Description
Classic cream cheese cookies blend tangy dairy richness with delicate sweetness. Crisp edges and tender centers make these treats irresistible for home bakers seeking simple, elegant dessert perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
- ½ cup (113 grams/1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 oz (113 grams) cream cheese, softened
- ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 ¾ cups (220 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- Powdered sugar (for dusting)
- Sprinkles or sanding sugar
- Melted chocolate (for dipping)
Instructions
- Creaming: Whip softened cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy, creating a smooth, aerated foundation for the cookies.
- Sweetening: Thoroughly blend granulated sugar into the creamy mixture, ensuring complete incorporation and a consistent texture throughout.
- Liquid Integration: Gently mix egg and vanilla extract into the base, creating a silky, homogeneous batter with a rich aromatic profile.
- Dry Ingredient Preparation: Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl, eliminating potential clumps and ensuring even distribution of dry components.
- Dough Formation: Delicately fold dry ingredients into the wet mixture, using minimal strokes to maintain the dough’s tender structure and prevent gluten development.
- Chilling: Wrap the dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes, allowing flavors to meld and ingredients to settle, which enhances the cookie’s ultimate texture and taste.
- Preparation and Baking: Line baking sheets with parchment paper, portion chilled dough into uniform rounds with adequate spacing, and bake in a preheated oven until edges achieve a delicate golden hue.
Notes
- Chill Dough Strategically: Refrigerating the dough for 30 minutes helps prevent spreading and enhances flavor development, creating more structured and flavorful cookies.
- Handle Mixing Gently: Overmixing can develop tough gluten, so fold ingredients softly and stop mixing once the dough comes together for tender, delicate cookies.
- Control Moisture Balance: Use room temperature cream cheese and butter to ensure smooth integration and consistent texture without compromising the cookie’s structure.
- Portion Uniformly: Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to create evenly sized cookies, ensuring consistent baking and professional-looking results with uniform golden edges.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 25
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg