Cream Cheese cookies are tender and dreamy bites of sweet cookie perfection ideal for showers or your holiday cookie tray.
Philadelphia cream cheese cookies are so delicious they only need a sprinkle of powdered sugar to make them perfect.
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Cream cheese cookies are the ideal, all-purpose cookie. Tender, creamy and slightly understated, these sweet cookies are at home on a holiday cookie tray, in grandma’s cookie jar, or making an elegant statement at a bridal shower.
I love recipes that are tried and true and multi-functional. I like recipes that can be used across the seasons and the holidays and aren’t tied to a specific event, especially when it comes to cookies.
Molasses cookies are among my favorites and equally as simple, but the warm spices seem to tie the cookies to Christmas.
Meanwhile, these Philadelphia cream cheese cookies are all about the butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar. Simple and sweet–no holiday required!
(But you have to admit, they look like little snow-covered morsels with the dusting of powdered sugar, so they would be adorable at Christmas, too!)
And cream cheese does something incredibly dreamy to cookies and desserts. Just like my cream cheese cranberry bread, this chocolate cream cheese pound cake, a cream cheese pound cake from a cake mix, my cream cheese pound cake loaf, and my Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins, these cookies are moist and flavorful.
More Cookie Recipes You’ll Love:
Tips for Making Cream Cheese Cookies
Cream cheese sugar cookies are incredibly easy to make. There is no need to refrigerate the dough, and no cookie cutters are required. That being said, there are a few steps you can take to ensure you have perfect cookies every time you make this recipe.
- Room Temperature Ingredients – Bringing the butter, cream cheese and eggs to room temperature will ensure that you have a silky smooth cookie dough.
- Measure Flour Carefully – Too much flour can lead to less tender cookies. Measure carefully and recognize that the dough will be a bit sticky.
- Scrape the Bowl – Scrape the bowl before adding the flour and everything will mix together quickly and efficiently, saving you time in the end.
How to Make Cookie 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:
(Full printable recipe is 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 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.
- Learn how to freeze cream cheese so you’ll always have some on hand!
Recommended Equipment:
Cream Cheese Cookies
These tender cream cheese cookies melt in your mouth, making them a delicious tea party or holiday treat.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp 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, combine butter and cream cheese, mixing 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 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.
Notes
The dough will be a little sticky. Keeping your hands 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.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24Serving Size:
1 cookieAmount Per Serving: Calories: 138Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 107mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 0gSugar: 12gProtein: 2g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is not guaranteed for accuracy.
Be sure to save this recipe to your desserts board on Pinterest!
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! 🙂