How to Make Slice-and-Bake Cheesecake Cookies

I’ve been meaning to share this Slice and Bake Cheesecake Cookies recipe for two years. It finally made it to the baking table and the blog—better late than never.

Baking for a blog changes how and when I bake. Over the years I’ve learned to juggle recipe development, holiday baking, and personal favorites, but some recipes still get delayed. Slice and Bake Cheesecake Cookies were one of those—always on the list but never made until now. I’m glad they’re back in rotation because they are a wonderful addition to any cookie assortment.

Why I love these Slice and Bake Cheesecake Cookies

• They’re mixed in one bowl—fast and simple.
• They’re slice-and-bake: chill, slice, and bake on demand.
• Cream cheese in the dough gives a tender, slightly tangy, cheesecake-like texture.
• Lemon and orange zest brighten the flavor and add freshness.
• Rolling the logs in graham cracker and pecan crumbs gives them the appearance and crunch of a cheesecake crust.

The dough comes together quickly with an electric mixer. After combining the ingredients the dough will be soft, so divide it in half and chill each piece until firm enough to shape. Shape each portion into a log—about 8 inches long worked well for me because it yields a larger cookie. Shorter logs make thicker, more substantial cookies; longer logs can produce more but smaller slices.

For the crumb coating, pulse graham crackers into fine crumbs and chop pecans until fine. I like to do this in advance and have the crumbs ready when the logs are shaped.

Roll each chilled log in the graham-and-pecan mixture, pressing lightly so the crumbs adhere. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours; overnight is convenient if you want to prepare them ahead. One helpful tip: stand each wrapped log upright in a tall glass while chilling. That keeps most of the log round instead of flattening the bottom, and the flattened bottom becomes a neat first slice.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven and slice the logs. I chose slightly thicker slices this time—about 3/8 inch—for a softer, more substantial cookie. If you prefer a crisper cookie slice thinner (about 1/4 inch) and bake a little longer. As you slice, rotate the log occasionally so the cutting pressure doesn’t create a flat side; roll it a bit between cuts to keep the rounds even.

Place the slices on an ungreased baking sheet, leaving room between cookies. Bake until the bottoms are just lightly browned—typically 8–12 minutes depending on slice thickness and oven type. In a convection oven I found about 11–12 minutes produced tender cookies with only a hint of color; in a conventional oven 375°F works well. Let the cookies rest on the sheet for a minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

These two small adjustments—keeping the logs to about 8 inches and slicing a little thicker—gave me what I consider my best batch yet: larger, thicker cookies with a satisfying, tender bite. If you prefer crisper cookies, slice thinner or bake a bit longer. Either way, the cream cheese, citrus zest, and crumb coating make these cookies stand out.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup salted butter (1½ sticks), room temperature
• 3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (use block cream cheese, not whipped)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons orange zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup finely crushed pecans
• 1/4 cup finely crushed graham crackers

Instructions

1. Beat butter and cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer for about 30 seconds until combined.
2. Add sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, orange zest, and vanilla. Beat until incorporated, scraping the bowl as needed.
3. Beat in the flour. If your mixer struggles, finish mixing with a sturdy spoon.
4. Divide the dough in half. Wrap each portion and refrigerate until firm enough to shape, about 30 minutes.
5. Combine the crushed pecans and graham cracker crumbs in a shallow bowl.
6. Shape each dough portion into an 8-inch log. Roll each log in the crumb mixture, pressing lightly to adhere.
7. Wrap the crumb-coated logs and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours. To keep them round, stand the wrapped logs upright in tall glasses while chilling.
8. Preheat the oven to 375°F (or 350°F convection). Slice the logs into about 3/8-inch rounds for a softer cookie or 1/4-inch rounds for a crisper cookie. Rotate the log slightly between cuts to avoid flattening one side.
9. Place slices on an ungreased baking sheet, leaving a couple of inches between cookies.
10. Bake 8–12 minutes or until the bottoms are just lightly browned. Check earlier if slices are thin. Remove from oven and allow cookies to set on the sheet for a minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Notes

• Use block cream cheese for the right texture.
• Chilling the logs upright helps them stay round; the flattened end at the bottom becomes a neat first slice.
• I used a mini food processor to make the crumbs: about two graham cracker sheets for 1/4 cup crumbs and a slightly heaping 1/4 cup pecan pieces to yield the nut crumbs.
• Storing the logs overnight in the fridge gives flexible timing—slice and bake when you’re ready.
• Bake times vary by slice thickness and oven; check at 8 minutes for smaller slices and adjust as needed.

After two years off the list, these Slice and Bake Cheesecake Cookies are back where they belong. They’re simple to prepare, bake beautifully, and add a bright, creamy note to any cookie tray.