Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies

By Elizabeth Waterson // Jun 12, 2023 (Updated Sep 3, 2023) // Leave a Comment

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Smooth cream cheese is a delicious addition to chocolate chip cookies. Here is a simple and quick recipe for cream cheese chocolate chip cookies. These cookies are rich and tasty.

cream cheese chocolate chip cookies on a plate on top of an orange and white linen on a light surface

I am a cookie lover, no matter what type, I always want a cookie. A warm cookie is the best. Chocolate chip cookies are classic but adding cream cheese to the batter creates a slightly creamy cookie base that is undeniable. These cookies are perfectly chewy and irresistible, I couldn't stop grabbing more.

I developed this recipe off of my almond chocolate chip cookies and m&m chocolate chip cookies two of my all-time favorite cookies.

hand holding a broken in half chocolate chip cookie up to the camera

Let's get to the recipe

Jump to:

Ingredients
Instructions
How to freeze
More cream cheese recipes
Recipe Card
Recipe Ratings & Comments

Ingredients

For this cookie recipe you will need your pantry staples:

Unsalted Butter. Your butter should be softened to room temperature.
Full-Fat Cream Cheese. You want to use brick-style cream cheese not whipped cream cheese, and it needs to be softened to room temperature.
Granulated Sugar. Granulated white sugar sweetens the cookie dough and encourages the cookies to spread while baking.
Dark Brown Sugar. I wanted to use dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar to get extra warmth from the molasses in the sugar. You can use light brown sugar if you want.
Large Egg. The egg needs to be at room temperature to properly incorporate into the other ingredients.
Pure Vanilla Extract. The vanilla adds warmth to the cookie dough.
All Purpose Flour. Make sure you measure your flour properly so you don't add too much or too little as that can drastically affect the texture of the cookie.

Baking is a science and to really achieve the best results I highly recommend investing in a kitchen scale. This OXO Kitchen Scale is the one I use and is also the number one recommended kitchen scale by Cook's Illustrated. Think about it -what one person scoops into a "cup" is completely different from what someone else scoops!

Baking Soda. Baking soda helps the cookies rise while baking and browns the cookies as well.
Baking Powder. I love adding baking powder as an additional chemical leavening agent to get a cookie that cracks a little too, I love that texture.
Salt. Salt enhances the flavor profiles of all of the other ingredients.
Cornstarch. Cornstarch tenderizes the cookie dough for a soft cookie.
Chocolate Chips. I like to use a mix of milk chocolate chips and dark chocolate chips, I prefer to use Callebaut chocolate callets instead of normal chocolate chips that have stabilizers in them. Or chocolate bars cut up into chocolate chunks.

ingredients for cream cheese chocolate chip cookies on a light surface

For ingredient quantities please reference the recipe card below. On the recipe card there is a button for US or M (Metric) measurements.

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large bowl with a handheld mixer combine butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Then add in the sugars and cream all together for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy, make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix on medium for around 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.

butter and cream cheese mixed together in a glass bowl on a light surface with an orange and white linen

egg and vanilla added to butter and cream cheese mixed together in a glass bowl on a light surface with an orange and white linen

Stir in vanilla and the egg, making sure to mix until fully combined.

wet ingredients for cream cheese chocolate chip cookies in a large glass bowl on a light surface with an orange and white linen

In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch.

dry ingredients mixed together with a whisk in a glass bowl on a light surface with an orange and white linen

dry ingredients added to wet ingredients in a glass bowl on a light surface with an orange and white linen

Gently fold in dry ingredients then stir in the chocolate chips. Scoop 1.5 tablespoon size cookie dough balls and top with extra chocolate chips, place on to a baking sheet that can fit in the fridge or plate, and cover with plastic wrap to chill for two hours or up to 24 hours.

chocolate chips added to cream cheese cookie dough in a glass bowl on a light surface with an orange and white linen

cream cheese chocolate chip cookie dough mixed together in a glass bowl on a light surface with an orange and white linen

cream cheese chocolate chip cookie dough balls on a silpat lined baking sheet

When ready to bake preheat the oven to 350F/180C and if using, line your baking sheet with a silpat liner or parchment paper. Place the cookie dough balls two inches apart onto the prepared baking sheet.

cream cheese chocolate chip cookies on a silpat lined baking sheet before baking

cream cheese chocolate chip cookies on a silpat lined baking sheet after baking

Bake the cookies for 11-13 minutes, until lightly golden brown. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Store at room temperature in an air-tight container. Next time try baking my chocolate chip pound cake recipe.

broken in half cream cheese chocolate chip cookies on a light surface with chocolate chips

Check out this post on my Cookie Baking Tips

How to freeze

To freeze baked cookies: Once you've baked the cookies allow them to cool completely then place in an air-tight container or freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat place cookies on the counter to thaw for an hour.

To freeze unbaked cookie dough balls: Scoop the cookie dough and place it on a parchment-lined sheet pan or large plate to freeze, once they are frozen (about an hour or two) place the dough balls into an air-tight container or freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

When ready to bake the cookies, follow normal instructions but add a minute or two to the baking time. The cookies may not spread as much from frozen, in that case when the cookies come out of the oven I bang the tray on the counter to encourage the cookies to spread.

More cream cheese recipes

This cream cheese pound cake recipe is perfect for a Sunday afternoon treat.

Whipped cream cheese frosting is one of my all-time favorite frostings, it's so light, fluffy, and not overly sweet.

If you've got lots of fresh fruit around make this cream cheese dip.

overhead view of cream cheese chocolate chip cookies on a light surface with chocolate chips

★★★★★ Please let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a star rating and comment below!

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Recipe Card