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!
Pin This Recipe
Enjoy AverieCooks.com Without Ads! 🆕
Go Ad Free
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.
©averiecooks.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
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!!
Do you have any recommendations for high altitude adjustments? I live at 6000 feet.
I don’t bake at high altitude but there’s so much on google if you search for high altitude baking. Enjoy the cookies!
These are unbelievably delicious! So moist and the cream cheese really adds another level of flavor. I don’t think I’ll ever use another chocolate chip cookie recipe!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Glad you’re going to be loyal to this recipe!
I have made this recipe twice and am getting ready to bake a batch to send to my son in Florida for his birthday. I’m concerned they will go flat or worse yet melt. I was planning on packing them in a cookie tin first then in a box for shipping. Do you have any new or different ideas regarding their safe arrival?
I don’t think going flat is the issue but the chocolate getting very melty is always a possibility if the cookies are in un-airconditioned trucks and it’s 80-90F outside. There’s really no way around that other than to ship on dry ice which is overkill IMO. I wouldn’t do a tin as that is going to conduct heat. I would pack in a box within a box. Or a tupperware container within a box.
We live at 7,000ft. I am wondering if your readers have ever mentioned troubles (I.e. flat cookies) from being at such a different elevation than you. I am wondering if I need to make adjustments.
Thank you! They look amazing!!
I don’t have experience with altitude baking but there are lots of websites that have good tips. I would try the recipe as written and if you don’t get the results you want, then maybe employ some of the baking tricks recommended for altitude baking https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
I did not make any changes and was pleasantly surprised to have them come out fluffy. I have had chocolate chip cookie recipes made for high altitude not come out looking this good. I had pretty much given up on making chocolate chip cookies. I am excited to try more of your cookie recipes!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Even at high altitude – that’s great to hear!
I live in Colorado and have baked these cookies at 7000+ ft and have had no issues. Matter of fact, this is the only cookie recipe that hasn’t come out flat that I have made!
So glad the recipe works great for you at altitude and even though I live at sea level, I know these cookies are never flat for me either. Something due to the cream cheese I think. Glad they’re working for you!
Why should you not use low fat cream cheese?
It has a higher water content and could cause the dough to become overly moist and soft.
These cookies look divine so I thought I’d give it a go. I made two batches of dough and they are chilling in the refrigerator as I write this. I made one batch exactly as your recipe is written, and another batch almost as written but using 1 cup whole wheat flour + 1 1/2 cups regular flour, and an addition of unsweetened shredded coconut along with the chocolate chunks. Can’t wait to bake them up later this evening!
Correction: 1c Whole Wheat flour + 1 1/4c regular flour.
Huge, huge hit at the office for both cookies! This is a keeper!! Thank you.
Omg, your blog is like the holy grail for cookie recipes. These were incredible. I will be following your blog now for sure!
You’re too sweet :) Thanks! Yes, in 7+ years of blogging and 2 cookbooks, I have hundreds of cookie recipes! LMK which ones you try next!
I made these but they didn’t spread out at all. I noticed no baking powder, would that make a difference in the dough spreading?
Baking powder would make the cookies rise, become puffier, and cakier and you don’t want that in this recipe. I would say that either you over-measured flour (very common mistake) and dense, over-floured dough won’t spread easily and/or overmeasured the baking soda and/or you simply needed to flatten the dough mounds more before putting them in the oven.
Does it have to be a stand mixer?
I do not have one..
New at baking …
Thanks
It’ll be easier but a hand mixer will be fine.
I used a hand mixer, but it got a little stiff at the end, so I dumped the chocolate chips in and mixed the last little bit of flour and the chips in by hand…literally. I just put my cleaned hands in and squished it all together.
This is such a delicious recipe. The cookies were so soft and chewy. My son keeps asking for more. Thank you for sharing your recipe. Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. I shall be making future batches quite often I’m sure.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Glad it’s a 5 star keeper!
Made these cookies for a birthday celebration at work and everyone raved about them. One of the best chocolate chip cookie recipes I have come across. Thanks so much for sharing your recipe.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Glad it’s one of the best CCC recipes you’ve tried!
Hey Averie,
I love chocolate chips cookies and have made so many variations of the classic chocolate chip cookie recipe that I have lost count. With that being said, however, I had never seen a recipe that actually incorporated cream cheese in with the rest of the cookie dough. So when I first made this recipe I was a little skeptical about how well the cookies would actually taste. However once I tasted my first bite of the cookies, I was blown away. Now this is by far my most favorite recipe to use when making chocolate chip cookies. In fact I have made the recipe so many times that I almost have the whole thing memorized. Thank your for sharing this awesome recipe.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! And that it’s your fave recipe for choc chip cookies!
BEST cookie EVER!!! Question: I just started another batch and I only have whipped cream cheese….will it work?
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
Whipped cream cheese has more water and air in it and so the cookies will likely turn out flatter and spread more.
This is the best choc chips soft cookie recipe. My niece made some using ur exact recipe. Thank u.
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad it came out great for you!
These cookies are so so good – really, some of the best I’ve ever made/had (all of my roommates agree). I actually just used this recipe as the base for some red velvet chocolate chip cookies which turned out extremely well – if you want to check them out, here’s the link: https://www.bakeandtell.com/red-velvet-double-chip-cookies/
Love your blog, by the way – which I’m convinced is home to some of the best cookie recipes I’ve yet to come across!! :)
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Thanks for the compliments on my cookie recipes and blog and glad you were able to come up with a red velvet version!
Let me start out as saying that I’m not a great fan of chocolate chip cookies but I did give this recipe a try because my granddaughter loves the “softbatch of chips ahoy”. So when I seen your recipe I said why not. Well she just loved them and so did I . I have shared the cookies with praises, even those who just liked crispy cookies. Thank You for your recipe
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! And was a hit with your granddaughter, too!