Adding cream cheese to sugar cookies not only helps them stay soft, it gives them a rich flavor that’s unbeatable. Cut them into any shape, and top them with your favorite frosting for the perfect sugar cookie that no one can resist!
THE MAGIC OF CREAM CHEESE!
Of course cream cheese is the star in cheesecake desserts, but have you ever tried it in cookies?
Not only does it make a soft dough that’s easy to work with, the end result is a tender cookie that stays soft for days! The cookies also end up with a slight tangy flavor, which is a perfect balance to the sweet frosting.
If you are a fan of ultra soft sugar cookies, you are going to love this recipe. So grab some fun cookie cutters and get baking!
Do I have to frost the cookies?
I guess if you don’t like sweet cookies, you could just sprinkle the tops of the cookies with colored sugar or coarse sugar before baking.
But personally, think a good sugar cookie only becomes a great sugar cookie if you add frosting! I typically use this basic homemade frosting for cutout cookies, but you can’t go wrong with this butter cream cheese frosting either.
How to make soft cream cheese sugar cookies:
- PREP – Let cream cheese and butter soften on the counter for several hours.
- WET INGREDIENTS – Beat the butter, cream cheese, and sugar for 2-3 minutes, then beat in the egg and extracts.
- DRY INGREDIENTS – In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture; stir just until combined.
- CHILL – Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for about an hour.
- CUT OUT – Sprinkle your work surface with a bit of flour, and roll dough out 1/4″ – 1/2″ thick. Cut with cookie cutters and place on cookie sheets lightly sprayed with cooking spray.
- BAKE – Bake cookies in an oven preheated to 375°. Thinner cookies will need 8-10 minutes, thick cookies will need 10-12 minutes.
- COOL – Let cookies sit for 2-3 minutes on the pan, then use a metal spatula to transfer them to cooling racks. Cool completely before frosting.
Store sugar cookies in an airtight container with sheets of parchment paper or waxed paper separating the layers. They will last about a week at room temperature.
You can also freeze them. For best results, freeze the cookies and frosting separately. When ready to serve, let them thaw at room temperature, then frost.
TIPS FOR HOMEMADE SUGAR COOKIES:
- Make sure that both your butter and cream cheese are softened to room temperature.
- If your dough is too soft or sticky, chill it a bit longer. If you chill it longer than an hour and it’s too hard to roll out, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes.
- Let the baked cookies cool completely, or the frosting will melt and make a big mess. If you’re in a hurry, you can pop the cookies into the refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes to speed up the process.
VARIATIONS:
- I think almond extract is a magical ingredient that adds great flavor. But if you really hate it, you can replace it with an equal amount of vanilla extract.
- If you don’t want to deal with rolling dough and using cookie cutters, you can simply make cookie dough balls. Press them 1/4- 1/2 inch thick and use a glass dipped in sugar to flatten them. For this method, you don’t need to chill the dough first.
MORE COOKIE RECIPES
- Lemon Sugar Cookies
- Almond Sugar Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Cookies
- Valentine’s Day Sugar Cookies
- Butterscotch Gingerbread Cookies
- Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Oatmeal Scotchies
- Oatmeal Toffee Cookies
Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter softened to room temperature
- 4 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 1 large egg
- 3 cups all purpose flour 378 grams/13.4 oz
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat the butter, cream cheese, and sugar for 2-3 minutes at medium speed until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula a few times. Beat in the vanilla, almond extract, and egg.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.
- Dump the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture. Stir gently just until the flour is moistened.
- Cover the sugar cookie dough or wrap in plastic wrap and chill for about an hour, or until stiff enough that it doesn't stick to your finger.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line cookie sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper, or spray with cooking spray.
- Use a rolling pin to roll dough about 1/2" thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut out with cookie cutters.
- Transfer cookies with a spatula to prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375°. Cookies should be set, but they don't brown like other sugar cookies.
- Let cool on pans for 3-5 minutes, then carefully transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- After cookies are cool, decorate with sugar cookie frosting.
Notes
- You can roll the dough 1/4-inch thick and bake for 8-10 minutes.
- Instead of using cookie cutters, you can roll the dough into balls and flatten to 1/4″-1/2″ thick with the bottom of a glass or your palm.
- The dough can be made a day or two ahead of time and chilled, but it will need to sit at room temperature for a few minutes to be soft enough to roll.
Nutrition
If you are looking for a tender, melt-in-your-mouth cutout cookie, give this cream cheese sugar cookie recipe a try. Topped with buttercream frosting, they are to die for!
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