Cinnamon-Sugar Cream Cheese Cookies
Cinnamon sugar makes everything better.
Makes24 (2.25-inch) cookies
Prep20 minutes
Cook11 minutes to 13 minutes
Cream cheese is a magical ingredient. It makes hot dips tasty, frosting irresistible, and cheesecakes incredibly lush. Lately I’ve been loving mixing it into cookie dough because it adds a very mild tang along with richness that keeps the cookies moist for days. These one-bowl cinnamon-sugar cream cheese cookies are easy, but the extra step of rolling them in cinnamon sugar is what takes them into “special treat” category. Each cake-like cookie bakes up fragrant and soft — perfect with a cup of coffee or tea for an afternoon break.
Why You’ll Love It
- They’re two-bite cinnamon clouds. Covered in cinnamon sugar, these cookies are cake-like and plush inside.
- Stay fresh for days. Thanks to cream cheese, these soft cookies taste freshly baked for days, which makes them a great make-ahead treat.
Key Ingredients in Cinnamon-Sugar Cream Cheese Cookies
- Cream cheese: The cake-like cookies stay soft for days, thanks to cream cheese. If you forgot to let your cream cheese soften at room temperature, just zap it in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds instead.
- Cinnamon: This adds a fragrant, warm-spiced flavor to the cookies.
- Sugar: You’ll need granulated sugar for both the cookie dough and the cinnamon sugar for rolling.
How to Make Cinnamon-Sugar Cream Cheese Cookies
- Make the dough. Beat cream cheese, butter, sugar, and salt together until fluffy. Beat in an egg and vanilla extract. Sprinkle with flour and baking powder, then mix together into a soft dough.
- Chill the dough. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour to firm up.
- Assemble and bake. Divide dough into 24 portions, then roll each one up into a ball. Roll in cinnamon sugar to coat, then bake until lightly browned on the edges.
Helpful Swaps and Tips
- For a more complexly spiced treat, substitute pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice for the ground cinnamon.
- The dough can be made, formed into balls, coated with cinnamon sugar, and frozen directly on the baking sheet until solid. Transfer to freezer zip-top bags or an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time.
Cinnamon-Sugar Cream Cheese Cookies
Cinnamon sugar makes everything better.
Prep time 20 minutes
Cook time 11 minutes to 13 minutes
Makes 24 (2.25-inch) cookies
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick)
unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 4 ounces
cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup
granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon
kosher salt
- 1
large egg
- 2 teaspoons
vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups
all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon
baking powder
For the cinnamon sugar:
- 3 tablespoons
granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons
ground cinnamon
Instructions
Beat 1 stick room-temperature unsalted butter, 4 ounces room-temperature cream cheese, 1 cup granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt together in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
With the mixer on low speed, beat in 1 large egg and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Scrape down the bowl again. Add 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour and sprinkle evenly with 1/2 teaspoon baking powder. Beat on the lowest speed until just combined, about 30 seconds.
Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. About 20 minutes before the dough is ready, arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat the oven to 375°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Stir 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon together in a small bowl.
Using a spoon or cookie scoop, divide and scoop out the dough into 24 portions (1 1/2 tablespoons each) and place on one of the baking sheets. Roll each one between the palms of your hands into a smooth ball. Working with one at a time, drop in the cinnamon sugar and toss until evenly coated. Return to the baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart, 12 per sheet.
Bake for 6 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets between racks and from front to back. Bake until the cookies look dry and are light golden-brown on the edges, 5 to 7 minutes more.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Use a flat spatula to transfer them to a wire rack and let cool completely.
Recipe Notes
Make ahead: The dough can be made, formed into balls, coated with cinnamon sugar, and frozen directly on the baking sheet until solid. Transfer to freezer zip-top bags or an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time.
Storage: Store the baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.