Ridiculously soft and pillowy cookies that have slightly chewier edges and a tender centre. One bowl and 10 minutes is all you need to whip up these chocolate chip cheesecake cookies!
Some recipes come together seamlessly. I’ll have an idea; scribble it down on paper; work out the details; put it to the test; fall in love with the result; make it again just to be sure; and call it a success.
This was not one of those recipes.
This was one of those recipes that failed after the first batch. And the second batch. And the third batch. And… a couple more batches after that.
This was one of those recipes that I would have sacked had it not been for pride and my ridiculously stubborn nature. Admitting defeat to a gooey lump of butter, sugar, [cheese], and flour? Nuh uh. Not me.
And it’s a good thing, too, because this was (is?) one of those recipes that’s well worth the trouble… even if I did end up shedding some tears during the whole process ordeal. I may not cry over spilled milk, but apparently I will cry over a solid mass of melted cookies. Just being real.
I did learn some valuable lessons, though.
Lesson #1. Cream cheese behaves like butter. If you’re like me and not willing to chill the dough (ain’t no one got time patience for that!), then you need to reduce the butter or you’ll end up with melted cookies. Try again.
Lesson #2. Adding more flour does.not.work. Try again.
Lesson #3. Do not attempt to get “one last batch in” at 11 PM before you “pass out for the night.” You will be so tired that you’ll inevitably forget to add a very important ingredient (like sugar), and end up with savoury cheesy biscuits. Which, while still good, were not what you were after. Try again.
Lesson #4. Now is not the time to experiment with arrowroot powder. Try again.
Lesson #5. Persistence.pays.off.
They’re so fluffy I could die.
These may just be some of the softest, doughiest, most pillowy cookies that I’ve ever had. They’re slightly firmer and chewier around the edges, and get softer as you make your way towards the middle. The flavour of the cream cheese isn’t too pronounced, but you can definitely pick up on it, especially if you know it’s in there. It adds a certain je ne sais quoi that you can’t help but want to decipher by taking more and more bites…
These cookies aren’t overly sweet or greasy, but neither do they taste or feel lightened up in the least. I played around with the amount of butter and sugar quite a bit, and I think I found a happy medium — they’re the perfect blend of “oh.my.god these taste amazing and they’re not even too bad for me.”
Plus they’re loaded with chocolate in every bite, which is never a bad thing in my books…
I’d love to know if you make this (or any!) recipe! Tag @runwithspoons on Instagram and Twitter, and be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy and delicious recipes straight to your inbox!
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Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookies
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: 12 – 16 cookies 1x
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup cream cheese, softened to room temperature*
- 1/4 cup unrefined granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp. honey
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand-held mixer, combine butter, cream cheese, sugar, and honey, beating on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Add in the egg and vanilla, and continue beating until everything is well combined, scrapping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Reduce speed to low and slowly add flour, baking soda, and salt, mixing until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Drop dough by rounded tablespoon onto your prepared baking sheet, topping each cookie with a few additional chocolate chips if desired. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until edges begin to set and turn golden brown. Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Notes
* I used full-fat cream cheese.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
Looking for more delicious cookie recipes? Try one of these!
Double Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Oatmeal Cookies
Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
These worked extremely well for what I wanted to try! I used one lightly filled cup of oat flour in place of the all-purpose flour and I used 1/4 cup of Monk fruit sweetener in place of the sugar, followed rest of directions to a “T” then chilled in the freezer for 15 to 20 min before baking. Baked for 9 min. They turned out wonderful!
Can you use whipped cream cheese?
Yes that should be fine!
This is amazing. Actually all of the recipes that I have tried.from your blog are amazing. I wonder how these cookies can last a week in a jar. They cannot even last one hour after they are out. Thanks a million for your magnificent recipes.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Julie! I’m so glad you like these cookies 🙂
Love these, make them once month for peeps at work
I made these yesterday & they rose a lot & tasted like cake with chocolate chips.. I’m not sure what I did wrong, maybe I overbreated the batter? are they supposed to turn out like that or should I try making them again? I really wanted these to work out I’ve tried almost all of your muffin recipes & they’ve all been successes!!
plus the batter was very runny, I mixed in the dry ingredients by hand, & used a beater for the liquid ingredients. I got 16 cookies that were very airy & cakey, very unlike the pictures.
I made these and they may very well be the best cookies I’ve ever made. I’ve never had a cookie so soft and fluffy and pillowy!! They were AMAZING!!!
I’m glad you liked them, Maria! Thanks for stopping by to let me know 🙂
These look and sound divine, yum!
xx Kelly
Sparkles and Shoes
These sound ridiculously amazing. Definitely pinning so I can make these later!
These look amazing. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a fluffier cookie, and I fully intend to make them, especially since I have cream cheese in my fridge with no bagels again. Another travesty, and I’m not sure how this keeps happening. Mainly because I hardly ever have cream cheese. I’m on it.
Thanks for the persistence. I sure do appreciate it.
The self-professed cheese lover not having cream CHEESE on hand? I feel like I don’t know who you are anymore…
I have a boatload of other cheeses on hand. Usually there’s at least seven different kinds in the fridge at any given moment. Cream cheese though is a rarity around these parts. Weird, but true.
Aaaah yea. There’s been a few recipes I’ve struggled with….and I definitely know the lesson of ‘don’t try to throw it together late at night’. That’s usually asking to fail, haha
I’m not a fan of cheesecake, but cram it into a chocolate chip cookie and I think I could definitely enjoy it. These look fabulous.
Wowzers these do look amazing!
Aaaand it’s totally normal to cry over cookies that aren’t turning out right. Especially when you consider yourself a cookie expert. Cookies can be flipping tricky. I had two trays of cookies from the same batch turn out totally different I think because of the temperature of the dough/pan when I baked them…annoying! But then you feel like a total genius when you figure it out! 🙂
Well hopefully you cried tears of joy when they came out right, because they look absolutely amazing!
Ha! Joy and/or relief. Thanks, Markita!
These look absolutely delicious! I love cheesecake so this will be next on my “to-make” list. 🙂
OH MY YUM!! Chocolate chip… CHEESECAKE… COOKIES!!!! My mouth is watering… delicious!
Good on you for persevering! These look sooo good, I love me some cheesecake 🙂
Oh myyyyy word- these look like heaven on a plate….er I mean screen!! Kitchen fails suck at the time but looking back, they actually turn into humorous stories…and blog posts ;)! I can’t seem to remember a recent blunder but one that I’ll never forget is when I added salt to my batch of banana muffins- SUCH a rookie mistake! In my defence it was at the end of a lazy Sunday so I was in such a daze- clearly not my finest moment!
Oh man… I’ve over-salted things before and it was a nightmare. I’ll usually try to save most of my fails because I hate tossing out food, but salt is one of those things that you just can’t win with.
I never knew that you could use cream cheese in cookies. These cookies sound and look incredible! I wanted to reach into the picture and grab one! Great recipe!
Gosh everything you post looks amazing! I LOVE how gooey and melty the chocolate chips look in these.
Totally going to veganize these and make them! Yum!!
This totally makes sense now 😉
Glad you got it right because these look incredible!!! Last kitchen fail was (forgot to tell you) I broke my oven door- I have to use masking tape to close it!
😆 Omg. You need to upgrade to a bungee cord.
Cookie + Cheesecake? Sold.
Thanks for sharing, can’t wait to try out the recipe!