The softest, most pillowy Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies you’ll ever bake. Cream cheese is the secret ingredient that keeps these thick, bakery-style sugar cookies tender for days while allowing them to hold their shape perfectly when cut out.
These Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies are soft, thick, and truly one of the best sugar cookie recipes. After testing many variations, this version stood out for its texture and flavor. Whether you cut the dough into holiday shapes or scoop and flatten for simple rounds, this recipe consistently produces tender, flavorful cookies.
The cream cheese brings a subtle richness and moisture that butter alone can’t provide. It helps the cookies stay soft and slightly tangy for days. Use the dough for detailed cut-outs, or shape balls and flatten for quick everyday cookies—the results are reliably bakery-style.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Makes a big batch: Yields about 36 cookies, ideal for gatherings, exchanges, or gifts.
- Bakery-soft texture: Cream cheese creates thick, pillowy cookies that stay moist much longer than typical sugar cookies.
- Holds its shape when baked: The dough rolls and cuts cleanly without spreading, perfect for decorating.
- Simple ingredients: Butter, sugar, cream cheese, an egg, flour, and a few extracts—likely already in your pantry.
- Foolproof frosting: An almond-flavored buttercream spreads smoothly over cooled cookies for a finished look.
Ingredients in Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies
For the Cookies:
- Butter — Use salted butter softened to room temperature. Do not use margarine or melted butter; softened butter creams properly with the sugar and cream cheese for the right texture.
- Sugar — Plain granulated sugar. Cream with the butter and cream cheese for 2–3 minutes for a light, fluffy base.
- Cream cheese — The star ingredient, softened to room temperature. Full-fat cream cheese gives the best richness and texture.
- Egg — One egg binds the dough for stable, well-baked cookies.
- Vanilla extract — Use a good-quality vanilla or vanilla bean paste for the best flavor.
- Almond extract — Optional but recommended for a subtle, elevated flavor; omit if allergic or prefer plain vanilla.
- All-purpose flour — Standard all-purpose works best; other flours can be substituted carefully.
- Baking powder — Provides just enough lift to keep the cookies thick and tender.
For the Frosting:
- Food coloring — Optional for holiday or themed cookies.
- Powdered sugar — For a smooth, spreadable buttercream.
- Butter — Softened salted butter for a creamy frosting base.
- Almond extract — Adds a lovely flavor; vanilla is an acceptable substitute.
- Milk — Start with 2 tablespoons and add to reach desired consistency; non-dairy milks work as alternatives.
Tips for the Best Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies
- Don’t add more flour before chilling. Sticky dough before chilling is normal; adding flour makes cookies dry. Chill first, then adjust if absolutely necessary.
- Don’t melt the butter. Melted butter causes spreading and thin cookies. Use softened butter for proper structure.
- Cream the butter and sugar thoroughly. A full 2–3 minutes of creaming improves texture and spread control.
- Roll to 1/4 inch. This thickness yields soft centers that bake through while maintaining structure.
- Pull them out early. Remove when edges are just starting to turn golden; they finish cooking on the hot sheet.
- Cool completely before frosting. Warm cookies will cause frosting to melt and slide off.
- Use parchment or silicone mats. Cookies release cleanly and bake evenly without sticking.
How to Store Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies
At room temperature: Keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The cream cheese helps them stay soft longer than traditional sugar cookies.
Freeze (baked and frosted): Let frosting set about an hour, then flash freeze cookies in a single layer before transferring to an airtight container with parchment between layers. Freeze up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature.
Freeze (unbaked dough): Shape dough into a flat disc, wrap tightly, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling and cutting.
Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 1 cup butter softened to room temp
- 8 oz cream cheese softened to room temp
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 3 ½ cups flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
Frosting:
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup butter softened
- 1 tsp almond extract
- milk to desired consistency about 2-4 Tbsp
- food coloring optional
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
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Beat sugar, butter, and cream cheese together with an electric mixer for about 2–3 minutes until light and creamy.
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Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract; mix 1–2 minutes more. Add flour and baking powder and mix just until incorporated and smooth.
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Place dough in an airtight container and chill at least 2 hours. When chilled, roll to about 1/4″ thickness on a floured surface and cut with cookie cutters. For round cookies, scoop tablespoon-sized portions, roll into balls, place on the sheet, and use the bottom of a glass to flatten to 1/4″.
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Bake 8–10 minutes, until edges are just barely turning golden. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet 5–10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
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To make the frosting, beat the powdered sugar, butter, almond extract, and milk until smooth. Spread onto fully cooled cookies.
Notes
Nutrition
FAQs
What does cream cheese do in sugar cookies? It adds moisture, subtle richness, and a slight tang that keep cookies thick and soft rather than dry or crisp, yielding a bakery-style flavor.
Do baked cookies need refrigeration? No. Baked cookies stay fine at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The dough, however, should be chilled at least 2 hours before rolling for best results.
Can I omit almond extract? Yes. Almond extract is optional; replace with extra vanilla or omit altogether. The cookies remain delicious.
Can I use low-fat cream cheese? You can, but full-fat cream cheese yields better texture and flavor. Low-fat versions may introduce more moisture and affect dough consistency.
Why is my dough sticky? Sticky dough before chilling is normal. Chill the dough for the recommended time and it will firm up for rolling and cutting.
Can I freeze decorated cookies? Yes. Let frosting set, then flash freeze in a single layer before storing with parchment between layers. Freeze up to 2 months.
Can I make these without a cookie cutter? Absolutely. Scoop tablespoon-sized portions, roll into balls, place on the sheet, and flatten to 1/4″ with the bottom of a glass for perfect rounds.
How do I keep sugar cookies soft? Use cream cheese in the dough and store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature; together they keep cookies soft for several days.
More Sugar Cookie Recipes to Try
If you enjoy these Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies, consider trying other variations such as lemon-frosted sugar cookies, buttermilk sugar cookies, or holiday cut-outs. Each uses similar techniques and can be adapted with this frosting.
These Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies are a recipe you’ll return to again and again—soft, thick, and reliably delicious, with a texture that keeps everyone coming back for more.