Soft Batch Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 08/18/22
Tested by
Laurel Randolph
Photo of Laurel Randolph
Tested by Laurel Randolph
A fervid lover of the culinary arts and all things Instant Pot, Laurel has been writing about food for 10 years. One of her cookbooks was the #2 cookbook of 2017.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Soft Batch Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Total: 22 mins
Servings: 20 servings
Yield: 20 cookies

Cream cheese chocolate cookies are soft, fluffy cookies with wonderful texture and flavor. The addition of cream cheese along with the butter gives these chocolate chip cookies a rich, dense, almost cake-like texture without making them dry or crumbly. It also adds a slightly tangy flavor that works nicely with brown sugar and vanilla.

These cookies don't brown much on top—if your batch is browning, then they're over-baked. They'll emerge from the oven puffed, pale, and golden brown underneath. Their taste and texture might remind you of soft batch cookies.

Feel free to use the cream cheese cookie dough as a canvas. Instead of chocolate chips, use part peanut butter chips or white chocolate chips. Or swap them for raisins and nuts and add a dash of cinnamon.

"These soft cookies are wonderfully quick and easy to make. There's no chilling required, so you can have an entire batch done in under 30 minutes. Try using a mix of milk and dark chocolate chips and chunks." —Laurel Randolph

cream cheese chocolate chip cookies
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Ingredients

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

  • 4 ounces (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature

  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chunks

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 F C/Gas 4. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

    parchment paper on baking sheets

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Beat the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer until fluffy.

    cream cheese and butter in a bowl, hand mixer

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

    Beat cream cheese, butter, and the granulated and brown sugars in a mixing bowl

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Beat in the egg and vanilla until smooth.

    egg and vanilla edde the the cream cheese mixture in the bowl, hand mixer

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Slowly beat in the flour, baking powder, and salt just until combined.

    cookie dough in a bowl, hand mixer

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Fold the chocolate chips into the dough using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.

    cookie dough with chocolate chips in a bowl

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  8. Measure out the dough by the big heaping tablespoon onto the prepared baking sheets (making 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoon mounds of dough), leaving an inch or two between the cookies.

    cookie dough on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  9. Using wet fingers, gently coax the dough into a round shape and flatten slightly.

    cookie dough on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  10. Bake for 9 to 13 minutes, or until the cookies are set and lightly browned on the bottom. If you're baking two cookie sheets at once, rotate them mid-bake.

    Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  11. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

    Soft Batch Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies on a cooling rack

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Tips

  • For the best results, use full-fat cream cheese (not low-fat or whipped).
  • To ensure that these cookies have a soft texture, don't over-bake them. They're ready when the tops are no longer shiny and the bottoms are golden brown.

Recipe Variations

  • Add about 1/2 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts to the cookies for the extra texture and flavor.
  • Replace the semisweet chocolate chips with milk chocolate chips, or replace half of them with peanut butter or white chocolate chips.
  • Cream Cheese Raisin Cookies: Add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to the dough along with 1 cup of raisins and chopped nuts.

How to Store and Freeze

  • Store leftover cream cheese chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days. Make sure the container is tightly sealed to keep them soft.
  • Leftover cookies can also be frozen. Separate the cooled cookies using parchment or waxed paper and store in an airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to a month and defrost in the fridge or on the counter before enjoying.

Can You Use Cream Cheese Instead of Butter in Cookies?

While replacing all of the butter in a cookie recipe won't yield the best results, you can replace up to half with cream cheese. Note that this will dramatically alter the texture and flavor of the cookie. Cream cheese makes a thicker dough that doesn't spread as much and yields a cakey cookie.

What Makes Cookies Soft or Crispy?

A range of factors affect the texture of cookies. For soft cookies, use a recipe that calls for brown sugar, egg, and/or cream cheese. For a crispy cookie, look for a recipe that calls for granulated sugar, butter, and less egg. Don't chill the dough for thinner, crisper cookies.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
162 Calories
9g Fat
19g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 20
Amount per serving
Calories 162
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 12%
Saturated Fat 6g 28%
Cholesterol 27mg 9%
Sodium 99mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 19g 7%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 12g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 23mg 2%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 59mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)