Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookies are the perfect cookie for kids of all ages. Simple slice and bake cookies with cream cheese and plenty of chocolate chips and colorful funfetti sprinkles that everyone will love. The ultimate make-ahead treat! Just mix up the dough, roll it into a log, and freeze until you're ready to bake. Homemade cookies in a jiffy!
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Cream Cheese Cookies
Cookies with cream cheese have an irresistible buttery soft, velvety texture with a light sweet flavor that has an edge of tanginess from the cream cheese. They combine the sweetness of sugar cookies with the richness of cream cheese and deliver a melt-in-your-mouth taste sensation. Of course, add some chocolate chips and they’re absolutely divine!
If you love cookies with the rich flavor of cream cheese, you’ve got to give these Turtle Cheesecake Cookies and Mocha Cheesecake Cookie Cups a try.
Why You'll Love This Cheesecake Cookie Recipe
These slice and bake cookies are so simple and easy to make that they are a no-brainer for when you need last-minute cookies to bake. You freeze the dough in logs then slice and bake as many as you want.
Warm homemade cookies from the oven always taste better than the ones in a box. And the aromas, well, they just make your mouth water.
Besides being easy, these cookies can be adapted in so many ways. You can add your favorite candy (chopped of course) in place of the chocolate chips, exchange the vanilla extract for almond, lemon, orange, or coconut or leave as is and make them into ice cream sandwiches. Fudge Ripple Cookies work well for this too!
The fun part of these cheesecake cookies is the sprinkles. They just make you want to smile when you see all that eye-popping color in the cookies.
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make cream cheese chocolate chip cookies:
- Cream cheese - make sure to soften it to room temperature
- Butter - salted or unsalted can be used
- Powdered sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs (just the yolks)
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
- Mini chocolate chips
- Sprinkles
How to Make Cheesecake Cookies
To make these slice and bake cookies, all you have to do is mix the ingredients, form into two logs, roll in sprinkles then chill before slicing and baking. Yep, it's that easy!
- Place room temperature butter and cream cheese into a large mixing bowl.
- Beat until smooth.
- Add both sugars.
- Continue beating until creamy.
- Add egg yolks.
- Beat again until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Mix flour, baking soda, and salt together then add to creamed mixture.
- Beat well.
- Add the mini chocolate chips and ⅓ of the sprinkles to the cookie dough.
- Mix well.
- Form the dough into two logs with a 2-½" diameter. Roll each log into sprinkles.
- Wrap the dough and chill in the freezer for about 20-30 minutes. (At this point, you can freeze it for up to 3 months and take it out when you need some cookie love.) When you're ready to bake them, remove the logs from the freezer and cut into slices that are about ⅓" wide.
- Place the slices on a cookie sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 12-14 minutes for softer cookies and 16 minutes for crisper cookies. Let cool before storing in an airtight container.
Recipe Tips
- Have the butter, cream cheese, and eggs at room temperature before making the dough.
- Line the cookie sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper for easy cleanup and to keep the cookies from sticking to the pan.
- Use a ruler to measure where to cut the cookies so they are the same thickness.
Recipe Variations
There are many ways to change up these cookies. One is substituting the chocolate chips with:
- Mini M&M chocolate candies
- Mini white chocolate chips
- Mint chocolate chips
- Peanut butter chips
- Fruit-flavored chips for cookies such as cherry or raspberry
- Other baking chips for cookies such as cinnamon or special holiday flavors
Another one is substituting the rainbow sprinkles with ones for celebrating a holiday:
- Christmas - Red and green sprinkles
- Easter - Pastel sprinkles
- Halloween - Orange, purple, green, and black sprinkles
- Valentine's Day - Pink and red sprinkles.
You can substitute the vanilla with other flavorings such as almond, coconut, lemon, or orange.
And yet another one is changing the size or making sandwich cookies:
- Mini Cheesecake Cookies - roll the logs into ½-inch thickness.
- Cheesecake Sandwich Cookies - use cream cheese frosting to sandwich the cookies together.
- Cheesecake Ice Cream Sandwich Cookies - Use a small scoop of vanilla ice cream to sandwich the cookies together.
How to Store and Freeze
To store baked cream cheese cookies: Place the cookies in an airtight container or plastic storage bag. Store them at room temperature for up to 5 days.
To freeze the unbaked dough logs: Place the wrapped dough logs in an airtight container or sealable plastic freezer bag. Label the container or bag and store the dough logs in the coldest part of your freezer, away from the door, to maintain a consistent temperature. The dough can be frozen for up to three months.
When ready to bake, simply slice the frozen dough and bake as directed in the recipe.
To freeze baked cookies: Place cooled cookies in a freezer-safe container or plastic freezer bag. Freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw the cookies on the counter at room temperature.
More Easy Cookie Recipes
- Best Sugar Cookie Bars
- Cereal Cookies
- Heath Bar Cookies
- Peanut Butter Snickerdoodles
- Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cookies
Find more delicious cookies on 2CM!
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Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter room temperature
- 3 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 ¼ cups flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups mini chocolate chips
- 1 cup colored sprinkles, divided
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth.
- Add both sugars and continue beating until well mixed and creamy.
- Beat in egg yolks.
- Combine flour with baking soda and salt.
- Slowly add to creamed sugar mixture, beating until well incorporated.
- Add vanilla extract and beat well.
- Stir in mini chocolate chips and ⅓ cup colored sprinkles.
- Form into 2 logs with a 2-½" diameter.
- Spread half the remaining sprinkles on a flat surface and roll log over them to cover outside surface. Repeat with remaining log.
- Wrap in waxed paper, twisting ends to seal, and either freeze for 20-30 minutes or chill in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours. (If not baking immediately you can store in freezer for up to 3 months)
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Unwrap one log at a time and using a sharp knife, slice into ⅓" thick slices.
- Lay on the prepared cookie sheet, keeping about 1" apart, and bake for 12-14 minutes for softer cookies and 16 minutes for crisper cookies.
- Allow to cool on wire rack then store in airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
This post has been updated with new photos and more helpful information. It was first published on May 23, 2017.
Felice says
Even though my girls are older, they would still love these colorful sprinkle cookies, and I love the ease of slice and bake cookies.
Linda Warren says
So true Felice, sprinkles are loved by all age groups, including the guys at the office who just devoured them. 🙂 Let me know if you bake them up what your girls think.
Karen @ Karen's Kitchen Stories says
Oh my gosh these sound delicious, and so fun!!! Everything is better with sprinkles! And the cheesecake angle.... well.... I can't rest until I try these!
Linda Warren says
I know! Sprinkles make everything better! And the cream cheese just makes them so soft and rich.Hope you get to make them soon. Enjoy!
Holly says
I love how HAPPY the sprinkles make these fun cookies. You are ready for a beach vacation with these goodies.
Linda Warren says
Thanks Holly! I think happy, cookies and beach just go together.