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!!
Averie, you need to write a book on photography too because every single time I come here, I’m blown away by your photos. The composition, the colour, the vividness, the styling, all of it is amazing. And your cookies, as always, look perfect. You always get just the right chocolate to dough ratio. That melting chocolate is calling my name. I’ve never made cookies with cream cheese either. Looks like you’re not the only one who needs to make up for lost time! On a side note, are you ok?! I was so concerned after I read your last comment on my blog. I responded but with wordpress, I never know if people actually get notified when I do.
I’m fine. Talk about a jolt, literally…but fine :) And no, don’t get personal replies from you in my inbox and have to remember to check back. But thank you for asking!
And the cookie and photography compliments, thank you! I work very hard to make sure my cookies look like the cookies do that I would want to make and eat – not some dried up, old, hard, crumbly thing. Lol. Thank you for the kind words – that means a ton!
Averie, you totally got me with these! So much chocolate and the cream cheese – I can’t wait to try it in cookies! PS: Love the chocolate you used in this recipe!
Thanks, Anna! I used both chips and chunks (had partial bags open and put them both to use!) Thanks for the pin!
What beautiful looking cookies! Great post and stunning photography! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you! I appreciate it!
These cooks look incredible! I can only imagine how soft, chewy, and gooey they are!
Super soft, chewy & gooey :)
Look at that amazing melted chocolate! Seriously incredible!
Is it weird that I want cookies for breakfast now?
happens to me every day!
Excellent recipe, Averie! Your chocolate chip cookies with cream cheese in the dough really do look scrumptious soft batch style! xo
They were super soft batch-style!
oh my goodness, chewy, indeed! these look to die for.
I’ve actually never baked with cream cheese before (well, except for cheesecakes). Looks like an amazing chocolate chip cookie version!
And congratulations again on the cookbook! Proud of your continued success and I hope you publish more.
Liz you were the VERY FIRST Commenter on my blog. Ever. 4+ years ago. Thank you for your (obviously) undying and loyal support. Boy, how far we both have come and the changes that life has had for both of us, blogs, moves, books, school, work etc. but I know you’re always there. And thank you xoxoxo :)
Definitely always here! :) xo
I honestly don’t think you can ever go wrong when cream cheese is involved! Loving these!
You can’t go wrong with cream cheese (and cookies and chocolate!)
The magic of cream cheese. I actually have a bar of cream cheese in the fridge waiting to be used up. Maybe I’ll bake a batch of cookies tonight…
I usually use cream cheese for cheesecake – not sure if I’ve used it in anything else!
Do you have any puff pastry or avocados on hand?
This is something I can see you liking and it uses cream cheese, savory style
MM I am so intrigued, esp when you said that they taste more buttery even though there is less. It is so fun to experiment with different ingredients. These cookies do look quite delicious. Are they “cakey” cookies? Or still soft and chewy?
Nope, not cakey! I mentioned that in the post because I knew people would ask but no cakiness – still chewy! I am not a fan of cakey cookie (at all!) and wouldn’t have even posted them if they were – haha! :)
I’m going to make these when I come back from my trip. Cornstarch trick is interesting and I can’t wait to give it a try! :D Now what do I do with my cookie craving… :) Super delicious photos, Averie!
Cornstarch is so magical in cookies. They turn out like softbatch-style cookies without being cakey!
Question….Is there something you can substitue for the cornstarch? Like Arowroot that would give you the same results. I’m allergic to corn so no cornstarch for me!!!!
Hmmm, you could try with arrowroot or maybe tapioca starch? However, I have never tried either in cookies and cannot comment to the amts/ratios or the results. I would think similar amts but cannot be sure. If you do try, can you LMK what you did and how it went? Would love to know to help others. Of course, you could always omit if you just want to make them and not mess around with experimenting.
THIS is what I mean about your pics with chocolate! So mesmerizing and completely mouthwatering! Gorgeous photos Averie! These cookies look perfect! Love the addition of cream cheese!
After I read that comment that you wrote back to me on your site, and I knew I had this post going out, I thought…oh, wait til she sees these :) So glad you like the photos. That means a ton coming from you!
I love cream cheese in cookies, these look absolutely mouthwatering!