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 wanted to love these but the peanut butter was way too overpowering. The cookies looked great though/
Hi Kristi- I hear you. Peanut butter can be overpowering, especially if you don’t love love love the flavor. I recommend using almond butter or cashew butter, which are more mild tasting, but bake up just as well.
Whoch cream cheese you suggest here? You know the best?
Hi, I am trying these today. Why is there a message to see notes about the sugar. There isnt a note about sugar. What does it mean, please.?
Hi Linda, that note is to just mention that keto sweeteners can work for this recipe in place of sugar too.
I swapped the cream cheese for cottage cheese and it didn’t bake properly or even spread.
Hi! I’m not surprised it didn’t turn out correct- cottage cheese has a much higher water content and also much less fat, which is why they won’t bake or spread properly. It really does change the whole structure of the dough. Cream cheese really is key here and I wouldn’t recommend swapping it out. If you are looking for a lighter option, I did test these with low fat cream cheese. Not as rich tasting, but still baked up well.
I have all ingredients except vanilla extract. I could put vanilla flavour drops instead. Is that okay?
This I will make. Lidl has the best cream cheese every. And its also cheap.
Hi,
I made these before while on a keto diet, but I used did 1/2c of granular swerve. They turned out great, and lost 30 pounds. I found out I was allergic to erythritol, and only using organic stevia. Do you know how much stevia I need to put in the cookies to be slightly sweetened? Thanks!
I made these cookies exactly how it said and all I got was a spongy mess. They DEFINITELY didn’t turn out like the cookies in the picture. Seems it was missing an ingredient. Almond flour perhaps? Recipe was a bust.
Sorry to hear that, Peggy Sue. These are intentionally flourless, so no almond flour needed. A spongy texture usually means the dough wasn’t chilled long enough- it really does need 45 minutes in the fridge before baking and even longer if your kitchen runs warm. Also make sure not to overbake. They’ll look underdone in the oven but firm up as they cool. Hope that helps!
Wow so easy to make. I will try it one day without using sugar.
I don’t like peanut butter so used coconut oil and it was a mess. Greasy, crumbly cookies with no structure. Fail Whale.
The peanut butter (or any nut or seed butter) is what gives these cookies their structure. Coconut oil is pure fat with no protein, so it won’t bind the dough the same way at all. If you’re not a peanut butter fan, almond butter or cashew butter are great swaps which work well here.
I had to come back to say how delicious these cookies came out! They were so soft; I used half granular and half brown low carb sugars. I also used almond extract and nutmeg instead of the vanilla, just because I didn’t want to use the little vanilla I had, and that worked out just fine. The two tablespoons of batter made huge cookies, so I will only use one Tablespoon of the batter next time. The next time I make them I’m going to experiment with adding powdered ginger and spreading them a little thinner to see if they will come out like ginger snaps. Thank you so much for this recipe!
very good, soft cookies! thank you for sharing!
These turned out wonderfully. I can’t tell if that’s flaky sea salt your adding to the top in your video can you let me know?
Hi Nicholas! Yes, it is- I don’t keep it as a recommendation, as my partner and friends thought it was too much haha- but I loved it (I’m bias because I love sweet and salty).
These cookies are amazing. I added pecans and keto chocolate chips. These are better than any low carb cookie I’ve ever tried, homemade or store bought.
I made these for my husband and I who are now living a keto lifestyle. These are perfect to curb my husband’s sweet tooth 😁 I even shared a few with my Dad who has type 2 diabetes. He loves them too. Thank you for sharing!
Made these tonight with brown sugar. Made quite a lot. They are very soft, hopefully the fridge will harden them up. I’d make these again.
Thank you so much for such a clear informative recipe. I see many where it’s difficult to find the ingredients and method.
This is a great recipe. I used only 1/2 C of allulose/monk fruit mixture for the sweetner and it came out great. Nice and peanutty. Fits great with my no sugar low to no carb life. Thanks for another great recipe.
Delicious!! Absolutely amazing if you are trying to eat healthier! I substituted coconut sugar for the regular sugar.