🍪 Cream Cheese Cookies
These Cream Cheese Cookies are soft, tender, and wonderfully buttery with a subtle tang from cream cheese and a rich vanilla aroma. The dough comes together easily, and after baking, a generous dusting of powdered sugar gives these cookies their classic bakery-style finish.
They’re perfect for holiday cookie trays, afternoon tea, parties, gifting, or whenever you want a simple homemade cookie that feels a little special.
Recipe Information
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chilling Time: 30 minutes
- Bake Time: 10–12 minutes per batch
- Total Time: About 1 hour
- Yield: 24–30 cookies
- Difficulty: Easy
- Method: Oven-baked
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 1¾ cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For Finishing
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
1. Prepare the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Set aside.
2. Cream the Butter and Cream Cheese
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and cream cheese together with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until completely smooth and creamy.
Make sure there are no lumps remaining.
3. Add the Sugar
Gradually add the granulated sugar.
Beat for another 2–3 minutes, until the mixture becomes noticeably lighter and fluffy.
Properly creaming the butter, cream cheese, and sugar helps create a tender cookie.
4. Add the Egg and Vanilla
Add the egg and vanilla extract.
Beat until fully incorporated and smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
5. Add the Dry Ingredients
Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients.
Mix on low speed just until the flour disappears and a soft dough forms.
Do not overmix, as excessive mixing can make the cookies less tender.
The dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
6. Chill the Dough
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Chilling makes the dough easier to scoop and helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much during baking.
7. Prepare the Oven
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Line one or two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
8. Shape the Cookies
Using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop portions of dough and place them onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches (5 cm) between each cookie.
For a more uniform appearance, gently roll each portion into a ball.
Do not flatten them excessively—the cookies will spread naturally as they bake.
9. Bake
Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges look set and are just beginning to turn lightly golden.
The centers should still look soft.
Do not wait for the cookies to become deeply browned; this will make them less tender.
10. Cool
Remove the baking sheet from the oven.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes.
Then transfer them carefully to a wire rack to cool completely.
11. Dust With Powdered Sugar
Once the cookies have cooled completely, generously dust the tops with powdered sugar.
For a thicker finish, sift the powdered sugar over the cookies a second time just before serving.
Chef’s Tips
- Use room-temperature ingredients: Soft butter and cream cheese blend much more smoothly.
- Don’t overmix the dough: Stop mixing as soon as the flour is incorporated.
- Chill the dough: This is especially helpful because cream cheese makes the dough quite soft.
- Don’t overbake: The cookies should remain pale with only lightly golden edges.
- Cool before dusting: Powdered sugar melts into warm cookies.
- For evenly sized cookies: Use a cookie scoop so every cookie bakes at the same rate.
- For thicker cookies: Chill the dough for 45–60 minutes before scooping.
Flavor Variations
Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies
Add 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest to the dough for a fresh citrus flavor.
Almond Cream Cheese Cookies
Replace 1 teaspoon of the vanilla with 1 teaspoon almond extract.
Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Cookies
Fold in ½ cup (85 g) mini chocolate chips after adding the flour.
Cinnamon Sugar Cream Cheese Cookies
Before baking, lightly roll each dough ball in a mixture of granulated sugar and cinnamon.
Holiday Cream Cheese Cookies
Add colorful sprinkles to the dough or decorate the cooled cookies with a simple vanilla glaze.
Storage
Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
For longer storage, refrigerate them for up to 1 week and bring them to room temperature before serving.
Place parchment paper between layers to keep the powdered sugar finish neat.
Freezing
Freeze the Baked Cookies
Cool the cookies completely and freeze them in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
Thaw at room temperature and dust with a fresh layer of powdered sugar before serving.
Freeze the Dough
Scoop the prepared dough into individual portions and place them on a parchment-lined tray.
Freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container.
When ready to bake, place the frozen dough portions on a lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F (175°C), adding approximately 2–4 minutes to the baking time.
Final Result
Soft, delicate Cream Cheese Cookies with buttery edges, tender centers, a subtle tang, and plenty of vanilla flavor. A snowy dusting of powdered sugar makes them as pretty as they are delicious—perfect for sharing or enjoying with a cup of coffee or tea.