Cherry Cheesecake Cookies

By marxpatricia

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened
• 20 tablespoons (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 3 (20 oz cans cherry pie filling, drained

Preparation

Step 1

1. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in bowl. With electric mixer on medium high speed, beat cream, butter, and sugar until smooth and creamy, 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla, and mix until incororated. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture, and mix until just combined. Divide dough in half, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, 2 hours.

2. Adjust oven racks to upper middle and lower middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Place graham crackers in shallow dish. Working with one dough half, roll into 1 1/2 inch balls, then roll in crumbs. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Using rounded tablespoon measure, make indentation in center of each ball. Place 3 cherries in each dimple. Bake until cookies have cracked and are set, 12-14 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway thorugh baking. Cool 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.