chewy cheese cookies

(This post is specially dedictated to the 3 handsome young boys who live opposite Da and I on the same floor in our development. Do let me try your chewy cheese cookies when you have baked them! Stay cute always!)

Recently, I was feeling adventurous. I found a packet of Philadelphia cream cheese in our refrigerator and I was debating what to do with it. The most logical would be to make an oreo cheesecake or a peach and kiwi fruit cheesecake. However, I wanted to make something different.

I decided to bake chewy cheese cookies instead. The reason why I have named these cookies as "chewy cheese cookies" is due to the fact that, as the name suggests, the cookies are chewy instead of crunchy. If you prefer crunchy cookies, you can substitute the cream cheese with grated cheese.

If you are using cream cheese as the main ingredient for the cookie, do not be alarmed if the cookie dough seems to become fluffy, not unlike a bread dough that has risen. This is due to the cream cheese. When the cookie is removed from the oven, it is initially crunchy at the ends and a little soft in the middle. As the cookie cools down, it becomes chewy. The inclusion of sugar in the recipe ensures that the cookie is not overly savoury.

Ingredients

2 cups plain flour
1/4 cup corn flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup butter (softened)
1/2 cup castor sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 eggs
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup ground almond
250g Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)


Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius.

2. Sift the plain flour, corn flour and bicarbonate of soda. Add the salt and mix well.

3. Cream the butter, castor sugar, brown sugar and vanilla essence until light and fluffy.

4. Add the eggs, 1 at a time. Beat well.

5. Add the ground cinnamon, ground almond and Philadelphia cream cheese. Mix well.

6. Fold in the flour and salt mixture.

7. Drop by teaspoonful onto a baking tray lined with baking paper.

8. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown.

9. Cool the cookies thoroughly before storing them in an air-tight container.