These cream cheese sugar cookies are soft, rich, and perfectly tender with a buttery flavor that melts in your mouth. Designed to hold their shape beautifully, they’re ideal for cut-out cookies and decorating, whether for holidays or special occasions. Finished with a smooth cream cheese frosting that sets firm, they’re easy to stack, store, and share.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
These cookies strike the perfect balance between softness and structure. The combination of butter and cream cheese creates a dough that’s flavorful without being cakey, while an extra egg yolk adds richness. A short chilling time makes the dough easy to handle, and the frosting dries just enough to make decorating and transporting stress-free.
Ingredients
(Tip: You’ll find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.)
Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies
1 cup (224 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
6 oz (170 g) full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
3 1/2 cups (450 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, plus extra for dusting
Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 oz (56 g) full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups (220 g) powdered sugar, spooned and leveled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Gel food coloring, optional
Sprinkles, for decorating
Directions
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, cream cheese, and granulated sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, and mix until smooth and fully combined.
Scrape the bowl again and mix in the salt, baking powder, and cream of tartar until evenly distributed.
Gradually add the flour. Once the dough becomes very thick and sticky, finish mixing with a sturdy spatula to ensure everything is well incorporated.
Lightly dust a sheet of plastic wrap with flour and turn the dough out onto it. With floured hands, pat the dough into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
On a well-floured surface, roll the chilled dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes and place the cookies about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Keep any unbaked cut cookies chilled while the others bake.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the tops look set and dry but the centers remain pale and soft. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the frosting, beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, then mix in the vanilla extract. If using, add gel food coloring a few drops at a time until the desired color is reached.
Spread the frosting over the cooled cookies and immediately add sprinkles so they adhere before the frosting sets.
Servings and timing
This recipe yields about 24 to 30 cookies, depending on the size of your cutters.
Prep time: approximately 20 minutes
Chilling time: 1 hour
Bake time: 8–10 minutes per batch
Total time: about 1 hour and 45 minutes
Variations
For a subtle flavor twist, add 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract along with the vanilla.
You can also mix citrus zest, such as lemon or orange, into the dough for a fresh aroma.
Swap sprinkles for finely chopped nuts or colored sugar for a different decorative finish.
Storage/Reheating
Once frosted and set, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 1 week.
The baked, unfrosted cookies freeze well for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before frosting.
Reheating is not recommended, as it can soften the frosting and alter the cookie texture.
FAQs
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes, the dough can be prepared and refrigerated up to one day in advance before rolling and baking.
Why does the dough feel very sticky?
The high moisture from the cream cheese makes the dough sticky, which is normal. Chilling firms it up and makes it easy to work with.
Can I skip the chilling step?
No, chilling is essential for this recipe. Without it, the dough will be too soft to roll and cut properly.
Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted?
You can, but reduce the added salt by half to avoid overly salty cookies.
Do these cookies spread while baking?
They spread very little, which makes them excellent for detailed cut-out shapes.
Can I freeze the cookie dough?
Yes, you can freeze the dough as a slab or as cut-out shapes. Bake from frozen with a couple of extra minutes added to the bake time.
Does the frosting harden completely?
The frosting sets firm on the surface, making the cookies easy to stack, but it remains soft when you bite into it.
Can I decorate without frosting?
Absolutely. You can sprinkle the cookies with colored sugar before baking for a simple finish.
What thickness should I roll the dough?
About 1/4 inch thick is ideal for soft centers and defined edges.
Are these cookies good for gifting?
Yes, they’re excellent for gifting since they hold their shape, stack well, and stay soft for days.
Conclusion
These cream cheese sugar cookies are a dependable, crowd-pleasing recipe that delivers on flavor, texture, and appearance. With a soft, buttery bite and a smooth frosting that sets beautifully, they’re perfect for decorating, sharing, and celebrating any occasion. Once you try them, they’re sure to become a favorite in your baking collection.
These cream cheese sugar cookies are soft, buttery, and perfectly tender, making them ideal for cut-out shapes and decorating. Finished with a smooth cream cheese frosting, they’re easy to store, stack, and share—perfect for holidays or special occasions.
Ingredients
1 cup (224 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
6 oz (170 g) full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
3 1/2 cups (450 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, room temperature (for frosting)
2 oz (56 g) full-fat cream cheese, room temperature (for frosting)
2 cups (220 g) powdered sugar, spooned and leveled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for frosting)
Gel food coloring, optional
Sprinkles, for decorating
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, cream cheese, and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl.
Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth and combined.
Mix in salt, baking powder, and cream of tartar until incorporated.
Gradually add flour. When the dough becomes thick and sticky, finish mixing with a spatula until fully combined.
Turn dough onto floured plastic wrap, shape into a 1-inch-thick rectangle, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Roll out dough on a floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into shapes and place on baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Keep unbaked dough chilled.
Bake for 8–10 minutes until tops are set and pale. Cool on the sheet for 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make frosting: beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, then vanilla. Add food coloring if using.
Frost cooled cookies and decorate with sprinkles before the frosting sets. Let frosting firm before stacking.
Notes
Add almond extract or citrus zest to the dough for extra flavor.
Use gel food coloring for vibrant frosting hues.
Freeze unbaked cut-out cookies and bake from frozen with extra time.
Cookies are perfect for gifting and hold shape well after baking.
For a simpler version, sprinkle sugar on the cookies before baking instead of frosting.
