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Cream Cheese Cookies are the best soft bite size cookies! They’re sweet with the tang from cream cheese and they melt in your mouth. This is the perfect cookie if you’re looking for a new way to make Russian Tea Cakes that are softer and tangier!

stacked cookies with powdered sugar sprinkled over top.


I love cream cheese and it goes so well in so many recipes like this cream cheese cookie recipe. These cookies have the best taste from the cream cheese and they’re mini cookies that are bite size with a soft texture. They’re great all year but make the perfect Christmas cookies! They’re a cross between whipped shortbread, Snowball cookies, and Jam Thumpbrints in texture and taste.

Ingredients Needed

  • Flour: Use all-purpose flour and make sure to measure it correctly, by spooning and leveling.
  • Cream Cheese: It needs to be a block of regular cream cheese (not low fat, tub, or whipped). Make sure it’s room temperature.
  • Cornstarch: Adds softness!
  • Powdered Sugar: The best topping to dust the cookies.

Click to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!

How to make Cream Cheese Cookies

  1. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  2. Mix butter and cream cheese until smooth in a large bowl with a hand mixer (or using a stand electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) on medium speed. Add sugar and cream until fluffy then add both extracts and egg and mix until smooth, then mix in the dry ingredients.
  3. Using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop cookie dough balls onto cookie sheets, 2-inches apart. Bake on baking sheet until bottoms are light golden brown and tops are no longer glossy. They don’t flatten; they’ll stay somewhat puffy.
  4. Cool then dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Variations

  • Turn these into Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies by adding 1 cup mini chocolate chips to the batter after the flour mixture.
  • If you want to make these cookies have an extra layer, add a cream cheese frosting on top!
  • You can also swap brown sugar for the granulated – you can use a combination or all brown if you prefer.
stacked cookies with powdered sugar sprinkled over top.

Storing Cookies

Store these cookies in an airtight container for a few days – they do not need to be refrigerated. You can also freeze baked and cooled cookies in an airtight container. Freeze the cookie dough also – just thaw before baking.

Expert Tips

  • Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl (and bottom) when mixing.
  • Traditionally, only vanilla is used but I thought they were pretty one-note until I added the almond extract. You can substitute lemon or coconut extract as well.
  • Watch the cookies in the oven – check after about 8 minutes to see if the pans need rotating. These brown quickly on the bottom and if your oven is hotter on the bottom you may need to rotate the pans.
  • Cool on cookie sheet then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
stacked cookies with powdered sugar sprinkled over top.

Cream Cheese Cookies Recipe

5 from 1 vote
Cream Cheese Cookies are bite size soft cookies that melt in your mouth! These are easy to make and so good – almost like snowball cookies but with the tang of cream cheese.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Yield 32 servings
Serving Size 1 serving
Rate RecipePrint Recipe

Ingredients
 

  • 1 2/3 cups (206g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons (16g) cornstarch
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 ounces (113g) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 large egg
  • Powdered sugar for dusting
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Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
  • Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  • Mix butter and cream cheese until smooth in a large bowl with a hand mixer (or using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment). Add sugar then cream the mixture until fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
  • Add both extracts and egg and mix until smooth, then mix in the dry ingredients.
  • Using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop balls of cookie dough onto cookie sheets, 2-inches apart. Bake 8-13 minutes, or until bottoms are light golden and tops are no longer glossy. They don’t flatten; they’ll stay somewhat puffy.
  • Cool then dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Recipe Notes

  • Almond extract is optional, but I found it gave the cookies much better flavor.
  • Traditionally, only vanilla is used but I thought they were pretty one-note until I added the almond extract. You can substitute lemon or coconut extract as well.
  • Watch the cookies in the oven – check after about 8 minutes to see if the pans need rotating. These brown quickly on the bottom and if your oven is hotter on the bottom you may need to rotate the pans.
  • Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature or or in the freezer.

Recipe Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 118kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 32mg | Potassium: 34mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 147IU | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Author Dorothy Kern

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Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

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5 from 1 vote

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2 Comments

  1. Those Dulce De Leche cookies look so yummy!!! Can’t wait to try baking some for my grandchildren. Thinking about filling some with Nutella. Thanks for your kindness in sharing such an awesome recipe.

    Reply