All the flavor of cheesecake in an easy, bite-sized cookie! These chocolate chip cheesecake cookies are ultra soft, rich, and totally addictive.
They’re soft, tender, and creamy on the inside, with just enough chew to feel like a cookie, and every bite is loaded with mini chocolate chips. They’re the kind of cookie that makes people pause, look at you, and say, “Wait… what is this?!” in the best possible way.
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These cookies start with a simple dough: a blend of butter and cream cheese for richness, powdered sugar for that ultra-smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture, and a little baking powder to keep them light. Mini chocolate chips are folded in at the end, so you get chocolate in every single bite. The dough chills in the fridge, then gets rolled into balls, flattened, and baked until perfectly set but still soft.
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What I love most about this recipe
It feels just a bit fancier than a regular chocolate chip cookie, without any extra work. The cream cheese gives them that subtle tang you’d expect from cheesecake, but you still get the ease and comfort of a classic cookie recipe. No water baths, no springform pans – just scoop, chill, bake, and eat.
Serve these with a glass of cold milk, a cup of coffee, or as part of a dessert platter. They’re perfect for Christmas, holidays, potlucks, bake sales, or just a cozy night in when you want something a little extra special.
Ingredients – What You’ll Need
Using your exact ingredient list, here’s what each one does:
- All-purpose flour – This is the base of your cookie dough. It provides structure so the cookies hold their shape and don’t spread into pancakes.
- Cornstarch – Cornstarch helps keep the cookies soft and tender. It lightens the dough and gives it that delicate, almost melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Baking powder – Baking powder gives the cookies a little lift, so they don’t bake up too dense. Just enough to keep them light and soft.
- Butter – Butter adds flavor and richness. Using it at room temperature helps it cream properly with the cream cheese and sugar.
- Cream cheese – The star of the show! Cream cheese gives these cookies a subtle cheesecake flavor and a soft, creamy texture in the middle.
- Egg – Egg binds the dough together and gives structure, so your cookies hold up when baked.
- Milk – A splash of milk helps loosen the dough slightly and keeps the cookies soft and tender.
- Vanilla extract – Vanilla deepens the flavor and brings out the cheesecake notes.
- Powdered sugar – Powdered sugar dissolves easily and gives the cookies a smooth, tender crumb. It’s a big part of why they taste so soft and creamy.
- Mini chocolate chips – Mini chocolate chips mean chocolate in every bite. They distribute more evenly than regular chips in this softer dough.
Tips & Tricks for the Best Cheesecake Cookies
- Use room temperature butter and cream cheese – This helps them cream together smoothly, giving you a lump-free dough and perfect texture.
- Don’t skip chilling the dough – Chilling makes the dough easier to handle and helps prevent the cookies from spreading too thin.
- Don’t overbake – These cookies should stay soft. Take them out when the edges look set, but the centers are still slightly soft. They’ll finish baking on the hot tray.
- Use mini chocolate chips – Mini chips distribute more evenly in this creamy dough, so you get chocolate in every bite without weighing down the cookie.
- Customize the flavor – Add a pinch of salt for balance if you like, or swap some of the mini chocolate chips for white chocolate chips or sprinkles.
FAQ – Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookies
1. Can I use regular chocolate chips instead of mini?
Yes, you can use regular chocolate chips, but mini chocolate chips distribute more evenly in the dough and give you chocolate in every bite. With regular chips, you may want to use slightly less than the full amount so the dough doesn’t get too chunky.
2. Do these cookies need to be refrigerated after baking?
No, they don’t require refrigeration. You can store them at room temperature in an airtight container for 3–4 days. If you prefer a slightly firmer, cheesecake-like texture, you can store them in the fridge and let them come to room temperature before serving.
3. Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes! You can prepare the dough, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, let the dough sit at room temperature for a few minutes if it’s very firm, then scoop, flatten, and bake.
4. Can I freeze these cookies?
Absolutely. You can freeze the baked cookies (cooled completely) in an airtight container for up to a month. Thaw at room temperature. You can also freeze the dough balls, then bake from frozen, adding an extra minute or two to the baking time.
5. Why did my cookies turn out dry or cakey?
This usually happens if there’s too much flour (scoop and level your flour, don’t pack it) or if the cookies are overbaked. Bake just until the edges are set, and the centers still look soft.
More Recipes You’ll Love
If you liked these Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookies, you might also enjoy:
- Double Chocolate Snowball Cookies – Rich, fudgy little snowball cookies rolled in powdered sugar.
- Italian Christmas Cookies – Soft, glazed cookies topped with colorful sprinkles, perfect for the holidays.
- Christmas Sugar Cookies – Classic cut-out sugar cookies that hold their shape and are so fun to decorate.
Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cups cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 4 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 5-6 tbsp mini chocolate chips plus extra for topping if desired
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and baking powder until well combined. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the room temperature unsalted butter and cream cheese. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy with no lumps remaining.
- Add the egg, milk, and vanilla extract to the butter–cream cheese mixture. Mix on medium speed until fully combined.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, starting on low speed so it doesn’t puff out of the bowl, then increasing to medium speed. Beat until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture. Mix on low speed just until the dough comes together and looks smooth and thick. Do not overmix. Fold in the mini chocolate chips with a spatula or spoon until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 1 hour, or until firm enough to handle.
- Towards the end of the chilling time, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Roll the dough into 24–26 balls, making them as even in size as possible. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheets, about 1.5 inches apart.
- Gently flatten each ball with your hand or the bottom of a glass to form thick disks. If desired, press a few extra mini chocolate chips on top of each cookie.
- Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the edges are just set and the centers still look slightly soft. Do not overbake.
- Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheets for a few minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- For the best texture, do not skip chilling the dough; it helps the cookies keep their shape and stay soft in the center.
- You can use regular chocolate chips, but mini chocolate chips distribute more evenly in the dough.
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days, or refrigerate if you prefer a firmer cheesecake-like texture.
- Cookies can be frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
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