Raspberry Hugs Cheesecake Blossoms

by Erin

Happy Valentine’s Day!! Are you doing anything special today? I actually prefer to stay in and cook (or preferably be cooked for) on this occasion. It’s too stressful to plan far enough in advance to make reservations at your place of choice, and many times they have a more expensive holiday menu for the evening. Being a graduate student, higher prices don’t excite me one bit. Oh and don’t forget the crazy issue of finding parking if you are going downtown. Instead, I will be wearing my red skinny jeans in all their glory while cooking dinner and watching a movie with two of my friends. Is anyone else staying in to celebrate? I recently got this recipie from  Elegant Touch Catering and very badly wanted to try it out.

For my coworkers/labmates (whichever term you want to call my little lab family), I made this variation of a blossom cookie. It has a cheesecake cookie base, and a Hershey’s hug on top that is swirled with raspberry. They quite literally smell just like a raspberry cheesecake coming out of the oven. I may have eaten one (or more) of them before the chocolate had any chance of hardening back up, and it was totally wonderful.

One year ago: Sweet Swirl Cookies

RASPBERRY HUGS CHEESECAKE BLOSSOMS

Makes approximately 32 cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

4 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, softened

1-1/2 cups plus 2 Tbsp sugar

1 egg + 1 egg yolk

1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 Tbsp 2% milk

2/3 tsp salt

3 cups flour

2-1/4 tsp baking powder

Course white sugar (or festive sprinkles)

32 Hershey’s raspberry hugs

Directions:

  1. In a stand mixer or large bowl with electric hand mixer, mix ingredients in order (except course white sugar and Hershey’s hugs) until fully incorporated. Cover and chill dough in refrigerator for one hour.
  2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pour some of the course white sugar into a small bowl. Shape dough into walnut-sized balls (I used my cookie scoop to ensure they were all the same size) and roll in the sugar. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 8 minutes.
  3. Gently push a raspberry hug into the center of each cookie immediately after removing from oven. (Be careful not to push all the way through the cookie.) Let cool slightly before transferring to wire rack. Allow chocolate to harden before serving (transfer to the fridge to speed up the process).

Source: Adapted slightly from Baking Serendipity.

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15 comments

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Baking Serendipity February 20, 2012 - 1:55 pm

I love the way your brain works!

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Eating Deliciously February 17, 2012 - 11:06 am

I’ve never seen raspberry hugs. I am on a mission to find them and make these cookies this weekend! YUM!

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Christina @ Sweet Pea's Kitchen February 15, 2012 - 7:07 pm

Oh man….a cheesecake cookie? Oh yeah! They look great..I can’t wait to give them a try! :)

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Tracey February 15, 2012 - 1:16 pm

Cheesecake cookie base?? Yes, please! We stayed in too. I hate paying V-Day prices for something I could make at home for less.

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Vicki @WITK February 15, 2012 - 5:53 am

These look super delicious! I haven’t seen the raspberry hugs? I also like to keep it relaxed for valentines, we went out for Thai food! And I always feed my lab family too, in grad school I saw them more than anyone else in the world!

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spiffycookie February 15, 2012 - 6:34 am

I found them at Target – and you know what today is? Cheap candy day! Go get some on sale!

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Joan February 14, 2012 - 6:07 pm

So sparkly and pretty. This recipe is added to my to bake list now. :)

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Jennifer @ Peanut Butter and Peppers February 14, 2012 - 6:04 pm

I love the photos of the cookies, it looks like a winter cookie! I really love the idea that you incorporated cream cheese! Happy valentine’s Day! For us, were staying in and I had a big lunch so no cooking for me tonight!! Just some angel food cake and berries! :)

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Jen @ keepitsimplefoods February 14, 2012 - 2:36 pm

Oooh, these look good!

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Tara @ Chip Chip Hooray February 14, 2012 - 1:09 pm

Yessss, those raspberry hugs are my downfall! Okay, well, everything’s my downfall. But I love ’em! And these look so cute too. :) Hope you had a happy Valentine’s Day!

Reply
Miriam @ Overtime Cook February 14, 2012 - 9:40 am

Oh. My. Gosh. Cheesecake cookies? Must make these. Yum!

Reply
amy @ fearless homemaker February 14, 2012 - 9:39 am

these look lovely! they’re perfect for valentine’s day, but they’d also be cute for a girl’s baby shower or birthday party. too cute! my husband + i are planning to stay in tonight + either cook at home (which we normally do on valentine’s day) or get takeout, so we can have a delightfully lazy evening. =) hope you have a wonderful valentine’s day!

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