it's like anything after work... because you're off work. 

Flecks of brown butter. Chunks of chocolate. Molasses. Yes. I never thought I'd put molasses in anything other than gingersnaps, but these are soft and chewy and rich... and that brown butter! Get out.

I know I just declared passionate love for these cookies, but these are hands-down my new favorite chocolate chip cookies.

7. Cookie sandwich party. It happened.

Strawberry Shortcake Cookies 

Original Post

Printable Recipe

Note: These cookies are made from a crumbly shortcake dough and take a little bit of determination to scoop into dough balls. They bake up cakey and soft and because they're made with fresh strawberries, are only good the day they're made. P.S. They're so worth it.

Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies 

Printable Recipe

1 cup (2 sticks) + 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon molasses

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Brown 1 stick plus 1 tablespoon of butter. Once butter is browned, remove from heat and pour into a bowl to cool slightly.

In a stand mixture fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the other stick of butter with the granulated sugar until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and molasses and beat until incorporated. Add the slightly cooled brown butter and the brown sugar and mix on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Add the egg and egg yolk and mix until fully incorporated. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Add all at once to the butter mixture and mix on low until just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips with a wooden spoon or spatula.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Scoop dough into balls using a small cookie scoop and place 2 inches apart on baking sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until cookies are just starting to turn golden brown around the edges. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Source: The Joy the Baker cookbook.

Cheesecake Filling

Printable Recipe

1 cup COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons granulated sugar 

Beat together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Stir in the COOL WHIP until creamy. Refrigerate until ready to use. Spread or pipe on bottom of one cookies, then place another cookie on top. Store in refrigerator.

Source: Kraft.

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I recieved coupons for free COOL WHIP Whipped Topping and a stipend. Sponsored posts are purely editorial content that we are pleased to have presented by a participating sponsor. Advertisers do not produce this content. 

What you add makes it. #coolwhipmoms