1. For the Cheesecake Filling

• Line a small cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• In a small bowl, add the cold cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Use an electric mixer on medium-high speed until the mixture is fluffy and the sugar has completely dissolved (about 2 minutes).
• Scoop the cheesecake filling into 18 portions of approximately 2 teaspoons each on the prepared parchment. Slightly flatten each with the back of a spoon so each looks like a thick disc rather than a ball.
• Place the tray in the freezer until the discs are completely frozen.

2. For the Strawberry Jam

• In a medium pot over medium heat, add the diced strawberries and sugar.
• Cook for about 45 minutes, smashing roughly halfway through with a wooden spoon. Continue stirring toward the end as the jam gets thicker and may stick to the bottom of the pan.
• The jam should reduce to a very thick consistency—about a heaping ⅓ cup (≅80 ml).
• Remove from heat and place in the refrigerator to chill while you make the dough.

3. For the Cookies

• Preheat your oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, whisking until evenly mixed.
• In a large bowl (or stand mixer with paddle attachment) cream the softened butter and granulated sugar (1 cup) together on high speed for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
• Add the room-temperature egg and vanilla; mix on medium speed until pale and very fluffy (about 1-2 minutes).
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix on low speed just until combined.
• Now, to incorporate the jam without fully mixing it in: Push about ¾ of the dough to one side of the bowl. Flatten the remaining ¼ dough. Spoon ¼ of the chilled jam onto the flattened dough. Add another ¼ of dough on top, then spoon another ¼ of jam. Repeat this layering two more times so you distribute jam evenly but you still have little pockets of jam rather than fully blended.
• Use a rubber spatula to “cut” the dough into four sections and fold each section just until the jam is slightly folded in — you don’t want to over-mix because those little jam pockets are part of the charm.
• Using a 2 Tbsp cookie scoop, portion the dough into 18 balls. Slightly flatten each ball into a disc shape (the dough doesn’t spread as well if left as a full ball).
• Roll each dough disc in the remaining ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar.
• Place a frozen cheesecake disc from the freezer in the center of each dough portion. Then wrap the cookie dough around the cheesecake, making sure it’s completely enclosed. Shape each into a slightly flattened disc.
• Bake 6 cookies at a time (on your prepared sheets) for about 11–12 minutes. Immediately after removing from the oven, you can scoot a large circular cookie cutter around each cookie to give them a perfect round shape (optional but nice).
• Let cookies cool for about 10 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.