Dark Chocolate Cream Cheese Cookies

One of the most important questions in a relationship should be: what side are you on?  Hard or soft?  This simple answer can help settle disputes and ensure that there is domestic happiness for years to come.  You could try to take the middle ground if you like being uncooked.  Conversely, this is one debate where the middle ground is the best option.

Straight out of the oven, you can't tell the difference.
<http://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2011/11/16/soft-and-chewy-vanilla-orange-cranberry-cookies-homerun-for-the-holidays/>

While I truly fall in the middle ground of hard vs. soft cookies, nothing beats a soft cookie after the initial scarfing/burning of eating cookies right out of the oven.  You have to be very careful that you don't cook the cookies too long, otherwise they get hard. While I'm a huge proponent of just popping them in for a quick "warm", there are other short cuts that you can take to make sure you're not biting into a crumbling disappointment when sneaking a cookie a few days later.

I think you know where this is going.

The answer comes in the form of cream cheese.  This keeps the cookies nice and moist after the golden period of time right after they come out of the oven.  This keeps the cookies soft in time for you to bring them to your favorite bartender.

Ingredients - inspired by Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookies by Couponing & Cooking

10 tablespoons of butter

8oz. of Philadelphia Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese

1 egg

1 cup of sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups of flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of salt

1 cup of chocolate chips

- See more at: http://www.couponingncooking.com/2013/09/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-cheesecake.html#sthash.M0i7fYr8.dpuf

10 tablespoons of butter

8oz. of Philadelphia Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese

1 egg

1 cup of sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups of flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of salt

1 cup of chocolate chips

- See more at: http://www.couponingncooking.com/2013/09/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-cheesecake.html#sthash.M0i7fYr8.dpuf

10 tablespoons of butter

8oz. of Philadelphia Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese

1 egg

1 cup of sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups of flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of salt

1 cup of chocolate chips

- See more at: http://www.couponingncooking.com/2013/09/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-cheesecake.html#sthash.M0i7fYr8.dpuf

10 tablespoons of butter

10 tbsp butter, softened
8oz Philadelphia Snack Delights Dark Chocolate Cream Cheese
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
pinch salt

Preheat the oven to 350.  Beat together egg, sugar, vanilla, and cream cheese until smooth.

Add all dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Drop the cookies on a baking sheet.  I used a cookie stone, and a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Bake for 10-12 minutes

Sidebar: let's talk baking sheets.  I've discovered that cooking on a stone vs a cookie sheet produces a more fluffy cookie.  This keeps softer longer, and the bottom isn't as dark.  While cooking a chocolate cookie, that's not as big of a deal, but on sugar or pumpkin, it sure helps make you look like a pro.  I highly recommend using a stone whenever you have a chance.  Even if it doesn't look like you'll ever be able to get it 100% clean again. :)

Right: from a stone.  Left: from a sheet.

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