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 saw the first picture on tumblr’s blog and I knew it was your :)
That’s cool that you recognize “me” :)
I’ve had other people tell me the same thing – that they can always recognize my images, which is good I think!
I could eat your blog!!! These look amazing! Must try them soon!
Oh my! This sounds divine, I bet they taste like heaven :) I must make these!
“Let cool 5 minutes on cookie sheet” – do you realize how hard that was? LOL
The cookies just made it to the cooling rack and 2 are already missing! They’re delicious, Averie. I’m taking them to a friend’s house tonight as a hostess gift. Thanks for a simple, yummy cookie!
So glad you made them and they were a big hit (right off the cookie sheet!) :) You have lucky friends and I hope they enjoy them – have a wonderful 4th!
You’ve done it again girl! I need a dozen of these STAT :) Pinned, drooling, and featuring tonight!
Thanks for pinning and for planning to feature :)
Was there any benefit in chilling the dough first and then baking them, or was this just a matter of not having time?
I highly recommend chilling the dough, which is why I wrote the recipe the way I did, and instruct to do so. If you don’t chill the dough, you will not get the same results that I did, which are the cookies shown in the photos. Instead, your cookies will likely bake up much thinner and flatter and be prone to spreading. I would much rather budget in a little extra time to chill the dough than rush it and have questionable results. LMK how your cookies turn out!
I am planning on making these cookies, I cannot comment on taste,but
they do read well, I have a question, do you believe that I could add this
much cream cheese to a standard peanut butter cookie with good results,
I also am pleased to read about the addition of the cornstarch, I shall also
include your secret in my baking.
Thank you for any reply,
cheers, Linda
Substituting cream cheese for butter is something that I’d recommend playing around with IF you are willing to take the gamble to things not turning out. You never know in baking when things will work, and when they won’t – til you try. Sometimes the best laid plans don’t work, and the things you swear would never work, actually turn out. If you play around – LMK what the results are.
I made these easy cookies. The only change I made was the size. I used a smaller scoop (which held a full Tablespoon) and adjusted the time according to the directions. Baked about 7 minutes total. It made about 45 cookies including all the eating of the raw dough. Not to insult this recipe but this recipe reminds me ONLY of the texture of Entenman’s Cookies but tasted wayyyy better. (I totally dislike Entenman’s cookies) The cookies were very good and texture as described, but I still LOVE an all chewy cookie.
They were loaded with chocolate chips. I prefer more cookie dough then chips (I know weird ~ right) so if I make them again I will cut the chips way back. Hope this helps.
Yes they are definitely loaded with chocolate chips as you can see from the photos, the recipe card itself, and my blog text about it. I said that I wanted to have tons of chocolate and tons in every bite. So if you’re one of those people who doesn’t like chocolate as much, cutting it back to your tastes is of course what you should do for the future. I can also appreciate dough as well, minus the chips! My post today about Dark Chocolate Cookies is all about that – no chips, no add-ins, just focusing on the quality of the dough.
Thanks for trying them and glad you enjoyed them overall!
Averie,
I was really honored that you sent me a personalized email with your reply:) thank you so much.
Your recipe and tips were exact in description and taste. I really liked the chill 2 hour tip as that helped the dough hold shape just as you said. I brought them to a high school graduation party. The graduate told me she hid them till the next morning and surprised her friends who slept over ~ they too LOVED them! Of course you know I will be making them again but just with less chips for me! I have to tell you something else ~ I just picked a BIG bowl of blueberries as I have three 40+ years old bushes. I signed onto Pinterest hoping to find a new recipe to strike my fancy and low and behold on my home page there happened to be a ” Blueberry Muffin and Buttermilk Pancake Cake” Wow, I was eager to check it out and had to giggle when I saw it was one of yours! LOVE your unique recipes. I will definitley be making this tomorrow night followed by your Blueberry Cream Cheese Cake……. Wished you lived closer as I would share all my blueberries with you. Thank you again for fabulous and unique recipes to try. Your new follower, Patricia
That blueberry muffins pancakes cake is EXCELLENT. For how EASY it is…it’s wonderful.
https://www.averiecooks.com/2013/06/blueberry-muffin-and-buttermilk-pancakes-cake.html
Within that post, there’s a link to a Strawberries & Cream Coffee Cake as well as another Blueberry Coffee Cake. Both are amazing cakes and you can use blueberries in the strawberry one obviously. And my post that’s going live in 5 hours is a peach coffee/muffin cake. So good.
This “The graduate told me she hid them till the next morning and surprised her friends who slept over” – now THAT is awesome and high praise that a bunch of h.s. girls are going to town on my cookies and loving them. Thank you for telling me!
Keep me posted what other recipes you make!
Averie,
My pin of your Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookie was my most popular last week. 19 others pinned it again! Yummy ~ just sayin……
Thanks for LMK! It’s been pinned about 27,000 times last week from my site alone – and then from others who pin it, like 19 from you – it all counts :)
These were a big winner today with the family. Fantastic option for an occasional naughty treat! :)
Oh yay! So glad you tried them and the family approves, too! Thanks for telling me!
OMG I LOVE ALL YOUR RECIPES! I’ve been trying to use up my cream cheese and using it in cookies is simply brilliant! I love my cookies big and flat and chewy, but never really achieved all of them in one cookie, any good tips? Much love from Malaysia :)
Follow my recipes for cookies, chill the dough in mounds/balls at least overnight, then before baking flatten to just slightly thicker than you want your cookies to turn out, and bake. Keep me posted!
Hi Averie! I just found you through Mom On Timeout’s link party. Your cookies reached right through the screen and grabbed me, lol! They look soooo fabulous! Cream cheese CCC’s are you kidding me?! So funny that you like cornstarch in there, I do the same thing! I love what it does to the texture. Thanks for sharing, I’m your newest fan! :)
Thanks for saying hi and finding me thru Trish’s party! Love it when fun stuff like that happens! And so glad you like the cookies – and that you’re a cornstarch fan. It just adds the best texture. I have about 8 – 10 recipes I use it in on my site. Love it! :)
I went in futile search for a cream cheese chocolate chip cookie recipe right before I moved and am sad that I didn’t see this until afterwards–I had to use perfectly good cream cheese in an ordinary cheesecake swirl, but I will most definitely be purchasing more to make these cookies!
Congrats on your move (I know what a chore that is!) and now you get to re-stock your fridge and pantry and start baking :)
These look SO amazing!! I’m always looking for new ways to make chocolate chip cookies. Can’t wait to try these!
thanks, Kelly!
Seriously, I just stared at the photos and zoned out for a while. Now I’m kicking myself for not picking up that cream cheese at the grocery store – I looked right at it too! :D
I always keep a small tub on hand. 99% of the time I use it up and it’s worth the $2.29 to just have some on hand. I mean, there’s always frosting to make, right!
Chocolate chip cookies are one of those treats where I am always willing to try just one more recipe to see if it’s better than the last. I can’t wait to try this one!
These are a fun twist for sure! And the other recipes I linked in this post and that I adapted these from, all are great. Specifically, the last/final recipe if I were to pick one for a classic choc chip cookie, it would be the Chocolate Chip and Chunk recipe.
AHHHHH those look so pretty and soft! I made these lemon goat cheese cookies a while back and they were so soft and I have been wanting to try cream cheese in cookies. I think you convinced me :)
And I saw your tutorial make the rounds of the food sites :) Nice job! Wish we could make and eat cookies together!