The best low calorie gingerbread cheesecake cookies

Spice up this holiday season with these ginger cheesecake filled cookies. They are the perfect blend of sweet and spice, featuring a perfectly spiced ginger cookie filled with a smooth, creamy cheesecake filling. And if there’s anything better than cheesecake cookies, it has to be these low calorie gingerbread cheesecake cookies at just 68 calories a cookie!

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Gingerbread around the holidays is a MUST. Whether your indulging in these 15 calorie gingerbread men or these low calorie gingerbread cheesecake cookies, you can not skip gingerbread! And who says you have to miss out on these delicious spiced goods because you’re trying to lose weight? There’s no need to restrict when you can just shift a few ingredients and voila, you have a delicious low calorie alternative!

I still can’t get over how easy these cookies are to make. Why make an entire gingerbread cheesecake when you can make these low calorie gingerbread cheesecake cookies. There is no faffing around with water baths or waiting hours for a cheesecake to set. And everyone knows that the cookie crust is the best part of any cheesecake which is why these cookies are simply the best. The cheesecake filling is encased in a perfectly spiced gingerbread cookie with crispy edges and a soft center.

My favorite part of creating low calorie desserts is not only making delicious treats that people on a weight loss journey can enjoy, but treats that everyone can enjoy. I love it when people who aren’t on a weight loss journey can enjoy my recipes because they taste that good. These cookies are the perfect crowd pleasers, you honestly wouldn’t know the difference between these and the higher calorie versions!

Low calorie gingerbread cheesecake cookies

Aside from these cookies being the perfect sweet treat for weight loss, they make the perfect dessert that can be thrown together in under 30 minutes! These cookies bake in less than 15 minutes and require fewer than 10 ingredients which is always a plus.

Why you’ll love this recipe:

• These cookies come together in under 30 minutes.
• They can easily be made vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free.
• Just 68 calories per cookie!
• These cookies are free of any added sugars!
• Perfectly spiced gingerbread cookies filled with a sweet cheesecake filling.
• The BEST low calorie gingerbread cheesecake cookies!

Ingredients

Exact ingredient quantities can be found at the bottom of this page.

To make these low calorie gingerbread cheesecake cookies you will need:

Philadelphia lightest – To make the cheesecake filling you’ll need some Philadelphia lightest. It is a delicious super low calorie cream cheese that can be found in most grocery stores in the UK. I’m unsure about the availability globally so low-fat cream cheese or even better, 3% fat cream cheese is a great substitute. Use a vegan or dairy-free substitute to make this recipe vegan and dairy-free.

Stevia – A little to sweeten the cream cheese.

Lemon juice – The tiniest bit of lemon juice for the cheesecake filling. I think that all cheesecakes need a teeny bit of lemon! However, you can totally omit the lemon juice if it isn’t to your taste.

Applesauce – Applesauce works great to substitute butter and oil in regular cookie recipes. It adds moisture to the cookies and contains very few calories. I went for unsweetened applesauce for this recipe to avoid added sugars. Be mindful of the type of applesauce you use as some contain added sugars which increase the calories. I use this applesauce that I just get off Amazon. 

0 calorie brown sugar or sweetener of choice – My go-to sweetener for cookies is always 0 calorie brown sugar replacement. It is super sweet and has almost the exact same flavor profile and texture as dark brown sugar which is perfect for spiced recipes! 

Oil – A little oil to add moisture to the cookies and keep them super soft. I went with olive oil but any oil will work for this recipe, the calories may vary slightly between different oils though.

Vanilla extract – You can’t make the perfect cookie without a dash of vanilla! 

All-purpose/plain flour – This recipe calls for good ‘ol plain/all-purpose flour. You can opt for gluten-free flour here to make these cookies gluten-free. 

Baking soda – To help the cookies rise and spread. 

Spices – The spices are what make this cookie so delicious. It is a simple blend of ground cinnamon, cloves and of course, ginger.

How to make these cookies

1. The first step is making the cream cheese filling and freezing them. Whisk together the cream cheese, stevia and lemon juice until well combined. Scoop 6, 1 tsp portions of the filling, place onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper and place in the freezer. I like to do this bit the night before I want to make these cookies just to ensure the cream cheese is fully frozen but around 2 hours should do.
2. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (356°F).
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sweetener, applesauce, vanilla and oil until well combined. 
4. Fold in the flour, spices and baking soda and mix well to combine. Scoop up 1/6 of the dough, flatten with your fingers and place a ball of cheesecake filling in the center. Roll the dough into a ball ensuring the cheesecake is completely covered.
5. Repeat for the remaining 5 cookies and place them onto a lined baking tray.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes and let the cookies cool on the baking tray for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

Storage

These cookies can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 weeks.

more low calorie holiday cookies…