White Chocolate Cream Cheese Cookies

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Cookies - made June 28, 2014 from Averie Cooks

I get a lot of my baking recipes from trolling pinterest and many of the pins I add to my baking pinboards turn out to be from Averie Cooks. Matter of fact, I have so many pins from Averie's blog that I don't know why I don't just go directly to her blog and cut out the pinterest middleman. Probably because that would be too easy. Oftentimes a luscious picture would catch my eye on pinterest and even as my trigger finger clicks on the pin to go to the source recipe, I just know it's from Averie Cooks. Some bloggers have a distinct look and feel to their creations. I've come to associate Averie's look and feel to thick, chubby cookies, moist cakes and just mouthwatering. 

Thick and chubby bursting with white chocolate chunks sucked me into this recipe for White Chocolate Cream Cheese Cookies. I was going to a family barbecue at my cousin's and there were 3 active boys in the family mix so I knew some sort of chocolate chip cookies needed to be in the mix. Plus, really, you can't go wrong with a cookie recipe from Averie's blog.

This one didn't disappoint either. As with all her cookie recipes, make the dough ahead of time, portion it into golf-ball-size dough balls and freeze first. And underbake them. That's how you get them to be thick with the perfect moist, chewy, dense texture. I didn't have white chocolate chips so I chopped up Guittard white chocolate baking wafers. Don't worry if you don't like cream cheese (I don't) because the cream cheese just adds to the texture, not the flavor. I loved these cookies; they're hearty and sturdy but also tender and chewy. If you like white chocolate chip cookies, these are a winner.

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 ounces (about 1/4 cup) cream cheese, softened 
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
one 3.5-ounce packet instant vanilla pudding mix
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt, optional and to taste
10 ounces white chocolate chips

1. To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, cream cheese, sugars, egg, vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed until creamed and well combined, about 4 minutes
2. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the flour, dry pudding mix, baking soda, optional salt, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute.
3. Hold back a handful of the white chocolate and add the rest.  Beat on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds.
4. Using a large cookie scoop, 1/4-cup measure, form approximately 13 to 14 equal-sized mounds of dough, roll into balls, and flatten slightly. Strategically place a few reserved white chocolate chips right on top of each mound of dough.
5. Place mounds on a large plate or tray, cover with plasticwrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, up to 5 days or place in the freezer in a freezer bag.
6. Preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat liner or parchment paper. Place dough mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart and bake for about 11-13 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just set, even if slightly undercooked, pale, and glossy in the center; don't overbake. Cookies firm up as they cool. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes before serving.