Buttery lemon cookies filled with creamy pomegranate cheesecake filling, then drizzled with white chocolate. The perfect sweet treat for Valentine's Day!
4ounces(8 Tablespoons) unsalted buttersoftened to room temperature
2Tablespoonsshortening
3ounces(1/3 cup) granulated sugar
3.75ounces(1/2 cup packed) brown sugar
1whole eggplus 1 egg yolk
½teaspoonlemon extract
Pomegranate cheesecake batter
6ouncescream cheesesoftened
1Tablespoonunsalted buttersoftened
¼teaspoonlemon extract
⅓cuppomegranate arilsplus 1/4 cup for garnish
1cuppowdered (confectioner's) sugar
6ounceswhite chocolate (I use Ghiradelli white chocolate buttons)
Instructions
Heat oven to 350 F. (325 convection)
Spray a mini muffin pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
Cookies
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, shortening, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and lemon extract on high speed until creamy and combined, about 2 minutes.
Add egg and yolk, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in flour mixture on low speed or by hand. Don't over mix or your cookies will be tough and dry.
Bake at 350 F. for 12 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned. Remove from oven and immediately use the end of a wooden spoon to form an indentation in the middle of each cookie, leaving a small edge around the outside; Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. While cookies are cooling, make the cheesecake batter.
Pomegranate cheesecake batter
To a small mixing bowl, add cream cheese, butter, and lemon extract. Use a hand mixer to combine the ingredients until smooth and creamy. Slowly add powdered sugar, 1/3 cup at a time, scraping down sides of mixing bowl as needed.
Assembly
Add 1 Tablespoon of cheesecake batter into the center of each cookie.
Use 1/4 cup pomegranate arils to garnish the tops of the cookies.
Melt white chocolate over a double boiler and drizzle chocolate over the top of each cookie. Transfer to a refrigerator to chill until ready to serve.