These cream cheese chocolate chip cookies are not made with cream cheese mixed into the dough- they are actually stuffed with it. Each soft, chewy chocolate chip cookie hides a sweet vanilla cream cheese center that stays creamy while the outside bakes up lightly golden.
The trick is keeping both the dough and filling cold enough to work with. Chill them well, seal the filling completely inside the cookie dough and bake just until the edges are set. A little flaky sea salt on top takes them straight into bakery-cookie territory.
Why You’ll Love These Cream Cheese Stuffed Cookies
- Cheesecake in the Middle. The sweetened cream cheese filling gives you a creamy surprise inside an otherwise classic chocolate chip cookie.
- They Stay Thick and Soft. Chilling the dough helps control spread and keeps the cream cheese tucked inside instead of leaking onto the baking sheet.
- They Look Much More Complicated Than They Are. Once the dough and filling are cold, assembly is basically flatten, fill, seal and bake.
Ingredients for Cream Cheese Stuffed Cookies
The most important part of making these cookies is to ensure that you have all refrigerated ingredients at (or close to) room temperature before you begin preparing them. A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.
- Cream cheese – For this recipe, be sure to use full-fat cream cheese — it gives the filling its rich flavor. Be sure to allow it to soften before mixing.
- Powdered sugar – Also known as confectioners’ sugar, this ingredient gives the filling its silky smoothness.
- Vanilla extract – Vanilla helps to bring out the slight tang of the cream cheese and the sweetness of the powdered sugar.
- Fine sea salt – Using salt when baking balances the ingredients in the recipe.
- Unsalted butter – Use unsalted butter since you’ll be adding salt to the recipe — you can always add more but you can’t take it out if it’s too salty. Be sure the butter is softened before mixing.
- White sugar – Granulated sugar dissolves quickly, making it ideal for baking.
- Light brown sugar – Brown sugar adds richness to the cookies.
- Eggs – Eggs add richness, as well, and help the cookies to rise. They also help to provide the perfect texture.
- All-purpose flour – Be sure to use this and not cake flour.
- Baking soda – A leavening agent, baking soda helps to ensure the cookies rise exactly as they should.
- Coarse kosher salt – Salt rounds out all of the flavors in the cookies.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips – While you can use dark or milk chocolate instead, semi-sweet has just the right touch of sweetness for this cookie.
- Flaky sea salt (optional) – If you like a salty and sweet treat, sprinkle just a bit of sea salt on after baking.
How To Make Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies
This recipe has a number of steps but they are all fairly straightforward and simple.
- Make cream cheese filling. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and salt, blending until smooth. Scrape down and transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill.
- Cream butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. In the same, bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs and vanilla until just combined.
- Combine dry and wet ingredients. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Cover and chill.
- Prepare oven and baking sheet. When ready to assemble and bake, preheat the oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Form cookies. Using a cookie dough scoop, scoop out a heaping tablespoon into well-floured hands. Press down with your palm to make them flat. Add a full teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture to center and then fold over the edges to seal it into the cookie dough.
- Flatten. Place the ball onto the prepared baking sheet and using the bottom of a floured pint glass or other flat object, press down lightly until cookie is about 2 inches in diameter. Continue with remaining dough, keeping the cookie dough and filling chilled between batches.
- Bake until the edges or lightly browned and set. Remove and allow to cool on the cookie sheet before carefully transferring to a wire rack using a spatula to cool completely.
- Top with flaky salt. If desired, sprinkle with flaky sea salt while still hot and tacky.
Chef Tips
- Flour your hands lightly. Too much flour incorporated during shaping can make the exterior dry, but floured hands prevents too much dough sticking to your hands.
- Seal tightly. If you see cream cheese, the oven will see it too, so make sure to seal tightly.
- Do not overbake. Stuffed cookies continue setting on the sheet after they come out.
- Use parchment. It makes any occasional filling leak much easier to clean.
Storage, Make Ahead, and Freezing
Since these cream cheese stuffed chocolate chip cookies incorporate dairy you’ll need to keep them stored in the fridge or freezer.
Refrigerator: Store these cookies in an airtight container or a ziploc bag for 4-5 days in the refrigerator.
Make Ahead: You can make the cream cheese filling ahead of time and use it when you’re ready to bake the cookies.
Freezer: While you can freeze cookies for up to 3 months, the texture of the filling may not remain the same once thawed.
More Creative Cookie Recipes
If you love this cream cheese chocolate chip cookies recipe, grab a glass of cold milk and whip up some of these other delicious cookie recipes!
Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Cream cheese chocolate chip cookies are soft and chewy with a sweet cheesecake-style center, melty chocolate chips and optional flaky salt!
Servings:
Equipment
- insulated cookie sheets
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Filling:
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
Cookies:
- ¾ cups unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Flaky sea salt optional
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and salt, blending until smooth. Scrape down and transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of 1 hour.
- In the same, bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes. Add in the eggs and vanilla until just combined.
- Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Cover and chill for a minimum of 1 hour.
- When ready to assemble and bake, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using a cookie dough scoop, scoop out a heaping tablespoon into well-floured hands. Press down with your palm to make them flat. Add a full teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture to center and then fold over the edges to seal it into the cookie dough. Place the ball onto the prepared baking sheet and using the bottom of a floured pint glass or other flat object, press down lightly until cookie is about 2 inches in diameter. Continue with remaining dough, keeping the cookie dough and filling chilled between batches.
- Bake for 12 minutes or until the edges or lightly browned and set.
- Remove and allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 2-3 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack using a spatula to cool completely.
- If desired, sprinkle with flaky sea salt while still hot and tacky.
Notes
Note: keeping the dough well chilled is the key to making the filling stay inside the cookie dough!
Refrigerator: Store these cookies in an airtight container or a ziploc bag for 4-5 days in the refrigerator.
Make Ahead: You can make the cream cheese filling ahead of time and use it when you’re ready to bake the cookies.
Freezer: While you can freeze cookies for up to 3 months, the texture of the filling may not remain the same once thawed.
Nutrition
Calories: 6194 kcal, Carbohydrates: 742 g, Protein: 72 g, Fat: 331 g, Saturated Fat: 196 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 15 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 91 g, Trans Fat: 6 g, Cholesterol: 939 mg, Sodium: 3486 mg, Potassium: 2532 mg, Fiber: 29 g, Sugar: 479 g, Vitamin A: 7911 IU, Calcium: 661 mg, Iron: 33 mg
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After reading your recipe, I would hardly wait to make these cookies. OMGsh, they are amazing! The combination of cream cheese filling with the chocolate chop cookie dough is out of this world!
Now that’s a decadent idea, way to kick up a traditional chocolate chip cookie! The salt on top was also a great touch. Making again soon!
This is such a clever take on dressing up a chocolate chip cookie. The cream cheese filling adds a wonderful textural and tasty surprise!
These were another level! That cream cheese filling is just fantastic.