• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Get our Freezer Meal Quick Start Guide
freezer meal quick start guide

Get Our Freezer Meal Quick Start Guide

Loading

About
Free Resources
Contact

Instagram

Facebook

Pinterest

YouTube

TikTok

Thriving Home

Food & Lifestyle

  • Recipe Index
    • Course
      • Breakfast
      • Lunch & Dinner
      • Sides & Salads
      • Soups & Chilis
      • Appetizers
      • Snacks
      • Desserts
      • Baked Goods
      • Beverages
      • Condiments
    • Method
      • Freezer Meals
      • Stovetop
      • Oven
      • Slow Cooker
      • Instant Pot
      • Grill or Smoker
      • 6 Ingredients or Less
    • Diet
      • Gluten-Free
      • Dairy-Free
      • Vegetarian
    • Ingredients
      • Chicken & Turkey
      • Beef
      • Pork
      • Seafood
      • Pasta & Pizza
    • Holiday
      • Birthday
      • Christmas
      • Easter
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
      • Valentine's Day
    • All Recipes
  • Freezer Cooking
    • Start Here
    • Freezer Meal Recipes
    • 1 Hour Freezer Prep
    • Cookbooks
  • Menu Plans
  • Shop
    • Cookbooks
    • 1 Hour Freezer Prep
    • Shop Our Favorites
    • Gift Guides
Search...
Home Recipe Index Desserts

Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

★★★★★ 5 /5 Updated: 12/11/22
Jump to Recipe Rate Recipe

This post may contain affiliate or sponsored links. Please read our disclosure policy.

These cream cheese sugar cookies are to DIE for. They’re perfectly moist, ideal for cutting out and decorating, and have a tangy sweetness that will leave you coming back for more.

My sister-in-law, Emily introduced me to this recipe which finalized my quest to find a go-to sugar cookie recipe that I will use over and over again. Thanks, Emily!

Cream cheese sugar cookies decorated for christmas
Contents hide
The Story Behind the Cookies
Why Add Cream Cheese?
Ingredients for Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies
5 Tips for Great Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies
Time to Decorate!
Make Ahead and Freeze
More Cookie Recipes You May Like
Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies
Did you make this?

The Story Behind the Cookies

“I know this is a loaded question but can I get the recipe for those cream cheese sugar cookies?”

After my sister-in-law, Emily, served these up at a family gathering, I couldn’t stop thinking about them.

I told her I’d be happy to give recipe credit to whatever genius concocted such an amazing recipe, but she told me she didn’t know the original source.

She had copied down this recipe on a card once upon a time in her teenage years and the creator has since been lost.

I told her in that case, the recipe is officially hers and she’s getting all the credit!

cream cheese sugar cookie recipe on a recipe card

Why Add Cream Cheese?

Adding cream cheese produces a richer, softer, and creamier sugar cookie. And, above all else, it adds a little tang.

While a down-the-pipe sugar cookie is delicious, it can overly sweet–especially after the addition of frosting and sprinkles. Not this one…it’s just right thanks to the cream cheese.

cream cheese sugar cookies on a plate

Ingredients for Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

The ingredients are incredibly simple.

  • Sugar
  • Unsalted butter
  • Cream cheese
  • Salt (omit if using salted butter)
  • Almond extract – this adds such great flavor
  • Vanilla extract – how to make your own vanilla
  • Egg yolk – using only egg yolks makes them more tender
  • All purpose flour
Ingredients for cream cheese sugar cookies

5 Tips for Great Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

Chill the Dough

A big part of the success of this recipe is letting that dough chill. Not only does it help it hold up better during baking, but it makes the dough much easier to work with when rolling out and cutting up.

cream cheese sugar cookie dough chilling in a bowl

Don’t Overmix

Mixing too long after adding the flour will create a dense, tough cookie. Mix until just combined and then turn off the mixer.

Go Easy on the Flour

When you roll the dough out on a floured work surface, do not over-flour. It will make the dough tough and dry.

Lightly flour the work surface just enough that the dough will not stick. Then, lightly flour the rolling pin.

Another option is to roll it out on parchment paper and skip flour altogether!

Sugar cookie dough rolled out with cookie cutters making shapes

Bake on Parchment Paper

The parchment makes for an easy removal of the cream cheese sugar cookies. Not to mention it makes cleanup a breeze.

Cream cheese cookie dough ready to go in the oven

Don’t Over Bake Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

There is a fine line on when they are perfectly done and when they are overdone. When you see them start to get a touch of brown around the edges, take them out! They shouldn’t get brown on top.

They will look undercooked but, once they cool, they will solidify. Don’t over bake!

Cooked cream cheese sugar cookies stacked up

Time to Decorate!

Both vanilla icing or cream cheese icing will work with cream cheese sugar cookies.

You can easily make your own (instructions included in the recipe card) or opt for buying a can of frosting.

After adding a layer of icing, the possibilities are endless! If you want to get really detailed with your cookie decorating, try using royal icing.

decorated cream cheese sugar cookies

Make Ahead and Freeze

There are a few make ahead options with this recipe.

First, you can make the cookie dough, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or the freezer for up to 3 months. If freezing, place the wrapped dough in a freezer bag, too.

When ready to use, be sure to thaw it fully in the fridge and then let it sit on the counter until it’s close to room temperature.

Another option is freezing the unfrosted baked cookies for up to 3 months. Seal tightly in a freezer bag or container, squeezing out as much air as possible.

More Cookie Recipes You May Like

Fruit Pizza Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

The BEST Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe

Raspberry Crumble Cookies

Monster Cookies

Decorated cream cheese sugar cookies

Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!

decorated cream cheese sugar cookies
★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews

Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

These cream cheese sugar cookies are to DIE for. They are perfectly moist, ideal for cutting out and decorating, and have a tangy sweetness that will leave you coming back for more.

Yield: 24 cookies 1x
Prep: 2 hoursCook: 8 minutesTotal: 2 hours 8 minutes
Print Recipe Rate Pin for Later
  • Email
Units:
Scale:

Ingredients

For Sugar Cookies:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 ounces (about 6 tablespoons) cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter)
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg yolk, room temp
  • 2 cups all purpose flour

For Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 to 2 teaspoon vanilla extract (to taste)

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Instructions

Make the Sugar Cookies:

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add all the sugar cookie ingredients EXCEPT the flour. Using the paddle attachment, mix on low until ingredients are light and fluffy.
  2. Add in flour slowly, about 1/2 cup at a time. Continue mixing just until the dough forms as one solid ball. 
  3. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
  4. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  5. On lightly floured surface, roll out 1/3 of the dough at a time to 1/4-1/8″ thickness. Using lightly floured cookie cutters, cut out shapes and place cookies 1″ apart on the baking sheet.
  6. Bake each batch for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. (They will not be brown on top. Do not over bake!) Remove cookies to a cooling rack and let cool completely before frosting.

Make the Cream Cheese Frosting:

  1. In a medium bowl (or in the stand mixer), stir the softened cream cheese and softened butter together until smooth and creamy. Stir in the vanilla.
  2. Gradually stir in the confectioner’s sugar until frosting reaches desired consistency. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.

Equipment

Rolling Pin

Buy Now →

Mixing Bowl

Buy Now →

baking sheet

Buy Now →

Notes/Tips

  • There is no baking powder or baking soda in this cookie recipe. It works, I promise! 
© Author: Polly Conner
Cuisine: American Method: Baking

Did you make this?

Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!

Rate Recipe

Tag Us on Instagram

64 shares
  • Share
  • Email
Polly Conner

Polly Conner

As co-founder of Thriving Home, Polly’s passionate about helping busy parents get dinner on the table. With a house full of kids, dogs, and (usually) a DIY project in the works, she knows firsthand how every minute (and every dollar) counts. As a business owner, she enjoys wearing multiple hats and serves best as a project manager for Thriving Home.

Read more...

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Have a question? Submit your question or comment below.

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. AvatarJennifer says

    Posted on 1/13/23 at 2:30 pm

    These are the best sugar cookies I’ve ever made and eaten. They will be my go to sugar cookie recipe from now on!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 1/16/23 at 3:15 pm

      Awesome! Thanks for leaving a review Jennifer.

      Reply
  2. AvatarAbby says

    Posted on 1/8/23 at 8:55 pm

    I wasn’t looking for a new sugar cookie recipe. I already have a good one. I was open to tweaking it, however, for a little something different, and when these popped up on your facebook page, we decided cream cheese sugar cookies would be just the thing for a little something different. Oh, were they yummy – my family’s favorite cookies this year at Christmas. So much so that I’ve had requests since Christmas to make another batch, and not just from the kids, from my hubby as well! So here we are at the beginning of January, making snow themed cutouts.
    I made a recipe and a half to increase the amount of cookies, using a whole egg instead of an egg yolk. The dough can be a little stickier than I’m used to for sugar cookies (definitely keep it cold) and doesn’t always hold the shape as well – they can expand a little while baking. All of that may be something I’m doing, and in reality, doesn’t matter at all because the taste is what’s important to us. We top them with our own homemade cream cheese frosting (similar to the recipe that’s posted, but without butter.) So good.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 1/9/23 at 11:19 am

      Wow Abby! Thanks for the review and detailed information for others about your modifications and experience.

      Reply

sidebar

polly and rachel

Welcome

We’re moms, cookbook authors, and freezer cooking evangelists. Our mission is to help your home thrive, one delicious meal at a time. Let’s make the most of your time in the kitchen! Read more.

Follow Us On Instagram!

freezer cooking

Order On:

Amazon • Target

Autographed Copy

Learn More

freezer to table

Order On:

Amazon • Target

Autographed Copy

Learn More
freezer meal quick start guide

Get Our Freezer Meal Quick Start Guide!

We’ll send you the best of the best recipes, tutorials, and freezer meal expertise. A $9.99 value for free!

Loading

Reader Favorites

marinades for chicken breasts in freezer bags

7 BEST Chicken Marinades

freezer meal

The 70+ Best Freezer Meals on the Planet

20+ Easy Crock Pot Recipes

smoothie packs

7 Frozen Smoothie Packs (+ Printable with Shopping List)

freezer meal update
New to freezer cooking?

Grab Our Freezer Meal Quick Start Guide!

5 days of recipes & tips from freezer meal experts.

Loading

Instagram

Facebook

Pinterest

YouTube

TikTok

About
About Us
Work With Us
Press
Recipes
All Recipes
Freezer Meals
Menu Plans
Shop
Cookbooks
1 Hour Prep Sessions
Gift Guides
Explore
Free Resources
Shop Our Favorites
Facebook Group
Privacy Policy
Accessibility
Disclaimers
Contact
© 2023 Thriving Home
Site Credits
Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled
Back to Top
64 shares