Easy Cream Cheese Cookies that Melt in Your Mouth
Cream Cheese cookies are tender and dreamy bites of sweet cookie perfection.
Philadelphia cream cheese cookies are delicious and versatile, making them ideal for showers or your holiday cookie tray.
UPDATED July 24, 2026 with new photographs.
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Tender, melt-in-your-mouth cream cheese cookies are one of those all-purpose desserts that are at home on a holiday cookie tray, in grandma’s cookie jar, or making an elegant statement at a bridal shower.
When it comes to cookies, I love recipes that can be used across the seasons and the holidays and aren’t tied to a specific event.
That’s where these Philadelphia cream cheese cookies are a winner! The combination of butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar give them the perfect texture and versatile appearance.
They’re simple and sweet–no holiday required! Although I have to admit the dusting of powdered sugar means they’d be adorable at Christmas!
New to Baking with Cream Cheese?
If you aren’t used to baking with cream cheese, you’ll be surprised at the dreamy texture it can give to your baked goods.
You’ll just want to make sure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature first.
I use it in my cream cheese cranberry bread, this chocolate cream cheese pound cake, a shortcut cream cheese pound cake from a cake mix, and my classic cream cheese pound cake loaf.
The desserts come out nice and tender, and these cookies are no exception. For a chocolate version, try my chocolate cream cheese cookies recipe!
How to Make Cookies with Cream Cheese and Powdered Sugar
It’s really easy to make cream cheese sugar cookies.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Butter
- Cream Cheese
- Powdered Sugar (plus more for dusting)
- Egg
- Vanilla Extract
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Powder
- Salt
How to Make It:
Find the full printable recipe available below
Make the wet batter. First, you’ll use a stand mixer to combine the softened butter and cream cheese until very smooth.
Then, you will add the powdered sugar, beating until well mixed, followed by the egg and the vanilla.
Add the dry ingredients. Next, you’ll whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and slowly add it to the wet batter until a soft dough forms.
Scoop and bake. Next, you’ll scoop out small rounds of dough and roll them in your hands until smooth.
Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until the bottoms are just starting to brown.
Serve. Last, you’ll allow the cookies to cool completely—dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes and Adaptations:
- Although many desserts made with cream cheese need to be refrigerated, these don’t, since the cream cheese is baked.
- Feel free to use 1/2 tsp of almond extract instead of the 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, for a slightly different flavor profile.
- This cookie dough is fairly sticky. Keeping your hands slightly damp or spraying them with nonstick spray is a great way to keep the dough from sticking to your hands too much. Just don’t flour your hands, because that will transfer to the cookie dough.
Recommended Equipment:
Cream Cheese Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter (softened)
- 4 oz cream cheese (softened)
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Optional: Additional powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer), combine butter and cream cheese, beating until smooth.
- Add powdered sugar, mixing to combine.
- Add egg and vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- In a separate small mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing only until a soft dough forms.
- Scoop out rounds of dough with a small cookie scoop. Roll each dough ball in damp hands until smooth. Place on prepared baking sheet (I can usually easily fit 12 on a baking sheet).
- Bake for about 10 minutes, until bottoms of cookies are turning golden-brown and the tops no longer appear wet. Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Once cool, dust with powdered sugar, if desired, and serve.
Video
Notes
- The dough will be a little sticky. Keeping your hands slightly damp during rolling will prevent them from sticking to your palms. You could also use a spritz of cooking spray on your hands if desired. Don’t flour your hands, because the flour will transfer onto the cookies.
- Leftover cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Feel free to use 1/2 tsp of almond extract instead of the 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, for a slightly different flavor profile.
- Makes approximately 2 dozen cookies.
Nutrition
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Are you sure you meant to write powdered sugar? The original Philadelphia cream cheese cookbook states granulated sugar.
Hi Tamara! Yes, I use powdered sugar in these cookies. I’ve not tried the version from the Philadelphia cream cheese cookbook, but you can try granulated sugar instead if you prefer!
i made these yesterday for a snack after dinner and uses oatmeal that I ground up like flout and xame out beautiful did the dusting and added drizzled with chocolate. love them and will make again. Thanks for the recipe.
Hi Lucille! Thanks so much for sharing–it’s good to know that oat flour works well! Perfect for those who need gluten-free cookies! 🙂