We love food mash-ups the way a matchmaker loves bringing a couple together, and metaphorically speaking, we’ve always wanted to introduce snickerdoodle and cheesecake. It must have been written in the stars because, well, all we can say is — fireworks!

The cookie is filled with cinnamon spice, brown sugar, and honey. She’s a total sweetie, and she bakes up buttery soft and chewy. She’s the perfect, mellow life partner for the cheesecake, which — as you might expect from a piped filling — can be a little mercurial and diva-ish. She’s all tart cream cheese one minute and a swirl of bright, red, sweet strawberries the next.

Bringing two such characters together takes a little doing, but don’t let all the steps in this recipe intimidate you; it’s a fun, easy project. And it’s worth getting out the pastry bag: strawberry cheesecake cookies make a splendid-looking dessert, the delight of any celebration.

Yield: 24 cookies

Ingredients

For the cookies:

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp salt

1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened

⅓ cup granulated sugar

⅓ cup light brown sugar

1 large egg yolk

1 tsp vanilla

½ cup honey

For the filling:

8 oz strawberries, quartered

⅓ cup + 1 Tbsp granulated sugar, divided

2 ½ tsp lemon juice, divided

8 oz cream cheese, softened

3 Tbsp sour cream

½ tsp vanilla

Pinch of salt

Special equipment needed: pastry bag and a round tip.

Directions

1. To make the cookies: Preheat oven to 375º and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together until incorporated. Set the flour mixture aside.

3. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

4. Add the egg yolk and vanilla to the butter mixture and beat until combined.

5. Drizzle in the honey, beating until the mixture is combined.

6. Add the flour mixture, ⅓ cup at a time, and beat until incorporated.

7. Using a tablespoon, scoop out the cookie dough, and roll it in your hands to form a 1 ½” ball. Place the balls on the prepared cookie sheet about 2” apart.

8. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until the edges are set. The centers will remain soft.

9. Remove the cookies from the oven and, using the back of a 3-ounce ladle or spoon, gently press down on the middle of the cookie, about ½”, being careful not to tear the edges of the cookies.

10. Let the cookies rest on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

11. To make the cheesecake filling: In a small saucepan, combine the strawberries, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, and 2 teaspoons of the lemon juice over medium heat. Simmer the strawberry mixture for ten minutes.

12. Transfer the strawberry sauce to a liquid measuring cup, and purée using an immersion blender. Set the sauce aside to cool.

13. In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and ⅓ cup of the sugar together on medium speed, until thick and smooth.

14. Add the sour cream, ½ teaspoon lemon juice, vanilla, and salt, and mix until fully incorporated.

15. Mix in 4 tablespoons of the strawberry sauce until combined. There will be leftover sauce. (It can be drizzled over the cookies just before serving.)

16. To assemble the cookies, pipe about 1 tablespoon of the cheesecake filling into the center of each cookie, and smooth it down with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.

17. Transfer the cookies to an airtight container, and let the filling set for 6 hours or overnight.