If you’re a fan of the raspberry cheesecake cookies from Subway, you will adore this recipe. Recreate those irresistibly soft cookies at home using a few pantry staples. With tangy raspberry pieces, rich white chocolate chips and a swirl of creamy cheesecake, some would say they taste even better than the original.
We all know Subway is a sandwich store, but let’s be honest. We go for the cookies. I simply can't resist walking past without getting my hands on a cookie or three. That was until I decided to attempt my own batch of raspberry cheesecake cookies inspired by the Subway favorite. Absolute game changer!
You can expect golden, chewy cookies studded with sweet white chocolate chunks and bold raspberry pieces. The cheesecake pudding mix brings these cookies to another level, ensuring each bite celebrates that rich, cheesecake flavor. It is such a delicious flavor combination.
Despite how irresistible the Subway raspberry cheesecake cookies are, homemade cookies are incomparable. Not only because you can control the ingredients but also because you can devour them fresh from the oven, any time you fancy.
While you drool over the taste, let’s talk about the dollars. Replicating these cookies at home is far more cost-effective. Thanks to this raspberry cheesecake cookie recipe, you can whip up a batch of 20 cookies using a few pantry staples. This means, you’ll save some serious dollars if (like me) you cannot resist buying them in store.
I should also mention that these white chocolate raspberry cookies are super easy to make ahead and freeze. It takes less than an hour from bowl to baked (including chill time!) so why hop in the car and queue in a sandwich store? This means you can enjoy those scrumptious sweet treats any day of the week without leaving the comfort of your own home.
WHY WE LOVE THIS COPYCAT SUBWAY RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE COOKIES RECIPE
- They're a copycat of a beloved treat - If you're a fan of Subway's Raspberry Cheesecake Cookies, you can now make your own – arguably better version – without leaving the house.
- Big batch – I know these will go down a storm with friends and family, that’s why this recipe creates a batch of 20 cookies.
- Quick – With just a 30 minute chill time, and less than 15 minute bake time, you could be devouring these cookies in less time than it takes to drive to your nearest Subway store.
- Make ahead – Better yet, why not make these raspberry cheesecake cookies ahead and freeze so you can enjoy them whenever those cookie cravings strike. They're super easy to store, lasting up to 5 days on the countertop or up to three months in the freezer.
- Easy – Whether you’re an experienced baker or brand new, all you need is a few pantry staples and some basic baking equipment.
- Customizable – For me, the raspberry, white chocolate cheesecake flavors tick every box, but if you want to get creative, feel free. If you crave a little more crunch in your cookie you can add nuts or why not experiment with dark or milk chocolate chips instead of white.
INGREDIENTS/SHOPPING LIST
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated White Sugar
- Light brown sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Large egg
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Cheesecake Instant Pudding Mixture (dry)- We do not recommend sugar free
- Salt
- White chocolate chips
- Freeze Dried raspberries
SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS
- Sugars – If you want buttery and soft cookies with a chewy exterior then I don’t recommend substituting the sugars. Use both brown and white. The white sugar helps to create a crisp, light texture, while the brown sugar adds richness and depth of flavor. You could technically use just one, but for best results stick to a mix of both.
- Flours – I prefer to use regular all-purpose flour but feel free to swap it out for measure-for-measure gluten free flour if you like.
- Cheesecake instant pudding mix – As this is dry, it works perfectly with the cookie dough but alternatively, you could use a little cream cheese, inspired by my lemon bar cookies. If you want to make these cookies extra delicious, you can stuff the cookies with a cream cheese filling before baking.
- Raspberries - I recommend that you use freeze-dried raspberries instead of fresh raspberries. Fresh raspberries contain too much moisture, which can make the dough too wet and will cause the cookies to spread. Freeze-dried raspberries not only add a concentrated raspberry flavor but will add a nice crunch. You can also use other freeze-dried berries such as blueberries or strawberries or even swirl some raspberry jam into the cookie dough.
- Chocolate – Try and use the best quality white chocolate chips you can afford. There is no reason you cannot also create these cookies using milk or dark chocolate chips, or go wild and use all three like my triple chocolate chip cookies.
- Nuts - Inspired by my chocolate macadamia nut cookies, why not add chopped nuts, such as pecans, almonds or macadamia nuts to this recipe for extra crunch and flavor.
RECOMMENDED TOOLS TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
- Mixing bowl/bowl of stand mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Spatula
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Cooling rack
HOW TO MAKE THIS COPYCAT SUBWAY COOKIES RECIPE
Are you ready to give Subway a run for their money? To make these white chocolate raspberry cheesecake cookies simply mix the wet ingredients (and sugars) in one bowl, your dry ingredients in another. Gradually combine them before folding in your raspberries and white chocolate chips. Chill the batter before forming into balls and then bake. Let the cookies cool and firm up before enjoying the soft, buttery bliss!
- Cream butter and both sugars on low speed with an electric mixer or stand mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add egg and vanilla. Continue mixing on low until combined. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
- Gradually add the dry mix to the wet ingredients. Beat on low until just combined.
- Fold in the raspberries and white chocolate chips. PRO TIP: You may also need a food processor or blender to crush the freeze-dried raspberries if they are not already crushed.
- The batter will be sticky, so chill dough or freeze it for around 30 minutes. PRO TIP: You may need to freeze for longer. Ideally, freeze long enough that you can form firm dough balls, but not that long that the dough actually freezes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F then scoop 1 ½ tablespoonfuls of dough, rolling it into about 2-inch balls using a large spoon or large cookie scoop.
- Arrange the cookie balls on a light colored baking tray lined with parchment paper at least 3 inches apart. PRO TIP: Do not press down on the cookie balls, this will create thin cookies that will spread.
- Bake for 10 minutes (the time may vary depending on your oven.) Then remove from the oven and while still hot, press on more raspberries and chocolate chips on top.
- Allow the cookies to rest for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. PRO TIP: As they “cool” in the pan, the cookies will firm up. This means they will have a soft center but a chewy and crunchy exterior, so the rest time on the warm baking sheet is important.
RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE COOKIES TIPS
- Chill Then Roll – As the dough is sticky, I find it easier to chill the dough first, then create the dough balls after. However, if you can work with this dough before, feel free to roll the balls first and then freeze them on a baking sheet until they harden slightly. Note, however, if they are still cold before going in the oven, the cooking time may need to be extended by a few minutes.
- Don’t skip chilling time - Talking of chill time, chilling the dough doesn’t just make it easier to roll into dough balls, it’s also important to prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven. Skipping this step may result in flatter, wider cookies.
- For uniform cookies –If you prefer, you can use a cookie scoop to portion the dough onto the baking sheet. This will ensure that the cookies are all the same size and will bake evenly.
- For an even bake - Use light-colored sheet pans lined with parchment paper and bake the cookies one tray at a time in the center of the oven. Dark pans absorb more heat which can cause the bottoms of your cookies to brown and crisp faster than the top. This can result in overbaked cookies, so stick to light-colored pans for best results.
- Avoid dry cookies – Don’t use your measuring cup to scoop the flour as you may end up adding too much flour to your dough. Fluff up the flour first using a fork or spoon, then spoon the flour into the cup for the most accurate measurement. Too much flour will cause dry, crumbly cookies.
STORAGE TIPS
- You can store these raspberry cheesecake cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- To freeze, wait until the cookies are completely cool then you can either layer them in an airtight, freezer safe container with parchment paper between the layers. Or, freeze them on a baking sheet and once frozen, transfer the cookies to a freezer safe container or Ziploc bag. They will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To thaw, leave at room temperature for around 30 minutes. You can also reheat in the microwave for a few seconds.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why do I need to use brown and white sugar for these cookies?
Technically, you can make these cookies with either white sugar or brown sugar alone, but a combination is best. This is because each type plays an important role in achieving the perfect texture and taste.
White sugar (granulated sugar) is used to add sweetness as well as create a light, airy texture in baked goods. Whereas brown sugar is made by mixing white sugar with molasses which means it has a richer, caramel-like flavor. It helps to promote even browning for that beautiful golden color and slightly chewy texture. It also contains more moisture than white sugar so your cookies won’t crumble and fall apart.
Using a combination of both kinds means your raspberry cheesecake cookies will have the perfect balance of sweetness and moisture.
Why should you not press down on cookie dough balls before baking?
These raspberry cheesecake cookies are known as “drop cookies” this means once the dough is ready, you then “drop” the dough from a spoon or cookie scoop onto the baking sheet. The cookie dough will then naturally spread and flatten into the round cookie shape as it bakes, so resist the urge to flatten the dough balls.
By leaving the dough to do its thing, the cookies will maintain a thicker, chewy texture and are more likely to bake evenly. You will also achieve that signature soft center but crisp edges that everyone loves about the subway raspberry cheesecake cookies.
Why did my cookies spread?
It can be so frustrating when you’re eagerly awaiting freshly baked cookies only to open the oven door and find they’ve spread into one giant, cookie mess. There are a few reasons that can cause your cookies to spread:
- Butter temperature: If the butter is too warm or melted, it can cause the cookies to spread more than is needed. It's best to use butter that is softened to room temperature, but is still slightly cool to the touch.
- Sugar ratio: Take care when measuring your dry ingredients. Using too much sugar or not enough flour can cause cookies to spread. Sugar adds moisture to the cookies so too much encourages spreading.
- Oven temperature: If your oven is too hot, the cookies may spread before they have a chance to set. Make sure to preheat your oven properly but also adjust the temperature if needed.
- Baking time: Remove the cookies from the oven when they are just starting to turn golden brown around the edges as they will continue to “bake” in the warm pan. Overbaking can cause them to spread more than is needed.
- Dough temperature: As mentioned, chill time is important to avoid spreading. Chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator or freezer for at least 30 minutes before baking.
OTHER COOKIE RECIPES YOU MAY ENJOY
- Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Snickers Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies
- Lemon Bar Cookies
- Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 8 tablespoons butter ½ cup
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg room temp
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 tablespoons Cheesecake Instant Pudding Mixture (we do not recommend sugar free)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cups white chocolate chips
- ½ cup freeze dried raspberries plus more for tops of the cookies
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In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter and sugars. Beat the butter mixture on low speed with an electric mixer or stand mixer until smooth and creamy. Gradually add egg and vanilla. Mix on low until combined. Set aside.
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In a separate large bowl, combine dry ingredients. Whisk to combine and in batches add to wet ingredients. Beat on low until just combined.
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Stir in raspberries and white chocolate chips. The batter will be sticky, freeze it for 30 or more minutes until you can form more or less firm balls (not very frozen though). Chill between the batches too for less spreading and uniform cookies.
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Preheat the oven to 350 F.
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Scoop 1 ½ tablespoonfuls of dough, rolling it into about 2-inch balls.
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Arrange the cookie balls on a baking tray lined with parchment paper at least 3 inches apart. Don’t press down!
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Bake for 10 minutes (the time varies due to different ovens). While the fruity cookies are hot, decorate them by adding more raspberries and chocolate chips on top.
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The cookies will have a soft center inside. Once they cool down they will set well and the texture inside remains soft, and buttery.
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Let the cookies stand in the pan for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
I don’t recommend substituting the sugars as you need both to get the best outcome - buttery and soft cookies with a chewy exterior. But in theory, you could definitely make these cookies only with white or brown sugar.
Don't roll cookie dough for too long otherwise, the dough will be warm and can cause the cookies to spread flat while baking.
The dough itself is sticky once rolled so I like to roll the balls after chilling it in the fridge. However, if you can work with this dough before, feel free to roll the balls and freeze them on a baking sheet or similar until they harden slightly. 30 min-1 hour should be fine in the freezer.
Lori Proctor
Oh Jackiethese cookiesare bomb...going to make for valentines popup.