Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies — 🍪🙌🏻🤎These soft batch cookies are made with a combination of butter and cream cheese, which makes them extra rich and delicious! I like to make mine using a combination of chocolate chips and chunks, and you can even use M&M’s in these!
Table of Contents
Soft Baked Chocolate Chip Cookies (with Cream Cheese!)
I’ve been wanting to bake cream cheese into cookies for ages. I finally did. And I’m in love with the results.
I adapted my favorite Chocolate Chip and Chunk Cookies recipe and replaced some of the butter with cream cheese and am in love with the results.
My favorite recipe calls for 3/4 cup of butter, and for these soft batch chocolate chip cookies I used a combination of 1/2 cup butter and 1/4 cup cream cheese. You wouldn’t think that just a simple quarter-cup swap of butter for cream cheese would effect results that much, but it did.
These chocolate chip cream cheese cookies are so soft, moist, and with a richness to the dough like no other cookies I’ve tried.
Ingredients for Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you’ve never made chocolate chip cookies with cream cheese before, you’re in for a treat! You’ll need just a handful of pantry staples:
- Unsalted butter
- Cream cheese
- Light brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Cornstarch
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies
The steps for this chocolate chip cookie recipe with cream cheese couldn’t be simpler!
- Cream together the cream cheese, butter, sugars, and vanilla extract. Whip the mixture on medium-high speed until it’s light and fluffy. Don’t just mix it all together, it must be light and fluffy before moving onto the next step!
- Add in the dry ingredients and scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything gets incorporated.
- Scoop the cookie dough into large balls and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before baking.
- Bake the cookies for no more than 10 minutes, then let cool for 5 minutes on the baking tray before transferring to a wire rack.
Cookie FAQs
It makes them super soft and moist! In this particular recipe, the dough seems more buttery — which is ironic since there’s actually less butter used, not more. The cream cheese cookies are super soft without being cakey, and remind me of soft batch cookies. The edges are slightly chewy, and the thick interiors are soft, tender, and moist.
I can’t taste the cream cheese, but it adds depth, density, and richness that my regular chocolate chip cookies don’t have.
Use full-fat cream cheese in a block. Do NOT use light, fat-free, or a whipped cream cheese because your dough will become runny. I tried the recipe with some light cream cheese I had on hand, and the cookies baked thinner and spread.
You can use a hand mixer and a bowl if that’s all you have, but I prefer using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment because you can prepare other parts of the recipe while it’s busy mixing. I use the Kitchenaid 7-quart tilt head mixer, which you can get on Amazon. They’re worth the investment in my opinion!
Technically, you can omit the cornstarch, but your cookies won’t turn out as soft. To make these cream cheese chocolate chip cookies soft batch-style, the cornstarch is needed.
I made these as classic chocolate chip cream cheese cookies, but I bet you could add extra mix-ins if desired. Chopped nuts, M&M’s, or your favorite chopped up candy bar would all be good additions. Just be sure to add no more than 2 1/4 cups mix-ins total. 
Yes, if you want to make soft batch chocolate chip cookies with cream cheese you MUST chill the dough first. Make sure to chill your dough for at least 2 hours before you bake to ensure your cookies bake thick and puffy. Warm, limp dough bakes into limpy and wimpy cookies. I want my cookies to be thick, with puffy centers that are overflowing with chocolate.
I used a 2-inch cookie scoop to make my cookies because I like them really big. If you don’t have a cookie scoop, use a large spoon and your hands. Just try to make your cookies all the same size so they bake evenly!
Recipe Video Tutorial
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Softbatch Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup cream cheese, softened*
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt, optional and to taste
- 2 ¼ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks**
Instructions
- To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, cream cheese (measure it by smooshing it into a 1/4-cup measure), sugars, egg, vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed until well-creamed, light and fluffy, about 5 minutes (or use an electric hand mixer and beat for at least 7 minutes).
- Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, optional salt, and mix until just combined, about 1 minute.
- Add chocolate chips and chunks, and beat momentarily to incorporate, or fold in by hand.
- Using a medium 2-inch cookie scoop, form heaping mounds (I made 28). Place mounds on a large plate, flatten mounds slightly with your palm, cover with plasticwrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 5 days, before baking. Do not bake with warm dough because cookies will spread and bake thinner and flatter.
- Preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat Non-Stick Baking Mat or spray with cooking spray and place mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart (I bake 8 cookies per sheet).
- Bake for 8 to 9 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just beginning to set, even if slightly undercooked, pale and glossy in the center. Do not bake longer than 10 minutes as cookies will firm up as they cool.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing and transferring to a rack to finish cooling.***
- Cookies will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Alternatively, unbaked cookie dough can be stored airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Cookies Made with Cream Cheese:
ALL OF MY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE RECIPES!
Cream Cheese Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cookies — Cream cheese keeps them super soft! Say hello to your new fave chocolate cookie!!
Black and White Cream Cheese Cookies — These cookies combine two favorites in one! Soft, moist, buttery, creamy Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies are paired with fudgy, intensely chocolaty, and not overly sweet Dark Chocolate Dark Brown Sugar Cookies.
Cream Cheese White Chocolate Chip Cookies — These soft and chewy white chocolate chip cookies use two special ingredients to achieve their pillowy texture: instant pudding mix and cream cheese!
Cream Cheese Cookies — Big, soft, buttery cookies with sweet and tangy cream cheese in the middle!! Oh my….Best thumbprints ever!!!
Softbatch Glazed Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies — Big, bold lemon flavor packed into super soft cookies thanks to the cream cheese!! Tangy-sweet perfection! Lemon lovers are going to adore these easy cookies!!
I love oatmeal choc chip cookies no nuts. How can I incorporate oatmeal into the cream cheese cookies while still having creamy moisture without drying out the cookie?
I would say to achieve what you’re looking for you’re going to have to put on your creative chef hat and start experimenting on your own to find your own perfect cookie.
For my perfect oatmeal chocolate chip cookie, these are the winners! https://www.averiecooks.com/2014/11/the-best-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies.html No cream cheese necessary and very moist.
I’ve been using the same recipe my mom has used for years and I haven’t had any luck at getting them just right. I love the idea of the cream cheese and will try my hand at this recipe! They look so delicious! (But there goes my diet!!)
Tried this recipe and the results were not as pictured:( left them in the recommended time and they were pale in color and had a weird unbaked like texture. Tried leaving the next batch in 2 minutes longer but it didn’t help.
All ovens, baking pans, climates, ingredients vary. You have to use common sense and bake until they’re as done as you like, given your set of variables and personal preferences. Thanks for trying the recipe.
Oh my goodness THE BOM. THANKU THANKU 4 sharin ur recipe. I’m not good at baking & I’ve failed every choc chip cookie recipe, but I never gave up. I am so grateful for a recipe where I finally feel I can not go wrong. I’m impatient & didn’t chill the first 8 cookies & they are ginormous & the best! I can’t wait to see how it will taste 2moro after being chilled. I don’t have a stand up mixer, but my good old hand mixer did the job. I’ve pinned a thousand things on Pinterest & ur recipe was the 1st thing I finally tried. We took pics of the cookies to have everybody I’ve disappointed come back. So happy so grateful ThankU Averie :D
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! I’m flattered that of all the things you’ve pinned, that my recipe is the first you’ve actually made and that it was a huge success!
Hi, I tried these cookies and they turned out really soft. I loved the flavor as well, but was wondering if I wanted them a little crunchier how much butter would you put if you didn’t use cream cheese?
These cookies are, by design, very soft. So I’m not sure what you’d do to make them crunchier. You’d have to experiment on your own.
OMG I am so excited to try this! I just learned about cream cheese vs butter for other things and WOW where have I been all these years?!?!?
Thanks for blogging this!
Found the link to your site/recipe on an MSN article detailing “Great Homemade Cookies”. Tried to print the recipe and link takes user to a “Stella Artois” beer site asking user if you’re of legal drinking age or to login as a “fakebook” user. Neither of which I wanted o disclose. Just wanted to print recipe….are you aware of this?
I just tried on two of my computers to ‘Print’ and it worked just fine and wasn’t taken anywhere but to the correct page for printing the recipe. I think that must have been a fluke with your computer/browser.
I’ve made these 4 times now since December. It’s amazing and very very easy!
Thanks for trying the recipe over and over and glad it comes out great for you!
yummy
These cookies are AWESOME!! Definitely going to be my go to chocolate chip cookie from now on. Thank you:)
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you and that it’s your new go-to recipe!
One instruction called for bread flour and one called for just regular flour. Do you use both types.
The directions for this recipe calls for AP flour and that’s what I use. There are other cookie recipes I have used bread flour but not with these.
How would this recipe work spread in a jelly roll pan? I love the cookies but sometimes I am in a hurry and I like the pan idea. Appreciate your help.
I think that if you want to bake in a pan, a 9×9 would be better, or even a 9×13, but I think that they’ll just get too thin if you bake in a jelly roll pan. I’ve never tried this recipe that way, but I have tons of bar recipes if you want take a peek, all baked in pans.
https://www.averiecooks.com/category/dessert/bars
Hi there – what is a good alternative for cornstarch – i live in New Zealand, and we don’t have it here. Thanks :-)
There really isn’t an alternative. It’s a grocery-store staple here in the US, sorry you can’t find it!
Hi Averie,
thanks for the recipe! When I saw it I thought yes yes yes- these are going to be so good! Im sorry to report though that I didnt like them (baked) at all : ( The cookie dough was great- I could taste a slight pungentness from the cream cheese that normal cookie dought doest have, which I liked (I ate about half the batch in dough before even baking them : P), but after pulling them out of the oven I was firstly disappointed in their appearance- mine turned out looking nothing like the cragy goodness of yours- mine baked too fast at the edges and the center was just a smooth mound. Then after tying them I couldnt help but taste a sour flavor. A friend tried them too and also reported a “sour milk” flavor : (
I’ve never had these cookies taste sour after baking and have never heard of that from all the comments I’ve received over the years about these cookies. I have baked them with storebrand cream cheese, Trader Joe’s brand, and Philadelphia. I would try another brand and see how it goes because it sounds like a fluke that your cream cheese went bad.
Also follow ALL these tips for cookie baking success, i.e. King Arthur, Silpat, etc and you’ll have gorgeous cookies! https://www.averiecooks.com/the-best-soft-and-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies/
These have been on my cookie board for a while now, and I finally got around to making them today. These rocked our socks! Made them exactly according to the recipe. They are so soft & delicious! Thanks!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Glad you finally got around to them!
It’s the little things that matter the most. I do take for granted all the effort put into making a recipe for the average home cook. So thank you so much for making your recipes so easy to follow. :) I read your post for the NY Times cookies a long while ago because after I baked them, I needed confirmation that they were not the best chocolate chip cookie. It was nice to know that I was not the only one with hard 1-day-old cookies. Keep up the great work Averie!
Wow, wow, wow! Thank you for sharing this recipe. It was so good I had to come back to comment! I made the recipe and this is the thickest, most satisfying soft chocolate chip cookie ever! I have tried so many choc chip cookie recipes, even the famous NY Times recipe and other claimed “best” recipes, even one that tested for the best dough temp to fold in the chocolate chips. (It was an interesting science but the cookie was so not worth all the effort.) So thank you, thank you sooooo much for your recipe. Hubby was impatient to wait for the dough to chill 2 hours so I didn’t chill the cookies and they still turned out like your pictures. Mixed by hand. I also only had a cup of ap flour so I used whole wheat pastry flour for the rest. If anyone is curious as to how these compare to a pudding cookie, these are soooooo much better! Pudding cookies have a slight artificial flavor it seems. I also love how these cookies don’t require any shortening to be thick. Thank you again for sharing!
Thanks for the glowing comment and all the details! I never ever bake with shortening. I think in over 1000+ recipes on my blog and 2 cookbooks, I have used it about 2 times, to help melted chocolate stay smooth longer for dipping truffles.
I do like pudding cookies but I agree, the taste is more artificial and you have to like that flavor profile or it jogs a bakery-cookie flavor from childhood, which is the case for me.
The NY Times cookies, I’ve made them. https://www.averiecooks.com/2012/11/new-york-times-chocolate-chips-cookies-from-jacques-torres.html Not my favorite cookie for so many reasons, including the precision in weighing everything down to the gram (my blog recipes aren’t written that way, at all. They’re written for average home cooks, errors and mis-measuring and all) and the fact that they turn very crisp and not soft after the first day. All that work for crunchy cookies, no thanks!