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rainbow marble cheesecake cookies

Rainbow Marble Cheesecake Sugar Cookies

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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Resting Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 24 cookies

Equipment

  • 2 Mixing bowl
  • 1 stand mixer or hand mixer
  • 4 Small bowl
  • 1 Rubber spatula
  • 1 Whisk
  • 1 set measuring cups
  • 1 set measuring spoons
  • 2 Baking sheet
  • 2 silicone baking mat or sheet of parchment paper
  • 1 Cookie scoop 1.5 tablespoon
  • 1 Cooling rack
  • 4 gel food coloring bottle

Ingredients
  

  • 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract optional
  • 4 ounce cream cheese softened
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest optional
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for cheesecake swirl
  • 4 drop red gel food coloring
  • 4 drop blue gel food coloring
  • 4 drop yellow gel food coloring
  • 4 drop green gel food coloring
  • 1/4 cup rainbow sanding sugar optional for rolling

Instructions
 

  • Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
  • Beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a mixer on medium until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract to the butter mixture and beat until smooth.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet on low speed and mix just until a soft dough forms.
  • In a separate bowl beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla until smooth and slightly thick.
  • Divide the cookie dough into four equal portions and place each into a small bowl.
  • Tint each dough portion with a different gel food color, mixing just until evenly colored.
  • Chill all colored doughs and the cheesecake mixture for 30 minutes to firm.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment.
  • Pinch a marble-sized piece from each colored dough and gently press the four pieces together to form a multi-color ball.
  • Flatten the ball slightly in your palm, spoon 1 teaspoon of cheesecake filling into the center, and pinch the edges closed to seal.
  • Roll the filled dough ball gently to smooth the seam and, if desired, roll in rainbow sanding sugar.
  • Place dough balls 2 inches apart on prepared sheets and chill the tray for 10 minutes to reduce spreading.
  • Bake one sheet at a time for 9 to 11 minutes until edges are just set and tops look matte but still soft.
  • Cool cookies on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.
  • Repeat shaping and baking with remaining dough and cheesecake filling.

Notes

Use gel food coloring to avoid thinning the dough and start with small amounts to keep colors vibrant without staining hands; wearing disposable gloves helps. Slight underbaking yields a tender, cheesecake-like center, but ensure cookies are sealed well to prevent leakage. If the dough becomes sticky while shaping, pop it back in the fridge for 5 to 10 minutes. For cleaner marbling, avoid over-kneading the colors together and rotate the dough ball as you pinch pieces. The cheesecake filling should be thick; if runny, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more powdered sugar. Cookies freeze well: freeze shaped unbaked balls on a tray, then store in a bag up to 2 months and bake from frozen adding 1 to 2 minutes.
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