Yogurt Cookies
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My one-bowl bakery-style Greek yogurt cookies have crisp edges, gooey middles, and are loaded with melty chocolate chips. You won’t even know there’s yogurt in them!
If you’re looking for a bakery-style chocolate chip cookie that stays soft in the center for days, these yogurt cookies are it. I know adding Greek yogurt to cookie dough sounds unusual, especially since yogurt is known for its tang. But in this recipe, it’s not about flavor. It’s about function.
Yogurt adds moisture and richness, helping the cookies bake up thick and soft rather than spreading thin. Because it slows moisture loss, the cookies stay tender long after baking (no dry, stale cookies after day two).l Its natural acidity also reacts with the baking soda, giving the cookies a subtle lift and a lighter interior.
After several test batches, I found that leaving out the eggs made an even bigger difference. The result? Thicker cookies with a soft middle and that classic bakery look and texture. Oh, and incredibly delicious. Just ask my partner, who can polish off half a batch in one sitting!
Table of Contents
Why I love these yogurt cookies
- No yogurt flavor. I promise you, you won’t even know it’s there.
- Quick and easy. No fancy mixers or kitchen gadgets are needed: everything is made in one bowl.
- Freezer-friendly. This is the kind of cookie dough you can freeze for emergencies and bake from frozen (I do this regularly!).
Key Ingredients
Here’s what goes into my yogurt cookies, along with kitchen notes. The complete list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
- Yogurt (room temperature). Full-fat Greek yogurt or plain yogurt. I don’t recommend low-fat or non-fat varieties, as when I tested these, the cookies were a little drier.
- Butter. Unsalted, melted, and cooled.
- Sugar. I use a mix of white and brown sugar. White keeps the edges nice and crisp, and the brown sugar keeps the middles soft.
- Vanilla. Just a pinch.
- Dry ingredients. I’m using all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Chocolate chips. I typically use milk chocolate chips, but feel free to use semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips if that is what you prefer.
How to make yogurt cookies
Step 1- Cream. In a mixing bowl, cream the softened butter with the white and brown sugars and vanilla.
Step 2- Add yogurt. Add the Greek yogurt and mix until combined.
Step 3- Finish cookie dough. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Fold through the chocolate chips. Cover the bowl and chill for an hour.
Step 4- Assemble. Shape balls of cookie dough and place on baking sheets, two inches apart.
Step 5- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are just firm. Cool on the sheet completely.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Room temperature ingredients. It’s worth repeating: room temperature yogurt and butter are key to a smooth dough. Cold ingredients can cause curdling and a grainy texture. In my experience, letting the yogurt sit out for about 20 minutes does the trick.
- Don’t skip the chill. While the cookies will bake without the chilling time, I find they stay thicker and don’t overspread after a quick, hour chill.
- Underbake slightly. The cookies may look a little soft in the center when you remove them from the oven, but they will continue to set as they cool. This helps keep the centers tender and chewy rather than dry or overbaked.
- Optional mix-ins. Swap out the chocolate chips for white chocolate chips, nuts, toffee, or anything you like.
How to store leftovers
To store. Keep them on the countertop for 5 in a sealed container or refrigerate for up to 10 days.
To freeze. Freeze the baked cookies in freezer-safe containers for up to 6 months.
Make ahead. You can freeze the dough! Shape balls of unbaked cookie dough and place them in a ziplock bag. They will keep well for up to 6 months.
Baking from frozen. Bake from frozen at 350°F, increasing the baking time by 5 minutes (17 minutes total).
Frequently asked questions
You can! These cookies were loosely inspired by my cottage cheese cookies, so full-fat whipped cottage cheese will work the same as the yogurt. Sour cream also works.
I haven’t tested this with another flour, so I can’t vouch for any substitutions. However, in my experience, almond flour is the most accurate substitute for white flour.
I did a test batch with Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free flour and found I needed to add a little extra yogurt to the dough to thin it out. The cookies baked out okay, but were more cakey.
Yogurt Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup full-fat yogurt Greek or plain, room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add the softened butter, brown sugar, and white sugar, and beat or mix until combined. Add the vanilla, then stir through the Greek yogurt.
- Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and mix until no flour streaks remain. Do not overmix. Fold through the chocolate chips.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove the bowl from the fridge. Scoop 1/4-cup portions of cookie dough and place 6 on each cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are just firm.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool completely on the baking sheets.
Notes
- Tips: See my recipe tips above for making the best yogurt chocolate chip cookies.
- Leftovers: Keep covered at room temperature for 5 days or refrigerated for 10 days. You can freeze baked cookies for up to 6 months.
Good recipe for on the go! It’s basically baked oatmeal. Didn’t seem very high protein though – took out all sugar and chocolate chips. Added protein powder, egg and increased yogurt.
Am I missing the nutritional info for these cookies?
It’s in the recipe card, Nancy!
These turned out really delicious and indulgent!
Thanks for the lovely review, Alexia!
What a nice looking cookies. Banana in the middle is the best detail. Thanks
So thankful for this delicious recipe, I now make these on a weekly basis! Thanks for sharing😊
You are so welcome, Elaina!
I used plain yogurt at full fat, no extra banana, and fresh homemade Soynut butter. Dark chocolate chunks in half and white milk chocolate chips in the other. Mix of honey and maple syrup. It came out well, and glad my family can enjoy delicious healthy cookies as snacks!
🙂 That sounds perfect!
Just discovered soy greek-style yogurt and was thinking it would make a nice cookie. You seem to have everything I am looking for here. My new fave recipe blog (which is saying a LOT because I hate to bake as much as you love it). BTW my house currently smells DIVINE thanks to your applesauce cookies.
Julia, this comment made my day- Thank you SO much for your kind words!
These cookies sound perfect! I love how you’re so into “dessert” for breakfast. I’m with you, cookies at 8 AM all the way! 🙂
🙂 Thanks Nicole!
VERY easy to make your own Greek yogurt ! Not sure if you would even need a yogurt maker with your weather down there. Just take a tablespoon of live yogurt from the top of the pot is best add 1000ml of milk and keep it in a warm place for about 8 hours then put in the fridge. To make it Greek you leave the yogurt to strain through a muslim cloth for however long you desire as it will keep getting thicker as you leave it. Leave it overnight and you get soft cheese, if you leave it to long just add some whey back in. Easy :o)
Oh thanks for that, Claudia- I’ll need to give it a go! 🙂
I think greek yogurt has been bastardized by many big brands. I love that this recipe has pretty much all my favorite things!
YAY! Hope you try it out!
Fage 2% or whole. That’s all I have to say.
I used to gag at the thought of plain yogurt, but it’s ALL I eat now because I know the goodness of fatty, creamy Greek yogurt (and toppings like peanut butter, banana, and muffins).
Remember when you ate CHOBANI?
I cried on your behalf.
Omg yesss I can’t do 0% Greek yogurt without copious amounts of sugar! Ugh it’s so tart and tangy. Good call on using it up in baking – these look awesome!
Hahahaha yes! My sister did a 1 : 1 ratio of maple syrup!
I totally agree! There are some really bad Greek yogurts out there. I eat yogurt almost everyday during the week, and I have tried a bunch of different brands. I finally discovered Cabot’s vanilla bean Greek yogurt, and I’ve never looked back…but before that? It was definitely dicey. Good call on baking with it instead!
Wait, Cabot has yogurt? Geebuz, a brand I didn’t try!
For me, it’s always full fat dairy- milk, yoghurt, cheese… The fat is where it’s at!
It tastes so good!
Basically if you take the fat out of anything you take out the deliciousness. ? Aaaaaaaanyways, I really really miss that you can no longer deliver these goodies to me! ?? come back soon!!
COME TO AUSSSSSS 😀
Before I was vegan I loved yogurt hardcore. Chobani was actually the last thing to go for me in that transition so I get why people like it. I find now instead of yogurt (even though vegan ones are great!) I don’t eat it much anymore. I traded it for bananas and will never look back. I use plain soy yogurt to make dips, but that’s about it. These cookies look tasty Arman, yogurt included 🙂
Thanks Ellie- Appreciate it!
I love breakfast oatmeal cookies and make them often! These look yummy 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
Oh hello, cookies haven’t looked this appealing to me since …Christmas. As in: when my grandma let her baking magic happen.
Show me one person who can’t tell the difference between non-fat yogurt and the real kind = full-fat or at least some fat. I do use low-fat Greek yogurt/Quark when I add all. the. toppings/mix-ins but never ever plain. In fact, 0 % doesn’t exist in Germany.
Oh nice- That’s so impressive!