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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!
Craving more creative cookie recipes? Try my Italian almond cookies, almond butter cookies, lemon ricotta cookies, and cookie butter cookies next.
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 what bakery you bought them from!
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Flourless. And no all purpose flour also makes them gluten-free!
- Made with only 5 key ingredients. And they’re all everyday staples you likely have on hand.
- No chilling required. Most cookie recipes require some chill time, but not these!
- Ready in 15 minutes. From prep to plate, these cookies are freshly baked and on the table in no time.
★★★★★ REVIEW
“Delicious!! Absolutely amazing if you are trying to eat healthier.” – Anna
Ingredients needed
- Cream cheese. Softened to room temperature. I prefer the full-fat variety as it makes for the best texture.
- Peanut butter. Smooth and drippy with no added salt or sugar. I also tested this recipe with almond butter, and while I found it a bit overpowering, the results were still tasty.
- Granulated sugar. I like using brown sugar, but white sugar or a brown sugar substitute also works.
- Baking soda. Keeps the cookies from overspreading. Don’t substitute baking powder as it won’t have the same effect.
- Large egg. Room-temperature eggs are best.
- Vanilla extract. Optional but highly recommended!
How to make cream cheese cookies
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
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
- Use an electric mixer. While optional, I find using a hand mixer on low speed makes mixing the cream cheese easier. Just remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl so you get a cohesive dough.
- Chill the dough. If you’d like thicker cookies, chill the dough for 45 minutes before baking them.
- Avoid overbaking the cookies. They’ll continue to firm up as they cool down, so remove them from the oven as soon as they begin to golden, and the edges lift from the baking sheet.
- Avoid using low-fat or reduced-fat cream cheese, or your cookie dough will be super soft and lose stability once baked.
Variations
- Make them vegan. Swap the egg for a flax egg (3 tablespoons of water to one tablespoon of flax seeds) and use dairy-free cream cheese.
- Add some mix-ins. While delicious as is, fold in some chocolate chips to make cream cheese chocolate chip cookies.
- Or add fun toppings. Like sprinkles, cinnamon sugar, or make a cream cheese frosting by combining softened cream cheese with vanilla extract, powdered sugar, and milk.
Storage instructions
To store: Leftover cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days or in the fridge for up to two weeks.
To freeze: Place cookies in a freezer-safe container and freeze them for up to six months. Let the cookies thaw at room temperature.
Frequently asked questions
Cream cheese from a block is the best option as it does not contain added water or fillers.
More cream cheese desserts to try
5-Ingredient Cream Cheese Cookies
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup cream cheese 8 ounces, softened
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1 cup sugar * See notes
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 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 well, until combined.
- 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
Originally updated September 2022, updated and republished July 2024
Do you use salted or unsalted peanut butter for your pb cookies? Ty!
I like unsalted, because the cream cheese has a slight tang, but you can use salted if you like 🙂
Can you replace the eggs with flax seed? For an eggless cookie?
These cookies are my favorite. So delicious.
I love reading your recipes and hope I can start making more of them. I follow a GF/DF diet and am paleo-ish. I like to bake with honey (or maple syrup), and I’m looking for recipes that don’t have a lot of honey or maple syrup in them. I don’t want to have my baked goods be super sweet. If you have some recipes such as I’ve described, please let me know. Thanks very much! ¡Mil gracias!
Hi there,
I’ve been Keto for 4+ years and make a ton of desserts! I’m excited to add these into the rotation!! (Making them today!) I’m wondering if you’ve ever added anything into the mix (like white chocolate chips, or pecans..etc) and if yes, does it change the baking time? Thanks 🙂
For sure! Cooking time won’t change 🙂
Hi there,
I’ve been Keto for 4+ years and make a ton of desserts! I’m excited to add these into the rotation!! (Making them today!) I’m wondering if you’ve ever added anything into the mix (like white chocolate chips, or pecans..etc) and if yes, does it change the baking time?
Tried these..came out nice and soft. Only thing for me they were too sweet. Will try with less sweetener next time.
Delish!
Hiya!
Just to let everyone know, if you can’t use peanut butter, don’t be afraid to substitute Wowbutter (soy butter). It works!
I just made a second batch, this time substituting tahini for PB. They just came out of the oven and are cooling. Can’t wait to find out how they turned out!
I don’t think there is a recipe that I haven’t enjoyed, and this one is no exception. They are so easy to make and have been a hit in my keto household, as well as non keto friends and family. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
I put a pinch of salt flakes on top, amd they were amazing, even the dough!!
I love that!! I thought I was the only one to eat the dough… 😉
I added chocolate chips and they were delicious. Mine came out a little cake-like but that just made them even better. The best part is they were so quick to make.
I made the cookies and got 27 of them using a #30 cookie scoop. Anyway…they didn’t flatten out like yours, but they are super tasty!
Can I use full fat whipped cream cheese? I don’t have any hard cream cheese.
Not that I’ve tried
The cookies were full of flavor and soft because I used a powdered sweetener. These are the best keto cookies I have ever tasted. I added sugar free chocolate chips so these cookies are super yummy.