Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies

Can you guess the secret ingredient in this new recipe for the best-ever chocolate chip cookies? Here are a few hints:

1. It’s a favorite fridge item for carb-lovers.
2. It works wonders in cheesecake.
3. It’s not sour cream … or applesauce … or cream of tartar.

Still stumped?

The secret ingredient in my chocolate chip cookies is none other than … cream cheese! The tangy spread has become my latest baking obsession ever since I experimented with subbing a bit of it for butter in a classic chocolate chip cookie recipe. The result is the softest cookie that pairs a perfectly chewy center with slightly crispy edges.

Ready to up your chocolate chip cookie game? Here are a few tips to guide you on on your path to cookie perfection:

• DO use brown sugar in addition to granulated sugar. A combination of the two sugars results in chewier cookies, while cookies made with only white sugar will be much crispier.

• DON’T use low-fat cream cheese. These are cookies, not green juice.

• DO chill the dough before scooping and baking it. The refrigeration period, which is anywhere from 2 to 72 hours, gives the ingredients a chance to bind. A cohesive dough is a better dough, and one that guarantees the cookies won’t spread too much while baking. Put simply: The longer you refrigerate the dough, the better the cookies will taste.

• DON’T over-bake the cookies. For perfect cookies with crispy edges and soft, chewy centers, remove them from the oven 2 minutes before they’re fully baked, as they’ll continue cooking and crisp up slightly as they cool.

• DO tell yourself that you’re “only going to eat one cookie” … and then eat three.

Drooling yet? Grab the cream cheese, bypass the bagels and get baking with my new go-to recipe for soft and chewy Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies.

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Dessert

Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies

A surprising ingredient guarantees these Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies are soft and chewy in the center and perfectly crispy around the edges.

4.93 from 38 votes

Prep Time 2 hrs

Cook Time 11 mins

Total Time 2 hrs 11 mins

Servings 36 cookies

Print Recipe

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 3/4 cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temp
• ▢ 1/4 cup cream cheese, at room temp
• ▢ 1/2 cup sugar
• ▢ 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• ▢ 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions 

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, cream cheese, sugar, light brown sugar and vanilla extract until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour mixture, beating to combine, then stir in the chocolate chips.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for a minimum of 2 hours and up to 3 days.
• When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats.
• Drop 2- to 3-tablespoon mounds of dough onto the baking sheets, spacing the mounds at least 2 inches apart.
• Bake the cookies for 9 to 11 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 2 minutes then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Kelly's Notes:

• Measure ¼ cup cream cheese by spooning/scraping it into a dry measuring cup and leveling it off.
• ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!

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