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+ servings
christmas cookies with icing on a cooling rack.
4.89 from 18 votes

Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

Easy-to-make cream cheese sugar cookies made with your favorite holiday cookie cutters and cream cheese frosting! 
Prep 1 hour
Cook 17 minutes
Total 1 hour 17 minutes
Fat 11
Carbs 31
Protein 3
Yield 20

Ingredients

Dry

Wet

  • 4 oz. cream cheese cold
  • 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 4 oz. cream cheese cold
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Cookies

  • Place the flour, baking powder, and salt to a medium bowl and mix until combined. Set aside.
  • Place the cold cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the paddle on low until soft and lump-free, about 1 minute. Add the room temperature butter and sugar and cream just until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula well.
  • Add the egg and vanilla and mix on low until completely incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl again.
  • Add the dry ingredients and mix on low, slowly until the flour is completely incorporated. Then stop mixing.
  • Remove half of the dough and press it into a flat disk, it will be pretty soft. Wrap the disk in cling wrap, and use a rolling pin to evenly flatten the dough. Do the same thing with the other half of the dough. Then place them in the fridge for 30 minutes or until the dough is firm.
  • To roll out the dough, remove one disk from the fridge and remove the cling wrap. Lightly flour your countertop as well as one side of the dough. Place the dough flour side down and lightly flour the top of the disk.
  • Roll the dough to about 1/2-inch thickness. Cut with desired cookie cutter shapes and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze for 15 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF. When the cookies are frozen, place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 16-17 minutes, or just until the corners and edges start to brown.
  • Allow cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before icing.
  • Cream Cheese Frosting
  • Place powdered sugar and salt into a bowl and set aside.
  • In a stand mixing bowl, add the cold cream cheese and whip with the paddle on medium-low until smooth. Scrape down the bowl and add the room temperature butter.
  • Add butter and mix on medium for 2-3 minutes or until it's light and fluffy.
  • Add the powdered sugar in 1/2 cup at a time and mix on low until all of it is added. Scrape down the bowl and then add the salt and vanilla.
  • Turn the speed up to medium-high and whip for 1 minute until very light, fluffy, and almost white.
  • Remove from the bowl and split into separate bowls. Add a bit of food color to each bowl for desired colors.
  • Frost the cookies with the icing and enjoy!

Tips & Notes

  • Nutrition information does not include frosting.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g