Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: Our Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe delivers delectably soft, thick cookies with a mild tang that perfectly sets off the chunks of bittersweet chocolate. The best news is that you don’t have to wait long to sink your teeth into one of these luscious treats! This speedy recipe takes just a little over 30 minutes.

• Immaculate texture: This recipe is ideal if you prefer plump chocolate chip cookies and cream cheese in one bite. The cream cheese helps make a delightfully thick dough that gives this cookie a satisfying heft and velvety crumb.
• Layers of irresistible flavor: The added cream cheese gives these cookies a luxurious, rich taste that is not overpowering. Instead, it beautifully accents the molasses-tinged brown sugar and bittersweet chocolate. Additionally, the subtle tang of cream cheese adds another dimension that yields a baked good with more interest and sophistication than the average chocolate chip cookie.

Mixing cream cheese into a dough or batter is a delicious technique that imparts moisture, gorgeously tender texture, and that iconic zip of cream cheese flavor. After making this dreamy chocolate chip cream cheese cookie, try our Coconut Cream Cheese Pound Cake, Cream Cheese Swirl Banana Bread, and Blueberry Cream Cheese Quick Bread.

Table of Contents

• What are Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Tools You Need
• Key Ingredients and Why
• How to Make Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
• Make Ahead and Storage Tips
• Why Use Cream Cheese in Chocolate Chip Cookies?
• FAQs
• More Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes

What are Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies?

• Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies are a soft, cakey type of chocolate chip cookie that’s packed with chopped bittersweet chocolate.
• This recipe is made with a quarter cup of cream cheese. Adding cream cheese to the dough elevates the texture by contributing moisture and richness. Since the amount of cream cheese is small, it doesn’t overwhelm the taste of the cookie but gives the cookies a pleasant, mild tang.
• The smooth, thick cream cheese we have today was developed by dairy farmer William Lawrence in 1872, who branded it “Philadelphia Cream Cheese.” Early on, it was used to make American-style cheesecakes, and later, it became a popular ingredient in pound cakes and quick bread because of the moisture and plushness it added to baked goods.

Tools You Need

• Mixing bowl
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Glass measuring jug
• Kitchen scale (optional)
• Baking sheets
• Parchment paper
• Whisk
• Stand mixer (optional) or electric hand mixer
• Cookie scoop (optional)
• Wire cooling rack

Key Ingredients and Why

All-purpose flour

• With a protein content of 9-11%, all-purpose flour gives these chocolate chip cream cheese cookies enough structure to hold their shape while still having a wonderfully soft texture.

Cornstarch

• Cornstarch contributes to the soft, velvety mouthfeel of the cookies. Because cornstarch breaks down some of the flour’s protein, it helps make the cookie tender.
• Additionally, cornstarch helps inhibit spreading by absorbing some of the moisture from the dough. This results in thicker, soft cookies with crisp edges.

Baking soda

• Baking soda is a leavening agent that makes these cream cheese chocolate cookies puffier.
• Read our post How to Make Baking Powder and Baking Soda Explained and learn how to make these kitchen staples yourself!

Salt

• Salt accents the bittersweet chocolate wonderfully and keeps the cookies from being overly sweet.

Butter

• Using butter with cream cheese makes the cookies moist and rich but not greasy.
• Butter’s nutty dairy flavor complements the tanginess of cream cheese.
• You know your butter is at the right temperature when you push the butter, and it makes an indent, but your finger doesn’t easily squish right through.

Cream cheese

• Cream cheese adds a unique tangy flavor to these cookies, complementing the chocolate and balancing the sweetness.
• Use brick-style cream cheese for this recipe, and be sure it’s full-fat cream cheese.
• Because cream cheese has more moisture and a lower fat content than butter, it contributes to plumper cookies that are less prone to spreading.
• Additionally, the moisture from cream cheese helps these cookies stay moist and soft longer than the average chocolate chip cookies.
• Make your own cream cheese with our easy recipe.

Egg

• The egg adds rich flavor to these cream cheese chocolate cookies. The yolk acts as an emulsifier to bind all ingredients evenly, and the egg white contributes to the softness.
• Eggs must always be at room temperature in baking unless specified otherwise. Here’s how to warm up eggs straight from the fridge.

Dark brown sugar

• Dark brown sugar adds moisture, giving these cookies a touch of caramel and irresistible gooeyness. It contains more molasses than light brown sugar, giving it a deeper flavor.
• Use our Homemade Brown Sugar Recipe to make your own!

Granulated sugar

• Sugar tenderizes these cream cheese chocolate cookies by lessening the gluten formation.
• Additionally, sugar coats air bubbles to retain air, making cookies rise so the results are not dense.

Vanilla extract

• Vanilla brings out the flavors of the other ingredients and adds warmth and a slight floral sweetness.

Bittersweet chocolate

• Chunks of bittersweet chocolate bar (63 – 72 % cocoa solids), with its pronounced flavor, is my go-to chocolate.
• Find out more about chocolate here in our Ultimate Guide to the Different Types of Chocolate.

How to Make Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prepare to bake

1. Using the fan setting, preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Make the batter

3. In a large bowl, whisk all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.
4. With a stand mixer or a hand-held mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy, about three minutes.
5. Lower the speed, and add the egg, dark brown sugar, white sugar, and vanilla, 
6. Gradually incorporate the flour, scraping down the bowl in between additions. 
7. Fold in the chopped chocolate. 

Scoop and bake the cookies

8. Using a 1/4-cup (2 oz/57 g) cookie scoop or measuring cup, scoop out balls of dough and place 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the prepared baking sheets.
9. Bake the cookies for 11 minutes, until just beginning to brown. 
10. Cool on the trays for 5 minutes, and then transfer to a rack to cool completely.  

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips

• If you don’t have a fan (convection) oven, bake these cookies at 350°F (180°C) and either bake the pans one at a time or rotate them once or twice during baking.
• Note that these cookies stay pale on top but get very brown on the bottom. Be sure to check them towards the end of the baking time and pull them out before they burn.
• You can easily double this batch for a party or a bake sale!
• For more thick and soft chocolate chip cookies, try our Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies or our Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Make Ahead and Storage Tips

• Make dough ahead and refrigerate: Store dough in the refrigerator for up to two days.
• Or make the dough and freeze: For more extended storage, scoop the dough and freeze it flat on trays. Store in freezer bags and bake whenever you crave warm cookies!
• How to store: Leftover cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days.

Why Use Cream Cheese in Chocolate Chip Cookies?

• Adding cream cheese to chocolate chip cookie dough may sound unusual, but it’s a fantastic way to add more flavor and ensure that your cookies bake up wonderfully moist and soft. Trust us, chocolate cookies with cream cheese are amazing!

FAQS

Can I make these cookies gluten-free?

• Yes, you can make these cookies gluten-free, but note that they will differ in taste and texture from cookies made with the original recipe.
• Use a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour blend or Almond Flour Baking Mix in place of the all-purpose wheat flour.

Is it possible to make these cookies egg-free?

• Yes, you can make these cookies egg-free. Please see our 12 Best Egg Substitutes for Baking post for details: a flax egg is one option that would work well here.
• If you’re looking for a vegan option, check out our Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Could I substitute another ingredient for the cream cheese?

• Yes. You can use an equal amount of mascarpone cheese (which will make your cookies slightly sweeter) or full-fat Greek yogurt (which will yield cookies that are cakier than cookies made with cream cheese).

More Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes

• Thin & Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

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