Cream Cheese Cookies

This Cream Cheese Cookies recipe is incredibly soft, buttery, melt in your mouth, and so easy to make that it quickly becomes a holiday tradition in any home. The cream cheese gives these cookies their signature tender bite while keeping them rich and flavorful without ever feeling heavy. They hold their shape beautifully, bake in minutes, and make the perfect base for decorating with sprinkles, frosting, or colorful holiday details.

These Cream Cheese Cookies are the cookies I make when I want something simple yet unforgettable, and they are always the first to disappear from the holiday cookie tray. If you love building big festive platters, you will also enjoy my soft and sparkly Holiday Sugar Cookies and my buttery Christmas Shortbread Cookies which pair perfectly with these cream cheese Christmas trees.

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Why You Will Love This Cream Cheese Cookies Recip

These cookies have a soft, buttery texture that practically melts on your tongue.
The cream cheese adds richness while keeping the dough incredibly easy to work with.
The dough holds its shape perfectly which makes it ideal for cookie presses and festive cutters.
The recipe uses simple everyday ingredients you probably already have.
You can decorate them in endless fun ways which makes them perfect for holidays and celebrations.

table talk

With Liliya!

There is something magical about baking these cookies during the holidays. I still remember the first time I made them. The kitchen smelled like butter and vanilla, and I watched each little tree slide out of the cookie press perfectly shaped and ready for sprinkles. Every batch brought so much joy and nostalgia. Now these cookies appear at every December party, and they get devoured faster than anything else on the table. I love how simple they are to make yet how special they feel when decorated with bright frosting and cheerful sprinkles.

Liliya

Ingredients Needed For Cream Cheese Cookies

Butter. You want your butter at room temperature so it whips easily with the cream cheese. This creates that soft, fluffy base that gives the cookies their signature melt in your mouth texture. Real unsalted butter works best and gives the dough the richness it needs.
Cream Cheese. Using full fat cream cheese adds creaminess, softness, and the subtle tang that balances the sweetness beautifully. Make sure it is softened before mixing to prevent lumps.
Granulated Sugar. This sweetens the dough and helps the cookies bake with a delicate crisp edge and a soft center. Using regular granulated sugar keeps the texture perfect.
All Purpose Flour. This gives the cookies structure while staying tender. Measure your flour correctly by spooning it into the cup and leveling the top so the dough does not become too dense.
Vanilla Extract. This rounds out all the flavors and brings in gentle warmth that pairs perfectly with the butter and cream cheese.
Butter For Frosting. Room temperature butter helps the frosting whip into a soft, smooth, spreadable consistency.
Powdered Sugar. This melts right into the frosting and gives it that classic bakery sweetness.
Milk. Just a little softens the frosting and brings everything together.
Food Coloring. This is completely optional, but it is wonderful for transforming the cookies into bright green Christmas trees or any festive color you love.

How I Make Cream Cheese Cookies

(This is a quick overview of how I make Cream Cheese Cookies, with tips along the way. You will find the full ingredients and instructions in the recipe card below.)

Whip the butter and cream cheese. I start by using my mixer with the whisk attachment and I let it whip until fluffy. This step is what gives the cookies their incredibly soft texture.
Add the sugar and vanilla. Once the base is creamy, I mix in the sugar and vanilla until everything is smooth and silky.
Mix in the flour. I add the flour slowly so the dough stays soft and does not overmix. The dough should feel tender yet hold its shape.
Color the dough if desired. If I am making holiday cookies, I mix in green food coloring at this stage so the dough is beautifully tinted.
Chill briefly. A quick ten minutes in the fridge helps the dough firm just enough to press beautifully through a cookie press.
Press the cookies. I place the dough into the cookie press and press each cookie onto an ungreased baking sheet. Using a cool sheet is important so the cookies release properly.
Bake quickly. I place the tray in a 400 degree oven and bake for four to six minutes until the bottoms turn lightly golden.
Make the frosting. I blend butter, powdered sugar, milk, and coloring until smooth, then pipe or spread it on once the cookies cool completely.

Tips For The Best Cream Cheese Cookies

Always soften your butter and cream cheese first. This ensures the mixture whips smoothly and gives the cookies their signature creamy texture.

Chill the dough briefly. Just a few minutes in the fridge helps the dough release cleanly from a cookie press and keeps the shapes sharp.

Use a cool baking sheet every time. If the sheet is warm, the shapes will not press correctly and the dough may slide instead of sticking.

Do not overbake. These cookies only need a few minutes in the oven. The bottoms should be lightly golden while the tops stay pale and soft.

Decorate when cool. If the cookies are even slightly warm, the frosting will melt. Cooling completely keeps the details neat and pretty.

What to Serve with Cream Cheese Cookies

These cookies pair beautifully with hot chocolate, coffee, chai, or a festive holiday punch. They also look adorable on a Christmas cookie tray alongside sugar cookies, spritz cookies, or gingerbread.
If you are hosting a cookie decorating party, these Cream Cheese Cookies are the perfect soft, stable base for piping colored frosting and adding sprinkles.

Cream Cheese Cookies Variations

Fold in walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, dried fruit, white chocolate chips, etc.

I love baking my cookies for about four to six minutes for a soft, melt in your mouth texture. If you prefer a firmer cookie, you can bake them for an extra minute or two. Remember that they continue to firm slightly as they cool on the tray.

If you want thicker cookies, avoid pressing them too thin and simply shape them by hand or roll out a slightly thicker dough. Use a cookie cutter and bake for about seven to eight minutes. This method creates a cute, puffy cookie that still keeps its shape beautifully.

Storing / Freezing Cream Cheese Cookies

Room temperature storage. Keep them in an airtight container for up to five days. Layer them with parchment paper to protect the frosting.
Refrigerator storage. If your house is warm, refrigerate the cookies for up to one week. Bring them to room temperature before serving to enjoy their soft texture.
Freezing the cookies. Freeze undecorated cookies in a single layer until firm, then transfer to a freezer safe bag. They stay fresh for up to two months.
Freezing the dough. You can also freeze the raw dough. Wrap tightly, freeze for up to three months, and thaw in the fridge before pressing or shaping.