Cream Cheese Cookies
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My cream cheese cookies are ever so tangy, chewy, and melt-in-your-mouth soft. Made with 5 key ingredients, one bowl, and NO flour!
I know what you’re thinking, but trust me, it’s not as weird as it sounds.
Cream cheese adds moisture and a subtle tangy flavor that perfectly complements the cookie’s sweetness. When paired with baking staples, these cookies will have all your friends questioning where you bought them.
My version of these cookies is a little different. During testing, I found that skipping the flour created a softer, richer cookie with an almost melt-in-your-mouth texture. The trade-off is that the dough needs extra chilling time before baking, which helps the cream cheese firm up and prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Flourless. There’s no flour needed, which also means these cookies are naturally gluten-free.
- Made with only 5 key ingredients. Better yet, they’re all simple pantry staples.
- Soft and chewy. The cream cheese gives these cookies a rich texture and subtle tangy flavor that sets them apart from traditional cookies.
- Ready in 15 minutes. Once chilled, these cookies are freshly baked and on the table in no time.
★★★★★ REVIEW
“Delicious!! Absolutely amazing if you are trying to eat healthier.” – Anna
Key Ingredients
Here’s what goes into cream cheese cookies, along with my kitchen notes. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Cream cheese. Softened to room temperature. I recommend full-fat cream cheese, as lower-fat varieties contain more moisture and can cause the cookies to spread too thin.
- Peanut butter. Use smooth, drippy peanut butter with no added salt or sugar. I also tested almond butter, and while I found the flavor a little stronger, the cookies still turned out well.
- Brown sugar. Adds sweetness and helps create a soft, chewy texture. White sugar or a brown sugar substitute can also be used.
- Baking soda. Gives the cookies a little lift and helps create a softer texture.
- Egg. A room-temperature egg mixes much more easily into the dough and helps bind everything together.
- Vanilla extract. Optional, but I never skip it. It rounds out the flavors and complements the cream cheese perfectly.
How to make cream cheese cookies
Step 1- Prep. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2- Make the cookie dough. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients.
Step 3- Shape and bake. Using a cookie scoop, scoop 2-inch balls of dough. Place the cookie dough balls on the cookie sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Let the cookies cool on the pan briefly, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Don’t skip the chill. Chilling the dough is a must to prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven. I recommend at least 45 minutes, but if you have longer, even better.
- Avoid overbaking the cookies. They’ll continue to firm up as they cool down, so remove them from the oven as soon as the tops are lightly golden and the edges have just set.
- Use an electric mixer. While not essential, I find a hand mixer makes it much easier to incorporate the cream cheese evenly into the dough.
Storage instructions
To store: Because these cookies are soft and delicate, I prefer storing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Let them sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving. They’ll keep well for up to 2 weeks.
To freeze: Place the cookies in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 6 months. Let the cookies thaw overnight in the fridge.
5-Ingredient Cream Cheese Cookies
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup cream cheese 8 ounces, softened, 225g
- 1 cup peanut butter 250g
- 1 cup brown sugar * See notes, 200g
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda 5g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar, egg, baking soda, and vanilla, and mix until combined. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes.
- Using a cookie scoop or a large spoon, scoop out heaping 2-tablespoon portions of the cookie dough and place them on the lined tray. Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the pan completely.
Notes
Nutrition
More cookie recipes
Originally updated September 2022
I love all your recipes. Thank you for putting them out there..
You are so welcome, Roberta, I hope you enjoy all the recipes and these cream cheese cookies.
Really loved this recipe! I have many coworkers that are gluten free and this was the best of no flour and great mouth feel/taste!
Aw, thanks Nicole!
Excited to try these! I might try and use carb friendly sweetener to see if it doesn’t change the taste or texture too much just to make them a little more carb friendly! Do you think that would change it too much? I usually use La Kanto brand
Hi Kelly! If you’re looking to cut the sugar, my recommend is always allulose. It’s by far the only sweetener that dissolves and bakes like sugar, and doesn’t leave things tasting gritty, grainy, or metallic. If you try these with allulose, I am confident they’ll turn out fine 🙂
I did as the recipe said and they were flat and dough. What did I do wrong
Hi Shirley- sorry to hear that happened to you. I’d love to work out what happened- did you change any of the ingredients? Are you living in high altitude? Another issue could be that the cream cheese you used was too soft/liquid-like. If the dough has been at room temperature for too long, they can collapse while in the oven. If that is the case, I recommend chilling the dough for about 30 minutes first. Let me know how you go!
Hey Arman I like the idea of your crean cheese peanut butter cookies but I like to add almond flour to it. What do you suggest?
I haven’t tried, but you could add a couple of tablespoons- it would firm the cookies up more!
Easy to make. Mine did not flatten and came out “half baked”, soft inside and crunchy outside, which was yummy for me. Thank you for this recipe!