Description
Softbatch Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies are irresistibly soft and chewy cookies made with a blend of butter and cream cheese, packed with semi-sweet chocolate chips and chunks. Chilling the dough before baking creates thick, tender cookies with a slightly glossy center and perfectly set edges.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup cream cheese, softened
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt, optional and to taste
- 2 ¼ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks (1 cup chips and 1 ¼ cups chunks recommended)
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugars: To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine softened butter, cream cheese (measured by pressing into a ¼-cup measure), light brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is well-creamed, light, and fluffy, about 5 minutes. If using a hand mixer, beat for at least 7 minutes.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Stop mixing and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and optional salt. Mix on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute, being careful not to overmix.
- Incorporate Chocolate Chips: Add semi-sweet chocolate chips and chunks, then beat briefly to incorporate evenly or fold in by hand to distribute.
- Form and Chill Dough: Using a medium 2-inch cookie scoop, form heaping mounds of dough (approximately 28). Place the mounds on a large plate, slightly flatten with your palm, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 5 days. Chilling the dough is essential to prevent spreading and keep the cookies thick and soft when baked.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat non-stick baking mat or lightly spray with cooking spray. Place chilled dough mounds on the baking sheet spaced at least 2 inches apart.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies for 8 to 9 minutes, or until the edges have set and the tops are just beginning to set, even if the center looks slightly undercooked, pale, and glossy. Avoid baking longer than 10 minutes to keep cookies soft and tender as they cool.
- Cool Cookies: Allow the baked cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
- Storage: Store cooled cookies airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months. Unbaked dough can be refrigerated, covered airtight, for up to 5 days and baked fresh as desired.
Notes
- Use regular cream cheese, either block or spreadable. Avoid fat-free, light, or whipped cream cheese for best texture.
- The recipe suggests using a combination of 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 ¼ cups chocolate chunks for optimal chocolate distribution.
- For the softest texture, chill the dough overnight if possible. Let chilled dough sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before baking.
- Rotate the cookie trays halfway through baking for even cooking and texture.
- Do not bake with warm dough as it will spread too much and produce thinner cookies.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 85 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg