Directions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Then, add the softened cream cheese and continue beating until smooth and well combined. Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla extract until fully incorporated. Gradually add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt, mixing until just combined.

Chill the dough for 20-45 minutes to make it easier to handle. Once chilled, roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets. Use your thumb or a spoon to create an indentation in the center of each ball to form the thumbprint.

Fill each thumbprint with raspberry jam and, if desired, a small amount of cheesecake filling. Bake the cookies for 14-15 minutes, or until they're lightly golden. If your recipe requires, bake for an additional 3-5 minutes after adding the filling.

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. While the cookies cool, mix together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract to create a glaze. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cookies and, if desired, decorate with sparkling sugar.