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!
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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 have been searching for the perfect soft chocolate chip cookie recipe for the longest time. These really hit the target. They come out so fluffy, tender, soft and deliciously chocolatey. Definately my new favorite and now the only chocolate chip recipe i will use!
Glad these hit the spot and are your new fave and the only recipe you will use!
Do I have to form the cookies into polices or can I just refrigerate the dough and then form the cookies?
If you refrigerate the dough and then try to form cookies it can be very hard and difficult to work with; make as recommended by forming cookies first, then chilling.
Such a great recipe that can be kept in refrigerator for up to 5 days! Loved that part! Who doesn’t live fresh cookies??
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you love these cookies!
I made these as directed and they were delicious. I wanted to make a cookie cake. Will this recipe work or do I have to make modifications? If I could use this recipe what size pan do you suggest?
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you loved them!
Cookie cake – you mean like cookies in a pan? https://www.averiecooks.com/category/dessert/cookies/ check out some of the skillet cookies and cookie pies, there are tons to choose from that I have already made. I have never made this recipe as anything other than actual cookies.
After freezing, how long (if at all) do I let them defrost before baking? Thanks
Not necessary, just bake straight from freezer, maybe 1-2 extra minutes.
Thanks so much! Turned out perfect!! My family’s favorite cookie recipe ☺️
Thanks for letting me know this is your family’s fave cookie recipe!
Made the chocolate chip cookies they came out good and tastes really good too. Will make again. Have you tried making banana chocolate chip cookies ? Those are good too would like to find a receipt for them.
Glad you enjoyed these and yes https://www.averiecooks.com/banana-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies/
THE best chocolate chip cookies ever. I will never make another recipe again
Glad you think they are the best and will never make another recipe!
Hi
Made these soft batch chocolate chip cookies and everyone at home loved them. They turned out so good.
I just wanted to ask if there is anything that I can substitute the egg with, and still ger the same soft and chewiness in the cookies. few family members are allergic to eggs. Please help me.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad everyone loved them! I would try an egg replacer, something like EnerG that you can buy on Amazon. https://amzn.to/2Fr8tVz
Can you use coconut flour?
No, make as written for best results. Coconut flour is too absorbent and will not work here as written unless you are willing to do lots of testing.
How would you adapt the recipe to make them bars?
9×9 or 9×13 pan, bake for 20ish minutes, purely guessing though since I haven’t personally tried.
I made this today I used white chocolate chips baked them as pan cookies. Baked them 14 minutes.
Sounds like a winner!
Has anyone tried this recipe with almond flour? I am diabetic and was curious if anyone has tried the almond flour and used sugar substitutes?
I would not use almond flour here. It has very/no gluten and the cookies will not rise or turn out well, as written.
Very delicious, excellent texture. 5 stars!
Thanks for trying the recipe and for the 5 star review!
Averie, I am a big fan of yours and I made this recipe. I liked that you could make these, freeze & bake later. They were excellent and chewy. I made two batches and packaged them up with some jelly beans and bow for Easter take-home treats. My family loved them. Recently, I made a recipe for almond shortbread where they substituted cornstarch for some of the flour and the result was great so I was comfortable using it in this recipe.
The cream cheese really made the difference. They baked in 8 -9 minutes and were perfect. Making them this weekend for a group of friends.
Thanks for the 5 star rating and glad you were able to make, freeze, bake – and with jelly beans, how fun!
I just made these. They are awesome! I had read through the comments before trying it and Katie’s comment about the dough being crumbly? While mixing mine it was staying crumbly and I was concerned but the longer I mixed it came together. I think it’s because the butter and cream cheese was still “cold” and not softened enough. Vickie W’s comment about the uncooked center? Mine looked a tad under-done as well but tasted fine. I cooked the first pan for 10 minutes, the second for 12 and the last for 14. My cookies didn’t spread… at all! But I’m blaming that on the choco-chips! I have never found a recipe that had too many chips in it but this one… wow! Next batch I’ll cut the chips down , let the butter/cream cheese come to room temp and see if that helps. Love this recipe and it’s definitely in my “keeper” file!
Glad they’re keepers for you!
Hi Avery, Am a new addition to your website and quite anxious to try your CCCC Cookies. But what is the “shelf life?”
They would be bagged and heat sealed, so would they still be “good” for up tp 5 – 6 days? Would appreciate
very much your reply.
Fresh is always better with baked goods but yes they will keep 5-6 days, noting that they will of course taste best on day 1.