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!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe … 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.
In my cookbook, I have a recipe for Carrot Cake Cookies with cream cheese baked in, but I’ve never tried it with chocolate chip cookies or as a way to substitute for butter until now.
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.
Cornstarch is my secret weapon for creating super soft cookies. The reason pudding cookies turn out so soft is because ‘modified food starch,’ or cornstarch, is one of the first ingredients in pudding mix. Same principle here, minus using actual pudding mix.
After trying these soft batch chocolate chip cream cheese cookies and not being able to keep my hands off of them, it’s made me wonder what’ll happen if I replace some of the butter with cream cheese in some of my other favorite cookie recipes. I can’t wait to start taste-testing and make up for lost time!
What Does Cream Cheese Do for Cookies?
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.
I can’t taste the cream cheese, but it adds depth, density, and richness that my regular chocolate chip cookies don’t have.
Use cream cheese in a block or the spreadable kind. Smoosh it into a one-quarter cup measure and cream it with the butter and sugars. I used a combination of 2 1/4 cups of chocolate chips and chunks to ensure plenty of chocolate in every bite. And then some.
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.
Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies Ingredients
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
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.
Tip: DO NOT overbake the cookies. They’ll continue cooking on the inside as they come to room temperature, and you definitely don’t want them to become too firm. Remember: you’re making soft batch cookies here!
Can I Use a Cornstarch Substitute?
Honestly, I’m not sure if a cornstarch substitute would work in this recipe. To make these cream cheese chocolate chip cookies soft batch-style, the cornstarch is needed.
Technically, you can omit the cornstarch, but your cookies won’t turn out as soft.
Can the Cookies Be Made with Low-Fat Cream Cheese?
No, don’t 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.
Can I Add Mix-Ins to the Cookie Dough?
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.
Do I Have to Chill the Cookie Dough?
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 two 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.
Can I Chill the Dough and Then Roll it Into Balls?
I wouldn’t recommend it. The dough firms up a lot in the fridge and becomes crumbly, which makes it tough to roll after being chilled. You really need to form the cookie dough balls and then chill them for best results.
Can I Freeze Cookie Dough?
Yes, this chocolate chip cream cheese cookie dough freezes incredibly well. Just roll the dough into balls as if you were going to bake them, but store them in the freezer instead.
You don’t have to thaw the dough before baking it, just bake it straight from frozen (note that you may need to bake these cream cheese cookies 1 to 2 minutes longer if baking from frozen).
Tips for Making Chocolate Chip Cookies with Cream Cheese
Cookie scoop: 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!
Cookie cake: I’ve never tried this myself, but a few readers have asked if they could transform the cookie dough into a cookie cake. My gut says most likely! Use this chocolate chip cookie pie recipe as a reference for bake times.
Make ahead: As I mentioned already, the cookie dough freezes incredibly well. If you plan on making the cookies ahead of time to freeze for later, I recommend freezing the dough rather than the baked cookies.
But that’s just my personal preference as I prefer enjoying freshly baked cookies rather than thawed and reheated ones!
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Softbatch Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies
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.
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!!
You sold me. These cookies look fabulous, and I love cream cheese. I think replacing butter with it is a brilliant idea!
I can’t stand all of these ah-maz-ing cookie recipes Averie! They are all so fantastic!
I can’t even wrap my head around what the flavor of these would be like! Definitely need to give this a try!
LMK if you do!
Yum! These look so moist and chocolatey!
I loooove cream cheese in cookies! I’ve used it in Linzer cookies before and oh my goodness it took them up a thousand levels! I can’t imagine what it does to chocolate chip cookies!
Oh that sounds great – I bet they were so soft & moist. It’s a great addition to cookies, isn’t it!
Wow! Those look heavenly! Definitely need to make these asap!
I love this, because I find that cheesecake recipes often leave me with a little cream cheese left over, and it would be great to use it for these! I wonder how using strawberry cream cheese would be…maybe it would give a nice fruity undertone to the cookies.
I would probably use white choc chips if I was doing strawberry cream cheese – I bet that would be delish! If you try the recipe in any way, please come back & LMK what you did and how it worked!
Oh wow, what a great idea! These cookies actually even seem to look slightly different too! Or maybe I’m imagining that? But anyway, without a doubt, they look incredible. I definitely need to try this recipe!
They do look slightly different. They are paler and more white than golden and just the texture is a little different..in a good way! :)
I’m really wishing I had some of these cookies right now! They look amazing!
Oh the amount of cookie recipes of yours to choose from! Cream cheese and cookies is a new one- my aunt actually said recently that she couldn’t understand why anyone used cream cheese for anything, when goat cheese is so similar and so much healthier. I think the cost might have something to do with it :)
As usual, my mouth is watering looking at these photos. Time for breakfast!
Not sure where she lives but I can get an 8 oz container of cream cheese for about $3 bucks (or less if I buy store brand) – and I’d only need 1/4 of the container. Whereas for goat cheese, 8 oz would probably cost at least $10+ but usually it’s about $5 for a small 2 oz little package! So wayyyy more expensive for me to use goat cheese. Plus it has a tang to it that is unmistakable. I do love it though – just maybe not for cookies.
Glad you like all the recipes!
No, I agree with you! I meant the cost of cream cheese is so much less than goat cheese, and that’s why it’s used so much more in recipes :)
These cookies are screaming my name… “bake meeeee… Bake me…”
So glad you added cream cheese to your cookies, Averie! It honestly changes the texture of the cookies so much. Making them creamy, almost. Creamy, soft, and they just melt in your mouth. Yours are so thick! I am loving all of the melty chocolate from those big chunks and chips! I”m glad you noted not to use low fat. Because readers have written to me about WHY their cookies aren’t turning out using fat free cream cheese. Always full-fat. And same with a recent marshmallow frosting I made (posting this week). You won’t get the same results!
And you can even write it in cookbooks…and people will write to you after the fact and tell you their xyz didnt turn out. Did you use low/nofat like I said NOT to? Oh yes, I did – they say. You can only tell people once, or twice, and then they have to be able to READ and follow directions :)
So glad you’re a fan of c.c. in cookies, too! I didn’t know you used it in any? You have so many cookie recipes that I’m sure you probably have and I just forgot about them!
Wow! These cookies are so thick and look so soft. All of that melty chocolate looks great too!
I think this is brilliant! I’m trying to imagine the difference with cream cheese in the dough (you mentioned rich/buttery)–guess I’ll just have to try them so I’ll know. I don’t think I’ve baked cream cheese into anything sweet except cheesecake. Speaking of trying, the flourless cinnamon PB cookies were excellent–the cinnamon just gives them a little extra pop of flavor!
Glad you liked those cookies from my cookbook! They were so good…I remember them well! And they made it onto the book cover :)
And these cookies with the cream cheese..yes, a must try! You will love the texture and flavor. So rich and dense, soft, buttery, just everything you could want in a cookie!
Oh wow. Those cookie photos made my mouth physically start to water – and here I am stuck in a house with no cookies and no chocolate. I might just have t0 stick around here for a while and look at those pretty photos, if thats ok? ;)
I’m glad that the cookies look so good to you! It means I did my job with the photos :)
Wow, these look incredible! I can’t believe it is cream cheese, but now that I think about it that sounds awesome! Gorgeous photos and such a great recipe! What a cool new cookie idea!
I am loving them, Tieghan! I bet you would too!