I just made the Best Cream Cheese Cookies and they’re pillowy little clouds that melt in your mouth, trust me you’re going to want one.

Jump to Recipe

I’m obsessed with these pillow soft cookies. I love how the cream cheese makes the crumb ridiculously tender and a little tangy, like a secret I can’t stop eating.

I don’t care that people call them Sweet Cream Cookies or that someone swears they’re the Best Cream Cheese Cookies, I know they melt in your mouth. But seriously, every batch disappears.

I’ll admit I sneak one for breakfast with a splash of coffee. And they smell faintly of vanilla extract, which is pure sabotage.

Not fancy. Just ridiculously good, soft, and utterly addictive.

I want more, always. No questions asked ever.

Ingredients

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

Butter: brings rich, tender chewiness and keeps cookies pillowy soft, you’ll love it.
Cream cheese: adds tang and extra moisture, basically makes them impossibly tender.
Granulated sugar: sweetens and helps spread, plus gives a light crisp edge.
Eggs: bind everything and add lift, so cookies aren’t flat and sad.
Vanilla extract: warms the flavor, it’s subtle but makes them feel homey.
All purpose flour: gives structure and the soft bite you’re craving.
Baking powder: provides gentle lift and keeps texture airy, not dense.
Baking soda: helps browning and a little extra tenderness, works quietly.
Fine salt: balances sweetness, it’s what stops them from tasting flat.
Optional rolling sugar: adds a sparkling crackle and tiny extra sweetness on top.

Ingredient Quantities

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

Optional 1/4 cup granulated sugar for rolling

How to Make this

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F (177 C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside.

2. In a large bowl beat 1 cup (2 sticks) softened unsalted butter and 8 ounces softened cream cheese together until light and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes. It helps if both are truly room temp or you’ll get lumps.

3. Add 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar and beat until the mixture is fluffy, scraping bowl sides as needed.

4. Beat in 2 large eggs, one at a time, then stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until everything looks combined.

5. In a separate bowl whisk together 3 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt. Spoon and level the flour when measuring for best results.

6. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing on low just until incorporated. Don’t overmix or the cookies will get dense.

7. If the dough feels too soft to shape, chill it for 20 to 30 minutes; a chilled dough makes rounder cookies. Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to portion dough into balls about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons each.

8. Optional: put 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a small bowl and roll each dough ball in the sugar for a sparkly finish.

9. Place dough balls 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets, gently flatten each ball slightly with your fingers or the bottom of a glass. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are set but centers still look soft. They’ll look underdone but will finish while cooling.

10. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 3 to 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for longer. Tip: underbake a tiny bit for pillow soft texture, and use room temp eggs and dairy for even mixing.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (set to 350 F/177 C)
2. Two baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mats
3. Electric mixer or handheld mixer and a large mixing bowl
4. Small bowl and whisk for dry ingredients
5. Measuring cups and spoons (including spoon for leveling flour)
6. Cookie scoop or tablespoon and a small bowl for rolling sugar
7. Rubber spatula or wooden spoon for scraping and folding
8. Glass or your fingers to gently flatten dough balls on the sheet
9. Wire cooling rack and an airtight container for storage

FAQ

Why are these cookies so soft and pillow like?

The combo of cream cheese and butter gives extra moisture and tender crumb, plus you only need to bake until edges are set. Don't overbake or they'll firm up as they cool.

Do I need to chill the dough?

You can skip chilling if you want soft, flat pillows right away, but 30 minutes in the fridge makes the dough easier to handle and helps the cookies hold shape if you're rolling them in sugar.

Can I substitute low fat cream cheese or margarine?

Not really. Low fat cream cheese and margarine change moisture and fat content so texture suffers. If you must, expect slightly less tender, more cakey cookies.

How do I know when they are done?

Look for edges that are just set and tops that still look soft. A gentle tap should leave a little spring. They continue to set after you remove them from the oven.

How should I store them and how long do they last?

Store in an airtight container at room temp for 3 days, or in the fridge up to a week. For longer, freeze baked cookies up to 3 months, thaw on the counter.

Can I add mix-ins like chocolate chips or nuts?

Yes, fold in up to 1 cup of chips or chopped nuts. They make cookies a bit denser so use slightly less flour if you want them extra pillowy.

Cream Cheese Cookies (Pillow Soft Cookies) Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Butter (1 cup): swap with 1 cup margarine for same texture but slightly different flavor, or use 3/4 cup melted coconut oil for a hint of coconut and slightly crisper edges, or use 1 cup light olive oil for soft cookies but they may spread more.
Cream cheese (8 oz): use 8 oz Neufchatel for lower fat and almost identical results, or 8 oz mascarpone for a richer, more custardy cookie, or replace with 1 cup full fat Greek yogurt (drain overnight in a cheesecloth first) — expect slightly tangier, softer cookies.
Eggs (2 large): replace each egg with 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce (so 1/2 cup total) for moisture and a bit more chew, or use 1/4 cup mashed banana per egg but note a banana flavor, or use a commercial egg replacer (follow package amounts) for vegan results.
All purpose flour (3 cups): swap with a 1:1 gluten free all purpose blend (check for xanthan gum included) for gluten free cookies, or use 2 2/3 cups cake flour plus 1/3 cup all purpose for a slightly softer, more tender crumb, or try 2 1/2 cups white whole wheat plus 1/2 cup all purpose for nuttier flavor and a bit more density.

Pro Tips

1) Make sure the butter and cream cheese are truly room temp. If theyre even a little cold you will get lumps and the batter wont cream properly. If youre in a hurry, cut them into chunks to speed up warming.

2) Don’t overmix once you add the flour. Mix just until you see no streaks of flour. Overmixing makes tough, dense cookies. If the dough feels soft, chill it 20 to 30 minutes so the cookies hold their shape.

3) Slightly underbake them. Pull the cookies when the edges look set but the centers still seem soft and a tiny bit glossy. They finish cooking on the sheet and you get that pillowy, tender center most people love.

4) For even baking, rotate the pans halfway through and space cookies at least 2 inches apart. If you want a prettier crackled top, roll the balls in sugar right before baking.

Cream Cheese Cookies (Pillow Soft Cookies) Recipe

Recipe by Sammy Hunter

0.0 from 0 votes

I just made the Best Cream Cheese Cookies and they're pillowy little clouds that melt in your mouth, trust me you’re going to want one.

Servings

servings

Calories

141

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (set to 350 F/177 C)
2. Two baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mats
3. Electric mixer or handheld mixer and a large mixing bowl
4. Small bowl and whisk for dry ingredients
5. Measuring cups and spoons (including spoon for leveling flour)
6. Cookie scoop or tablespoon and a small bowl for rolling sugar
7. Rubber spatula or wooden spoon for scraping and folding
8. Glass or your fingers to gently flatten dough balls on the sheet
9. Wire cooling rack and an airtight container for storage

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
Optional 1/4 cup granulated sugar for rolling

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F (177 C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside.
In a large bowl beat 1 cup (2 sticks) softened unsalted butter and 8 ounces softened cream cheese together until light and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes. It helps if both are truly room temp or you'll get lumps.
Add 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar and beat until the mixture is fluffy, scraping bowl sides as needed.
Beat in 2 large eggs, one at a time, then stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until everything looks combined.
In a separate bowl whisk together 3 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt. Spoon and level the flour when measuring for best results.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing on low just until incorporated. Don’t overmix or the cookies will get dense.
If the dough feels too soft to shape, chill it for 20 to 30 minutes; a chilled dough makes rounder cookies. Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to portion dough into balls about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons each.
Optional: put 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a small bowl and roll each dough ball in the sugar for a sparkly finish.
Place dough balls 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets, gently flatten each ball slightly with your fingers or the bottom of a glass. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are set but centers still look soft. They’ll look underdone but will finish while cooling.
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 3 to 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for longer. Tip: underbake a tiny bit for pillow soft texture, and use room temp eggs and dairy for even mixing.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.