Delish Strawberry Banana Cheesecake Cookies

These are soft, bakery-style cookies that taste like a strawberry milkshake crashed into a banana cream pie and stole a swirl of cheesecake on the way out. We’re talking plush, chewy centers, pockets of tangy cream cheese, and a pink freckle situation courtesy of crushed freeze-dried strawberries. Why try them? Because they’re easy, showy, and dangerously snackable—aka the trifecta of “I brought dessert” heroics. Also, yes, this pan is too small. No, I won’t wash fewer dishes. I like to live on the crumb-covered edge.
Time: about 30–35 minutes total, including chill time if your dough is needy
Yield: 16–18 cookies, depending on how generous you are with “taste tests”

Last weekend, my husband said, “Don’t overbake them this time,” which is hysterical coming from the man who once tried to broil garlic bread on parchment. The kids formed a cookie union and demanded “more pink,” so I blitzed extra strawberries and now my blender is permanently rosy like it got a blush job. I also attempted a neat cream cheese swirl, sneezed, and created modern art. Still delicious. Still a mess. Just like us.

Time-Saving Hacks

– Use instant banana pudding mix instead of mashed banana. It’s wrong in a right way and keeps the dough from getting wet and cakey.
– No freeze-dried strawberries? Crush strawberry cereal. Don’t argue—just smash and stir.
– Cheesecake swirl shortcut: beat softened cream cheese with a spoon of powdered sugar and plop mini nuggets right into the dough. No piping bags, no dignity lost.
– Line everything with parchment so you can pretend your sheet pan “never got dirty.”
– Skip chilling by scooping dough, popping the tray in the freezer 8 minutes, then baking. Culinary time warp.
– Mix-ins go in with your hands at the end. Built-in finger spatulas. I don’t make the rules.

Serving Ideas

– Coffee for breakfast, because cookies are just circular muffins. Science-ish.
– Serve with cold milk if you’re wholesome, or rosé if the children asked “why” 37 times before 9 a.m.
– A scoop of vanilla ice cream on warm cookies. Is it overkill? Absolutely. Am I doing it anyway? Also yes.
– Plate them on your fanciest platter to distract from the flour cloud currently hovering over your stovetop.

What to Serve It With

– Fresh strawberries and sliced bananas so you can claim there was fruit involved.
– Salty snacks (kettle chips, pretzels) for that sweet-salty back-and-forth we pretend is “balanced.”
– A cheese board, because apparently we’re hosting now. Soft brie plays weirdly well with tangy cookie bits.
– Decaf after dinner so you can sleep and not lay awake thinking about whether you left butter on the counter.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Use freeze-dried fruit over fresh: fresh berries leak and make weird jelly craters.
– Don’t overmix. Stir just until combined or you’ll get tough, bready cookies. Sad.
– Chill if dough feels sticky—10 to 20 minutes. The cream cheese will thank you.
– Bake just until edges set and centers look slightly underdone. They’ll finish on the pan. Trust the process, not your inner pyromaniac.
– If using real banana, go super ripe but only 1/4 cup mashed per batch, then add 1–2 tablespoons extra flour to protect the chew.
– Salt matters. A pinch on top makes flavors pop and your friends think you’re a pro.

✔Storage Tips

Store it in the fridge… if there’s any left. Cold midnight leftovers? Sometimes better than fresh.
Keep in an airtight container up to 4 days; the cream cheese is happier chilly. Freeze baked cookies up to 2 months; thaw on the counter and pretend you just made them. Rewarm in a 300°F oven for 4–5 minutes for that fresh-baked flex.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Swap freeze-dried strawberries for raspberries or blueberries. Pink turns purple like magic.
– Use cream cheese chips if you can find them, or white chocolate chips plus a tiny squeeze of lemon for faux-cheesecake tang.
– No banana pudding mix? Crush freeze-dried banana or add banana extract—go light, that stuff is enthusiastic.
– Gluten-free flour blend (1:1) works; add an extra spoon of milk if dough seems dry.
– Make them “deconstructed”: bake plain cookies and smear with whipped cream cheese frosting, then shower with crushed berries. Less fiddly, more drama.
– Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs on top for cheesecake crust vibes without, you know, making an actual crust.

Frequently Asked Questions

Delish Strawberry Banana Cheesecake Cookies

Soft, bakery-style cookies with a creamy cheesecake crumb, sweet banana, and bursts of real strawberry from freeze-dried berries. A fun twist on a classic that stays chewy in the center and lightly crisp at the edges.

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Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes

Total Time: 37 minutes minutes

Servings: 24

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
• ▢ 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• ▢ 0.5 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 0.5 cup light brown sugar, packed
• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 0.5 cup mashed ripe banana about 1 medium
• ▢ 2.25 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 3.4 oz instant banana cream pudding mix dry mix
• ▢ 0.5 cup graham cracker crumbs finely crushed
• ▢ 2 tsp cornstarch
• ▢ 0.5 tsp baking powder
• ▢ 0.5 tsp baking soda
• ▢ 0.5 tsp fine sea salt
• ▢ 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries lightly crushed
• ▢ 1 cup white chocolate chips

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Beat softened butter and cream cheese together on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Mix in the egg, vanilla, and mashed banana until combined. Scrape the bowl.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, dry banana pudding mix, graham cracker crumbs, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix on low just until the flour disappears; do not overmix.
• Fold in the crushed freeze-dried strawberries and white chocolate chips.
• Chill dough for 20 minutes to make scooping easier and improve thickness.
• Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie and arrange 2 inches apart on prepared sheets.
• Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are set and centers look just dry. Do not overbake for a soft, chewy texture.
• Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Optional: While hot, gently press a few extra strawberry pieces on top for a pop of color.

Notes

Storage: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week. For stronger banana flavor without extra moisture, add 0.25 tsp banana extract to the dough. If dough spreads too much, chill an additional 10 minutes before baking.