Description
Delight in these Softbatch Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies, featuring a luscious blend of butter and cream cheese for irresistibly soft, chewy centers and tender edges. Perfectly balanced with brown and granulated sugars and loaded with semi-sweet chocolate chips and chunks, these cookies are a crowd-pleaser with a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup cream cheese, softened (measure by smooshing into 1/4 cup measure)
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, optional and to taste
Add-ins
- 2 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks (recommend 1 cup chips and 1 1/4 cups chunks)
Instructions
- Cream the Butter, Cream Cheese and Sugars: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the softened butter, softened cream cheese, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and well-creamed. Alternatively, use an electric hand mixer and beat for at least 7 minutes.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt if using. Mix on low speed just until combined, about 1 minute. Avoid overmixing to keep cookies tender.
- Incorporate Chocolate Chips and Chunks: Add the semi-sweet chocolate chips and chunks, mixing briefly to incorporate or fold them in by hand to evenly distribute without overworking the dough.
- Shape and Chill the Dough: Using a medium 2-inch cookie scoop, portion heaping mounds of dough (yielding about 28 cookies). Place the mounds on a large plate, flatten slightly with your palm, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 5 days. Chilling the dough is crucial for thick, soft cookies and prevents excessive spreading during baking.
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with a Silpat Non-Stick Baking Mat or lightly spray it with cooking spray. Place dough mounds spaced at least 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake the cookies for 8 to 9 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops are just beginning to set, remaining slightly pale and glossy in the centers. Avoid baking longer than 10 minutes to maintain a soft texture. For even baking, you can rotate trays halfway through.
- Cool the Cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. This helps preserve their soft, pillowy centers.
- Store: Store cooled cookies airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months. Alternatively, keep unbaked dough refrigerated airtight for up to 5 days and bake as desired later.
Notes
- Use regular full-fat cream cheese in block or spreadable form; avoid fat-free, light, or whipped varieties for best results.
- For texture variation, use a mix of chocolate chips and chunks — 1 cup chips and 1¼ cups chunks is recommended.
- Cookies chilled overnight and then baked after resting 15 minutes at room temperature yield chewy edges with soft, pillowy centers.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 189
- Sugar: 13g
- Sodium: 72mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.4g
- Trans Fat: 0.1g
- Carbohydrates: 23g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 17mg
