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Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies Recipe! {Soft Perfect Cutouts}

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This soft and buttery Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies Recipe creates the perfect sweet treat for Christmas or anytime you’re in the mood to decorate cookies.

Are you searching for the perfect cut out sugar cookies? Well guess what… you just found them! This perfectly soft Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies Recipe makes the ultimate cutout cookie! The dough is easy to work with and the flavor is off the charts!

Soft sugar cookies from scratch are a must-have at the holidays! Whether you’re looking to bake up some fun Christmas cut out cookies with your kids, or just want an easy cookie cutter recipe for other times of the year, these will become your go-to treat! Thanks to the secret ingredient of cream cheese, you’ll end up with chewy, tender, melt in your mouth sugar cookie perfection! Yes… they’re that good!

Then… after you bake up these soft sugar cookies, it’s time to frost them up with this heavenly Cream Cheese Frosting! You can even tint the frosting with food coloring or gels to make all sorts of gorgeous colors for your cookie decorating!

Or if you’re craving something with chocolate, this Easy Chocolate Frosting with Cocoa Powder is the way to go! It’s out of this world!

When it comes time to decorate, gather up the gang.  You won’t just be making cookies… you’ll be making sweet memories to cherish for years to come! Decorating sugar cookies is one holiday tradition that just can’t be skipped at my house. From baking to decorating, my entire family gets involved and has so much fun year after year!

We always make sure to create some extra silly ones to give to each other, too! With teen guys and a funny hubby, the designs have been hilarious and bizarre over the years! When bigfoot, leg lamps, and feet are your templates, things are bound to get crazy. What can I say… I’m the only girl in the house, and I am definitely outnumbered!

If you love decorating cookies, too… you’ll really love these classic cut out sugar cookies! Just trust me… they’re the one recipe you NEED to try this year!

So are you ready to get baking? Here’s what you’ll need…

Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies Recipe

How to Make Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies:

It’s actually so easy to make the most amazing sugar cookies! Here’s what you’ll do…

  • Mix up the dough
  • Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours
  • Roll out the dough to 1/8″ thickness
  • Cut out your shapes using your favorite cookie cutters
  • Bake for 9 – 12 minutes
  • Allow cookies to cool
  • Then decorate and ENJOY!

Should Sugar Cookie Dough Be Refrigerated?

Yes… after making the dough, you’ll want to transfer it to the refrigerator and let it chill overnight, or at least a minimum of 8 hours. And if you want to make your cookie dough in advance, you can make it up ahead of time and store it up to 3 days in the refrigerator prior to baking.

How Do You Refrigerate Cookie Dough?

It’s simple! After making the dough, just divide it into 3 portions, flatten into discs, wrap each portion in plastic wrap, then transfer to the refrigerator.

Should I Refrigerate Cookies After Baking?

Yes… store leftover unfrosted and frosted cookies in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

What Your Frugal Friends Are Saying About This Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies Recipe…

Beth writes: “These are the BEST!!! They’re the only kind of cookies I make – they melt in your mouth!!”

Darcy writes: “Best recipe for sugar cookies!”

Jean writes: “Made these this weekend and loved them! Thank you!”

Kim writes: “I love these!!”

Annie writes: “We have used this recipe, it so much better than regular sugar cookies.”

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Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies Recipe

This perfectly soft Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies Recipe makes the ultimate cutout cookie!
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time40 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cookie, cookie decorating, easy
Servings: 4 dozen

Ingredients

  • 1 2/3 cups Granulated {White} Sugar
  • 1 cup Unsalted Butter softened {use high quality butter}
  • 8 oz Cream Cheese brick softened
  • 1 large Egg
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 tsp Almond Extract
  • 3 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar for rolling and cutting out cookies

Instructions

  • In large bowl, combine Sugar, softened Butter, softened Cream Cheese, Egg, Vanilla Extract and Almond Extract, and beat with mixer until well combined.
  • In separate bowl, combine Flour, Baking Powder, and Salt, and whisk ingredients together.
  • Gradually pour flour mixture into Butter/Cream Cheese mixture, and continue mixing until all has been well combined.
  • Divide dough into 3 portions, flatten into discs, wrap each portion in plastic wrap, then transfer to the refrigerator. Allow dough to chill overnight, or at least a minimum of 8 hours.
  • When you're ready to bake your cookies, preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Generously coat a large cutting board with powdered sugar, and remove 1 portion of dough from the refrigerator at a time. Sprinkle the top and bottom of the dough with additional powdered sugar, and generously cover your rolling pin with powdered sugar.
  • Roll dough out to 1/8" thickness, then cut out shapes using cookie cutters, and carefully transfer to parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
  • As the dough warms up, it will become more sticky, so work quickly and wrap up any leftover scraps in plastic wrap, and store them in the refrigerator.
  • Bake 9 – 12 minutes, or until cookies are done and edges begin turning golden brown. {bake times will vary based upon thickness, types of cookie sheets being used, ovens, and elevation} Once done, remove from oven, and allow to cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer to wire racks to finish cooling.
  • Continue rolling and baking cookies, 1 small portion of dough at a time, generously coating your cutting board and rolling pin with powdered sugar as you go, until all of the dough has been used up.
  • Once cookies have cooled completely, have fun frosting, decorating, and eating. YUM!
  • Store leftover unfrosted and frosted cookies in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • Prep Ahead Tip: Dough can be made ahead of time and stored up to 3 days in the refrigerator prior to baking.
  • Freezer Tip: Baked sugar cookies that have not yet been frosted can be frozen in a freezer safe container up to 1 month.  If stacking cookies in the container, place a sheet of parchment paper between each layer.

Notes

*You could also roll out on flour, but when you roll out on powdered sugar your cookies will stay perfectly sweet.

What You’ll Need to Frost These Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies:

Best Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Easy Chocolate Frosting Recipe

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So have you tried this Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies Recipe yet?

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Comments

  2. Amparo says

    How far in advance can I bake the cookies? Want to bake some for a wedding. Just wondering how long they would last and how to store them. Freezer, fridge or room temperature?

    Reply

    • Heidi says

      You will want to store the cookies in the refrigerator, and eat within 5 days. Or, you can also make up some dough ahead of time and store up to 3 days in the refrigerator prior to baking. Hope that helps! 🙂

      Reply

    • Heidi says

      Thanks, Michelle! I can’t believe how fast this year has flown by… the holidays will be here before we know it!

      Reply

  8. Val says

    Yummy! I have never worked cream cheese into a cookie dough before. These are definitely peaking my interest! Cookies are so fun to cut out.

    Reply

    • Heidi says

      Thanks, Val, and I agree… making cut out cookies is always fun! The cream cheese does make the dough a bit stickier than traditional sugar cookie dough, but with refrigeration it works out just fine, and the flavor upgrade is definitely worth it. 🙂

      Reply

  15. CoCo says

    I’ve never heard of these before, Heidi, but they look amazing! We love Christmas cookies so I can’t wait to try this recipe. They sound perfect for our family and easy to make too! Hugs, CoCo

    Reply

    • Heidi says

      Thanks, CoCo! They really are so simple to make, and I think you will really love the flavor. Hope you have a lovely day!

      Reply

  16. Lisa says

    I’ve never tried making cookies with cream cheese but I can see how soft this would make them. Love the look of the Ginger Snaps too, I adore ginger!

    Reply

    • Heidi says

      Thanks, Lisa! You’re right… the cream cheese really does keep the cookies nice and soft. And I agree, Ginger Snaps are one of my favorites, too! 🙂

      Reply

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