These light, fluffy and perfectly sweet Cream Cheese Cookies are loaded with rich flavor and can be topped with festive sprinkles. They are a perfect soft cookie recipe to bring to your next party or to add to your holiday baking list.
Need a few more new cookie recipes to try? out these maple cookies, snowball cookies, or even these tasty cowboy cookies. They are all simple cookies that you can make any time of year!
Table of contents
Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies
This is an easy cookie recipe that is great for Holidays, special occasions or just a fun dessert for the family. Either way you can throw together these cookies as a sweet treat in no time.
Cream cheese adds a velvety texture that blends beautifully with other ingredients in the recipe. Bake up a batch and enjoy every bite of the soft, buttery cookies.
Ingredients/shopping list
- All Purpose Flour – Make sure to scoop the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife. This ensures a nice and fluffy cookie.
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Granulated Sugar – You will use granulated sugar to the cookies. It is light enough to the dough.
- Cream Cheese – Make sure to use softened cream cheese at room temperature, or it will not cream properly.
- Butter – Softened butter is key. I like using unsalted butter for that extra buttery taste. Make sure that you do not use margarine as it will affect the texture.
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- Sprinkles – These are optional but it will dress up the cookies for the holiday of your choice.
Variations/ Substitutions
1. Add in a teaspoon of lemon zest to the cookie dough. Or ½ teaspoon lemon juice for a tangy flavor. I like to mix it in with the wet ingredients.
2. Instead of vanilla extract swap with almond extract.
3. Top the cookies with a powdered sugar after baking.
4. Sprinkle with a cinnamon sugar mixture prior to baking and then add the sprinkles.
How to Make these Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese
Full directions on how to make this cookie recipe is in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a quick walk through.
Step 1: In a medium bowl, mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix well to combine and set aside.
Step 2: Then in a separate large bowl, cream the sugar, cream cheese, and butter with a hand mixer until fluffy and creamy. Start on low speed and work up to medium.
Step 3: Next cream together the egg and vanilla with the cream cheese mixture.
Step 4: Mix the dry ingredients in with the wet ingredients until the flour mixture is fully mixed in but do not over-mix. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Step 5: Refrigerate the cookie dough for 30-45 minutes.
Step 6: Preheat the oven and then scoop the cookies onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and lightly press each dough ball to flatten. Then top with the sprinkles and bake as directed.
Allow the baked cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet before you transfer to a wire rack.
Tips
- Don’t overcook the cookies or they will crumble and fall apart. You want to pull the cookies out before they turn golden brown.
- The cream cheese needs to be softened. If you forget you can place your cream cheese in warm water for 4-5 minutes. Keep it in the wrapper while it is in the water. Then once softened begin to mix.
- Use a cookie scoop so you get evenly shaped cookies so the cook time is the same for all the cookies.
FAQ’s
Store in an airtight container for only 2 days at room temperature since they have cream cheese. Refrigerate after that for another 2-3 days.
Raw Cream Cheese Cookie Dough – Shape the cookies into the balls and then place on a baking sheet. Freeze for an hour to harden some. Then transfer the cookie dough balls into an airtight freezer container and freeze for 2-3 months.
Cooking Raw Cookie Dough – To cook the cookies do the same temperature and place the frozen cookie balls on a baking sheet. Leave space between each cookie ball. Add a few extra minutes to the cook time to help get the cookies fully cooked through.
Freezing Cooked Cookies – If the cookies are fully cooked, transfer them to a freezer bag or container. Freeze the cookies for 3-4 months. Then when you want a cookie or two, thaw on the counter or in the refrigerator.
If you like this recipe, please leave us a comment and rate the recipe below. You can also find us on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram!
Cream Cheese Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup butter softened
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and stir to mix well.2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a separate large mixing bowl, add the sugar, cream cheese, and butter and beat on beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy.1 ½ cups sugar, 8 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup butter
- Then, add the egg and vanilla extract and blend to incorporate.1 large egg, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix just until the flour is barely mixed in, scraping down the sides of the bowl a couple of times. (careful not to over mix)
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30-45 minutes so they bake nice and fluffy..
- Using a cookie scoop to scoop about 1 ½ tablespoon of dough and roll into balls and place on the prepared cookie sheet 2 inches apart. (The dough will be sticky, so I like to lightly flour or dampen my hands to help it not stick).
- Lightly press the cookie flat with your fingers.
- Add sprinkles on top, if desired.Sprinkles
- Bake 10-12 minutes, until the edges are slightly brown.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclosure
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.
Darby newill
Can they be frozen?
Sherri
They sure can!
RB
You mention that “Be sure to measure the flour using the spoon and knife leveling method or use a food scale if you have one.”.
How many grams if you’re using a food scale?
Sherri
The nutrition label on your flour package will tell you how many grams per 1/4 cup typically. (Mine says 30 grams per 1/4 cup).
So for this recipe you would multiply that number by 10 since you need 2 1/2 cups 🙂 Using my package as an example, it would be 300 grams.
RB
Ah, thank you!
I’m so excited to bake this!
Diane Gollonik
Can you use almond flour
Sherri
Unfortunately, almond flour is not a one to one swap for this recipe. If you need a gluten free version I have used Bob’s Red Mill One-to-one GF flour.
Tammy Holt
Can this be made with gluten free flour?
Sherri
Yes! I have used Bob’s Red Mill One-to-one gluten free flour and they are wonderful.
Sophia McKenzie
I made these for my family for Christmas but a day early. I made these before dinner; only 5 left in the morning. My family LOVES THEM! I made some the next day and left with none left. The only difference I made was I preheated the oven while the cookie dough was resting. I also cooked them on the bottom rack for 13 minutes. Other than that they were great! I rolled the cookies in a ball and on the second try moved them in sprinkles alternating between red and green.
William R. Zimmerman
Could you use raspberry extract?
RhondaB
Could these be made with peppermint extract?
Sherri
They absolutely could! You could add a 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract into the batter along with the vanilla. 🙂
S. H. Paul
What about almond extract and how much would you recommend using. I do know (the hard and disappointing way) that a normal measurement for other extracts like as in vanilla. Could be a little bit overwhelming sometimes if using the same normal measurements?
Rachael
Super easy recipe and cookies taste amazing!!
Sherri
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!