Dark Chocolate Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies

 
When Healthier Chocolate Treats came out as a hardback cookbook last fall, I invited my good friends over to celebrate one Sunday afternoon with my family and me. In the weeks leading up to the party, I scoured our local shops, searching for plates and napkins in the same plum and pastel pink hues as the cookbook’s colors and stocking up on baking essentials. (I cleared out the entire shelf of my favorite cocoa powder and chocolate chips at the grocery store!)  

As an incredibly indecisive person—I’m always the last one to order at any restaurant!—I debated what to serve at the cookbook party for over a week. After finally selecting some of my favorite recipes, I spent hours in the kitchen each of the three days before, dicing and slicing and mixing and baking the treats.

›› dark chocolate cinnamon muddy buddies {on page 60}
›› fudgy dark chocolate brownies {on page 87}
›› chocolate Elvis sandwiches {on page 67}
›› chocolate chip oatmeal cookies {on page 81}
›› dark chocolate drizzled coffee bundt cake {on page 120}
›› dark chocolate cupcakes {on page 114… and the ones on the cover too!}
 

 
When Sunday afternoon arrived, one of my very best friends knocked on the door first, quickly followed by a slew of familiar faces. Friends from blogging, friends from high school, childhood baby-sitters, two of my “second mommies,” my pseudo-godmother, and even Ashley, my sweet blog friend from Domestic Fashionista—and she brought her husband along for the 2+ hour drive!

We spent the next few hours laughing, catching up, and eating plenty of chocolate treats. Throughout the party, my parents wove around the house, trying to snap a picture of me with every guest; they know how much I love scrolling through photo albums and recalling fun memories like that! When the sun started falling in the sky, my friends began trickling out the front door, loaded down with plates of goodies to bring home and enjoy.
 

 
And now, thanks to your interest and support, I was able to release Healthier Chocolate Treats as an eBook yesterday! It contains those recipes I mentioned above, plus 50 more exclusive, brand new ones that have never appeared before on my blog. You can see a special sneak peek preview of everything inside here and get all of those recipes the very second you purchase the eCookbook!

So to celebrate, I’m throwing a virtual party—and inviting YOU! To RSVP, simply snap a picture of any recipe you make from the cookbook, and share it with me…

›› On Instagram, using #HealthierChocolateTreats and tagging me IN the photo itself
›› On Facebook, by posting it on the Amy’s Healthy Baking Facebook page
›› On Snapchat, by sending me a picture
›› Or through email, by using the subject “Healthier Chocolate Treats Recipe!”

And I’ll share your photo on the official Healthier Chocolate Treats page!
 

 
In the meantime, let’s also celebrate by eating these Dark Chocolate Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies! They’re similar to one of the recipes in Healthier Chocolate Treats (check out page 78!), which are one of my all-time favorite cookies… Rich, fudgy, and basically taste like brownies. Plus a creamy cheesecake filling, all for just 44 calories!
 

 
Pure bliss.

To start, you’ll need white whole wheat flour and unsweetened cocoa powder. White whole wheat flour is made by finely grinding a special type of white wheat, whereas regular whole wheat flour comes from heartier red wheat. This gives white whole wheat flour a lighter taste and texture, similar to that of all-purpose flour, but it still has the same health benefits as regular whole wheat flour.
 

 
As for the second ingredient, you just need regular ol’ unsweetened cocoa powder! Because you’re using a full ⅓ cup, there’s no need for Dutched or special dark cocoa powder. Those will make the cookies taste bitter—they’re already really rich and dark chocolaty without it!

It’s also very important to measure the cocoa powder correctly, using the spoon and level method or a kitchen scale. Too much cocoa powder will dry out your cookies, making the dough sandy or crumbly, and it will also make the cookies taste bitter. I highly recommend the latter option! This is the kitchen scale that I own, and it has been the best $20 I’ve ever spent. I use it every single day! It ensures that all of my baked treats turn out with the perfect taste and texture every time.

To keep the cookies clean eating friendly, you’ll sweeten them with coconut sugar instead of refined sugar. Coconut sugar is exactly what it sounds like—sugar that comes from coconuts! However, it does not actually taste like coconut! It has a slight caramel flavor, very similar to brown sugar, but it has the same pourable texture as granulated sugar.
 

 
And of course, the cheesecake filling! You’ll use Greek yogurt, Greek yogurt cream cheese, and vanilla crème stevia to make it. That’s it! Greek yogurt cream cheese is softer than traditional cream cheese. I found my Greek yogurt cream cheese at Safeway (their own Lucerne brand), and many Walmart stores sell this brand as well. In a pinch, Neufchâtel cream cheese would work as a substitute.

As for the last ingredient, stevia is a plant-based, no-calorie sweetener that’s also clean eating friendly. It’s very concentrated—a little goes a long way! You’ll only need ¼ teaspoon for this filling. This is the kind that I buy because I love its warm vanilla flavor. You can find it at many health-oriented grocery stores, as well as online. (And you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine, too!)

Tip: To quickly fill the centers of each cookie, put the filling inside of a zip-topped bag. Snip off the corner, and pipe it into each cookie!

Then after a quick trip into the oven…
 

 
Time to eat one! Or, umm, four… ? And when you bake yours, remember to snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealtybaking IN the photo! I’d love to see your cupcakes and feature your photo in my Sunday Spotlight series!

View Nutrition Information
 
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