These cream cheese cookies are the Christmas bake for the days when time is short: no rolling pin, no cookie cutters, just one bowl and an ice cream scoop. The tender, buttery cookies are mixed in about 10 minutes and ready from the oven in about 25.
The dough is soft and sticky on purpose. Dipping the scoop in flour before each portion keeps it from sticking, so you can drop even mounds on the baking sheet without rolling or cutting. The trick is to pull the cookies from the oven while they are still pale: they firm up as they cool but stay soft inside.
How do you make cream cheese cookies without rolling the dough?
Beat the cream cheese and butter until creamy, mix in the sugar, egg and flavoring, then stir in the flour with baking powder. Portion the dough with a flour-dipped scoop, bake at a low temperature for 10 to 12 minutes and dust with powdered sugar once the cookies are cool.
At a Glance
- Prep time: 10 min
- Baking time: 10–12 min
- Servings: about 20 cookies
- Difficulty: Easy (kids can help)
- Calories: about 85 kcal per cookie
- Trend: Last-minute Christmas baking
Ingredients
(US measures, with metric in brackets)
- 4.4 oz (125 g) plain full-fat cream cheese, softened (block style, such as Philadelphia)
- 3 1/2 tablespoons (50 g) butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1 packet / 8 g vanilla sugar)
- 1/3 cup (70 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 4–5 drops butter-vanilla flavoring (optional; or add 1/2 teaspoon more vanilla extract)
- 1 1/4 cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
To finish
- extra flour for dipping the scoop
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter with a mixer for about 3 minutes, until creamy.
- Add the sugar, vanilla and egg. Mix briefly until everything is combined.
- Add 4 to 5 drops of butter-vanilla flavoring for a strong holiday aroma.
- Add the flour mixed with the baking powder and salt, and stir into a smooth dough. It will be soft and sticky, and that is correct.
- Heat the oven to 320°F (160°C) on the convection (fan) setting; in a conventional oven without a fan, use about 340°F (170°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Put some flour in a small bowl. Dip the ice cream scoop (or a spoon) into the flour first, then scoop up the dough.
- Drop the mounds on the baking sheet with space between them. The dough spreads out slightly.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Take the cookies out while they are still pale; if they turn brown, they harden.
- Let the cookies cool completely on the sheet, then dust with powdered sugar.
Video Recipe
Tips for Perfect Cream Cheese Cookies
- The key to tenderness: Take the cookies out of the oven while they still look soft and pale. They firm up as they cool but stay soft inside.
- No sticking: If you do not have an ice cream scoop, use two teaspoons and dip them in flour or water before each scoop.
Easy Variations
- Lemon: Add the zest of half an unwaxed lemon to the dough for a fresh flavor.
- Chocolate: Replace 2 1/2 tablespoons (20 g) of the flour with 3 tablespoons (20 g) of good unsweetened cocoa powder.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I use cottage cheese or farmer’s cheese? No. The dough would be too wet. Use smooth, plain full-fat cream cheese (Philadelphia-style).
How long do the cookies stay soft? Store them in an airtight container, ideally a tin, in a cool place. They stay soft for 5 to 7 days. Because the dough contains cream cheese, keep them in the refrigerator if your kitchen is warm.
Can I make them ahead for Christmas? Yes, bake them within the week before you need them. Baked cookies without powdered sugar can also be frozen in an airtight container; thaw them at room temperature and dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Do I need an ice cream scoop? No, but a scoop gives cookies of equal size that bake evenly. Two teaspoons work as well.
Can I use butter-vanilla flavoring instead of vanilla extract? The recipe uses both. If you cannot find butter-vanilla flavoring, leave it out and add a little more vanilla extract.
These cookies show that Christmas baking does not have to be stressful: a good recipe and a few spare minutes are enough.
The recipe is based on a version by last minute cake, adapted by the We Cook With Love team.
Enjoy! Try more recipes from our kitchen.
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