Cheesecake Cookies

With yesterday being President's Day and having a wonderful 3 day weekend at home, I decided to make the dough for these cookies on Sunday afternoon and bake them for my neighbors on Monday morning. I already had all the ingredients and the wrapping goodies, including the American flag fabric. If you like cheesecake, then you will really enjoy these little bites of cheesecake heaven. 

Yields: 5-6 dozen cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes + freezer time

Cook Time: 8-10 minutes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

3/4 cup granulated white sugar

2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest

2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 graham crackers, finely crushed or Keeber Graham cracker crumbs (1/3 cup)

Directions:

1. Place the butter and cream cheese in a large mixer bowl and beat until smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds. Add the sugar, lemon zest, orange zest, lemon juice and vanilla, one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat well and scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer on low, add the flour and mix until well incorporated.

2. Divide the dough in half, for each piece into a 10-inch log, and then roll in graham cracker crumbs. Cover each log (I wrapped mine gently in plastic wrap) and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days. I put mine in the freezer overnight and in the morning pulled them out. Thought they would be tough to cut but it cut just like butter. Used a bread knife to cut the logs into individual cookies.

3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

4. With a sharp or serrated knife, cut the logs into 1/4-inch slices. Place 1-inch apart on the prepared cookie sheets and bake until the bottoms are lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Keep an eye out because the top doesn't brown, the bottoms will. I baked mine for 9 minutes and they will continue to cook outside of the oven. You want them somewhat moist in the center. Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely. You can pretty much pick up the parchment paper and set them on the wire racks to keep your racks clean. Save your dough or make all 6 dozen after your first ones come out. Repeat with the remaining dough on cool cookie sheets. 

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Inspired by: RecipeBoy 

http://www.recipeboy.com/2013/05/cheesecake-cookies-cookbook-giveaway/