Soft sugar cookies with buttercream frosting are the perfect solution! Not only do they taste amazing, but they’re also incredibly easy to make. Make this melt in your mouth cream cheese cookie that might just become your new favorite cookie to add to your Holiday baking list.
With just a few simple ingredients and a bit of time, you can whip up a batch of these scrumptious treats that will satisfy your cravings and delight family members of all ages.
We don’t wait for Christmas to make these. They are the perfect sugar cookie to make for Easter, Valentine’s Day, Summer BBQ picnics, Birthday parties, and potlucks. They are a real crowd pleaser.
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The Ingredients in the Cream Cheese Sugar Cookie Recipe
If you love a soft, chewy cookie perfect dough for a drop cookie, or a cut out cookie too. Use pantry ingredients to whip up a batch today, All Purpose Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt, Granulated Sugar, Cream Cheese, Butter, Egg, Vanilla Extract, and Almond Extract.
You might be wondering how cream cheese fits in a sugar cookie. Cream cheese tenderizes the cookies and adds a hint of tang that helps balance the sweetness of the sugar.
How to Make These Classic Cookies
Follow along and in no time, you’ll have these scrumptious cookies ready to enjoy!
Directions Overview
In a large bowl, cream the butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond and mix until combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk to combine the dry ingredients, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until just incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl to makes sure that everything is incorporated. Be careful not to over mix.
How to Make Soft Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Frosting
Drop or Rolled Cookies for Decorating
Chilling the Dough
The dough is a little sticky to handle. Therefore, depending on the texture of your dough it may need to be placed in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to an hour. This will help the dough keep its shape during the cooking and make the dough less stick so you can handle it to make your shapes.
Drop Cookies
Use a cookie scoop or roll a tablespoon of dough in your hand. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Press the dough ball flat with your hand, or a glass with a pretty design on the bottom dipped in granulated sugar, or a fork.
Rolling Cookie Dough
If you plan on rolling out your dough, a fast time-saving tip is to divide the dough into quarters and roll between two sheets of parchment paper. By doing this, you skip the need for a lightly floured surface and extra clean up. Next chill the dough. Pro Tip. The best thickness to roll cookie dough is 1/4-inch up to ½-inch thick. Any thinner the cookies will not be as soft and chewy. When ready use cookie cutters to make your shapes. Working with the cookie dough. If at any point the dough becomes too sticky to handle, simply pop it back into the refrigerator, and in a few minutes, it will be good to go again.
Line your ungreased baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Place sugar cookies in a 350 degrees Fahrenheit preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are just starting to turn a light golden color. Let cool completely on a wire rack before storing or frosting.
Make the Buttercream Frosting
Stir together the ingredients powdered sugar, butter, milk, and vanilla. If you plan on adding food coloring use less milk. If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar, too thick, add a little more milk 1 teaspoon at a time.
Frost and decorate your cookies as desired.
How to Keep Sugar Cookies Fresh?
These cookies will stay fresh and soft for up to a week when stored at room temperature in a cool dry place in an airtight container or cookie jar. They are still safe to eat the second week and will taste great, but the cookie will start to become stale.
Do You Have to Refrigerate Cookies with Cream Cheese in Them?
No, you do not have to refrigerate cream cheese cookies. In fact, they will stay fresh for up to 5 days when stored at room temperature in a container.
How to Freeze Cookies
Freeze the cookies separately on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Once frozen, transfer to a plastic freezer bag of another airtight freezer container. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature. Cookie dough can be frozen by wrapping in plastic wrap, then placing in a freezer container.
Both baked cookies frosted, and unfrosted, unbaked cookie dough can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Before decorating, let thaw overnight in the refrigerator. If unbaled, once thawed, you can roll, shape, and bake as directed.
How to Make Soft Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Frosting
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Kitchen Essentials
Ingredients
- 2 ½ Cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- 1 ½ Cups Granulated Sugar
- 8 Ounces Cream Cheese 1 package softened
- ½ Cup Butter Softened
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ½ Teaspoon Almond Extract
Buttercream Frosting
- 2 ½ Cups Powdered Sugar
- ¼ Cup Butter Softened
- 3 to 4 Tablespoons Milk
- ½ Teaspoon Vanilla
Instructions
- In a large bowl, cream the butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond and mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk to combine the dry ingredients, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until just incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl to makes sure that everything is incorporated. Be careful not to over mix.
- Chilling the Dough.
- The dough is a little sticky to handle. Therefore, depending on the texture of your dough it may need to be placed in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to an hour. This will help the dough keep its shape during the cooking and make the dough less stick so you can handle it to make your shapes.
- Drop Cookies
- Use a cookie scoop or roll a tablespoon of dough in your hand. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Press the dough ball flat with your hand, or a glass with a pretty design on the bottom dipped in granulated sugar, or a fork.
- Rolling Cookie Dough
- If you plan on rolling out your dough, a fast time-saving tip is to divide the dough into quarters and roll between two sheets of parchment paper. By doing this, you skip the need for a lightly floured surface and extra clean up. Next chill the dough. Pro Tip. The best thickness to roll cookie dough is 1/4-inch up to ½-inch thick. Any thinner the cookies will not be as soft and chewy. When ready, use cookie cutters to make your shapes. Working with the cookie dough. If at any point the dough becomes too sticky to handle, simply pop it back into the refrigerator, and in a few minutes, it will be good to go again.
- Line your ungreased baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Place sugar cookies in a 350 degrees Fahrenheit preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are just starting to turn a light golden color. The bake time will vary from oven to oven depending on the temperature. Let cool completely on a wire rack before storing or frosting.
- Make the Frosting.
- Stir together the ingredients powdered sugar, butter, milk, and vanilla. If you plan on adding food coloring use less milk. If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar, too thick, add a little more milk 1 teaspoon at a time.
- Frost and decorate your cookies as desired.
Your Own Private Notes
Notes
Do You Have to Refrigerate Cookies with Cream Cheese in Them?
No, you do not have to refrigerate cream cheese cookies. In fact, they will stay fresh for up to 5 days when stored at room temperature in a container.How to Freeze Cookies
Freeze the cookies separately on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Once frozen, transfer to a plastic freezer bag of another airtight freezer container. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature. Cookie dough can be frozen by wrapping in plastic wrap, then placing in a freezer container. Both baked cookies frosted, and unfrosted, unbaked cookie dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. Before decorating, let thaw overnight in the refrigerator. If unbaled, once thawed, you can roll, shape, and bake as directed.Nutrition
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You can find Victoria crocheting, quilting, and creating recipes. She has cooked in restaurants for over 20 years, including many larger parties. She learned to crochet when she was just 11 years old and has been crocheting ever since; over 50 years now. Over 40 years ago, she loved her first class in sewing and continues to hone her skills in quilting. Many have enjoyed the handmade gifts over the years. In her professional career, she has worked in management in a wide variety of businesses including higher education as a dean of a division. All the while attending college part-time to achieve her doctorate in higher education with an emphasis in e-learning.