These Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies are made with a surprising ingredient and have been a reader favorite since 2013. If you love bakery-style cookies that are irresistibly moist and chewy, then you’re going to love this recipe, too!
Table of Contents
- Uniqueness of Our Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies
- What Readers Are Saying
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Why You Should Chill Your Cookie Dough
- Tips for Making Chocolate Chip Cookies with Cream Cheese
- Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Our Favorite Cookie Recipes
- Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Uniqueness of Our 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.
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.
What Readers Are Saying
“These were hands down the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever made!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“ – Debbie
“These turned out fantastic! I won’t be using any other recipe ever. Hands down can’t be beat! Thank you! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“ – Chris
You won’t taste the cream cheese at all. It’s entirely for texture!
- All-purpose flour: The foundation of our cookie dough, providing structure and texture. Tip: To achieve accurate measurements, fluff the flour with a spoon before scooping it into the measuring cup and leveling it off.
- Baking soda: Acts as a leavening agent, helping the cookies rise and become soft and fluffy. Ensure it’s fresh by performing a quick test: A small amount dropped into vinegar should produce bubbles.
- Salt: Use fine-grain or table salt.
- Unsalted butter: I prefer unsalted butter to control salt quantity. Salted butter can be used, but skip the extra salt in the recipe to avoid making the cookies too salty.
- Cream cheese: You’ll want to use regular, full-fat cream cheese softened to room temp for this recipe to achieve the best results. The higher fat content adds that perfect richness and moisture to the cookies.
- Sugar: Not only sweetens the cookie dough but also contributes to its structure.
- Light brown sugar: Pack the brown sugar firmly into the measuring cup for an accurate measurement.
- Vanilla extract: Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor. You can also experiment with DIY vanilla extract!
- Eggs: Acts as a binder, contributing to the structure and moisture content. For room temperature eggs in a hurry, place them in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Mix different types or sizes of chocolate chips for varied texture. You can also try using chocolate chunks for a more indulgent experience–my personal favorite in treats ranging from peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies to chocolate chunk scones.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
This recipe yields about 3 dozen cookies, but that will vary based on how large you make your cookies.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients.
- Cream together the butter, cream cheese, white and light brown sugars, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Start with softened butter and cream cheese for smooth creaming. To achieve the perfect light and fluffy texture, cream the ingredients for a full 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
No stand mixer? No problem! A hand mixer works well for this recipe. Cream together the ingredients until light and fluffy, just as you would with a stand mixer.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Mix in the dry ingredients, then stir in the chocolate chips.
Kelly’s Note: It’s important to only blend the dough until the flour is just incorporated, as over-blending it can cause it to be too loose.
- Chill the dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for a minimum of 2 hours and up to 3 days.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F before baking. I recommend lining your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent sticking and promote even browning.
- Drop 2- to 3-tablespoon mounds of cookie dough onto the baking sheets, spacing the mounds at least 2 inches apart. Use a cookie scoop or tablespoons to create uniform mounds of dough. Consistent sizing ensures even baking.
- Bake the cookies for 9 to 11 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for an extra minute before transferring them to a wire rack. This helps them set slightly and makes the transfer easier.
Why You Should Chill Your Cookie Dough
Chilling the dough for at least 2 hours allows the fats to solidify, preventing excess spreading during baking. For a richer flavor and better texture, refrigerate the dough for up to 3 days. This step is crucial for achieving the perfect soft and chewy consistency.
In other words, this simple yet crucial step is your key to achieving cookie perfection!
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 adjust the size of the cookie mounds to your preference, but keep in mind that baking times may vary. Smaller cookies may need less time, while larger ones may require additional minutes in the oven.
Make Ahead Instructions
- Refrigerating Cookie Dough: Once the cookie dough is prepared, it can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or transfer the dough to an airtight container.
- Freezing Cookie Dough: I recommend freezing the cookie dough in balls/scoops so all you have to do is bake them off as needed. Shape it into balls and freeze on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer bag.The cookie dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, place the frozen dough balls on a baking sheet and bake, adding a couple of extra minutes to account for the frozen dough.
Storage Instructions
- Storing Baked Cookies: They’ll stay fresh for about 5 days when stored in an airtight container at room temp. Allow the baked cookies to cool completely before storing.
- Freezing Baked Cookies: To freeze baked cookies, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer the cookies to a freezer bag, placing parchment paper between layers. Frozen cookies can be stored for up to 3 months. Thaw the cookies at room temperature before serving, or warm them in a preheated oven for a few minutes for a freshly baked taste.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can add in nuts or other mix-ins and keep the chocolate chips at the same amount, but keep in mind there will be less dough compared to the fillings, so you may have to adjust the baking time.
For the best possible outcome, I recommend using full-fat cream cheese when making these cookies. It’s best to steer clear of low-fat options as they can impact both the texture and flavor of the cookies. Trust me, giving in to the full-fat version guarantees a more indulgent and satisfying cookie experience.
They’ll work fine without the chilling, but it makes them that much better. It does wonders for the dough and allows the flavors to really come together. It makes all the difference in the world!
Flat cookies can result from a variety of factors, including using overly softened or melted butter, not chilling the dough long enough, using baking soda that’s too old or even how the heat circulates in your oven. If your first batch is flat out of the oven, I recommend chilling the dough for another 30 minutes and trying again.
I’ve never tried making cookie bars with this recipe, however I think it could work. Keep the oven temperature the same and start checking them around the 20-25 minute mark.
- Nutella-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Monster Cookies
- Flourless Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Flourless Chocolate Cookies
- Kitchen Sink Cookies
- Caramel-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
- High Altitude Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup 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.
- For the best possible outcome, I recommend using full-fat cream cheese when making these cookies.
- Chilling the dough for at least 2 hours allows the fats to solidify, preventing excess spreading during baking. For a richer flavor and better texture, refrigerate the dough for up to 3 days. This step is crucial for achieving the perfect soft and chewy consistency.
- 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.
- The cookie dough can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container. They’ll stay fresh for about 5 days.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
Shoutout
Did you try this recipe?
Share it with the world! Mention @justataste or tag #justatasterecipes!
This post may contain affiliate links.
Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
I’ve been using this recipe for YEARS. I always get tons of compliments when I make these. Theyre perfection!
So glad you’ve been enjoying it, Lauren!
Hi! My sister-in-law and I both made these cookies and both found they didn’t really brown even after 12-14 minutes, at which point they were a little overcooked. Is there something we’re doing wrong? My oven is calibrated and I bake quite often, but haven’t run into this issue before. They were still really delicious, but I’d love to know what I could do differently. Thanks!
Hi Jen! All ovens vary but were your racks in the correct positions and did you rotate the pans?
The best chocolate chip cookies! Didn’t think the small amount of cream cheese and refrigeration would make such a difference but it did.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Annette!
I made these for my daughter’s volleyball team. My daughter said these are by far the best chocolate chip cookies she’s ever had!
Love reading this, Bianca! Thanks!
I literally just made these and they are sòooooo awesome! I already had a choc chip recipe that everyone in my family loved- I didn’t tell them I switched and they are like “you made them even better!” How? I’ll never tell! Thx Kelly (and co) for all your great recipes and tips! And for keeping it real! I love real people with real food ideas and tips.
This makes me so happy to read, Jen! Thank you for your review!
We are from Mexico city and we love these cookies, now is like a tradition for christmas, the last four years since we met these recipe.
I’m so thrilled hear that you enjoy the recipe, Jorge and I’m gratified to hear that this recipe has become a part of your Christmas tradition!
My family love soft cookies and they can’t get enough of these. They are just fabulous!!
I’m so happy to hear that you and your family enjoyed the recipe, Annerika!
I have made these cookies a couple of times now and they are absolutely delicious. Definitely my kind of chocolate chip cookie. If I were to make these into peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, how would you suggest I go about making the the dough? And would there be any adjustments to cooking time?
Hi Chelsea! It’d be better to use my Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe. You can search for it here on the site!
I made dough today and it is getting chilled in my fridge. Waiting for 2 days is hardest thing for this recipe. Can’t wait to taste the cookies.
But SO worth it! :) I hope you enjoy the cookies, Holly!
Hi! It the dough supposed to be sticky, almost like thick cake batter?
Yes! A very thick cake batter is the right consistency.
Delicious, amazing. Crisp on the outside and soft in the middle. Just as promised. Yum!
Woohoo! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Tamara!
My family LOVES this recipe!! I add 1/2 cup of cream cheese. That was by accident, but they were SO GOOD that I kept using 1/2 cup. If I wanted to oatmeal and/or raisins, do I need to adjust any ingredients in this recipe?
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Sheena! Adding raisins won’t require any adjustments (just do half chocolate chips/ half raisins, or all raisins) but adding oats requires more changes. You can check out my favorite Oatmeal Cookie Recipe here: https://www.justataste.com/flourless-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies-recipe/
I just made my cookie dough and it’s in the fridge.
The dough came together super easy.
My question is, can you freeze the dough?
If yes, should I roll it out in a log or scoops?
Absolutely, Paula, this cookie dough freezes really well. And I recommend freezing it in scoops. :)
Do you suggest doing 2 cookie sheets at one time? Or just one at a time?
Hi Becky! Baking one cookie sheet at a time is ideal for even baking.
my husband LOVED the cookie.he always said he would never eat anything with cream cheese in it,he then went out to the grocery and bought a pkg of cream cheese to make sure I had some to make the cookies again.(it only took 2 oz,and I had the remainer from having made the batch of cookies) I was tickled he wanted to be sure I had enough for more cookies
Love reading this, Janice! I’m so thrilled you and your husband have been enjoying the cookies! :)
Excellent recipe! I used Ghiradelli Milk Chocolate Chips this time around – so delicious.
YUM! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Michele!
I’ve been making these cookies for years. It’s my go to Christmas cookies. Just make sure you use light brown sugar it makes a difference
I’m thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Evon!
I have been using your recipe for years and my family loves the cookies. Many have asked me the recipe as well.
Love reading this, Isabel! I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe!
Hi Kelly,
This cookie recipe is a winner! I have been looking for a superb recipe and finally got it! Thank you so much for sharing it with us. I pushed the flour to 3 cups like my other recipes and it still came out amazingly perfect! First batch disappeared like magic! My whole family just loved it!
Love reading this, Sylvia! I’m thrilled your family enjoyed the cookies!
1 dumb question before I start. Do You mean bake for time stated or take out 2 minutes before.
Just a thought…my oven is a convection oven. Though I di not press the convection setting, the fan still goes on and off to maintain temp. Has anyone made these in a convection oven ? I have read that time and temp MIGHT need to be adjusted. Any tips?
Hi! Bake the cookies for 9 to 11 minutes, or until golden brown, and then cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 2 minutes before removing them. Also, I never bake using the convection setting because it circulates really hot air, which causes foods to brown very quickly. It’s great for crisping chicken and veggies, but not so great for baked goods :)
Correction: can I add 1/2 cup of cream cheese instead of 1/4?
Hi Christine – I wouldn’t recommend increasing the amount of cream cheese as it’ll affect the outcome of the cookies if you alter it.
Can you please give suggestion for egg replacement in this recipe?
Hi Nimita – I haven’t tried an egg substitute in this recipe so I can’t say with certainty what the results would be.
This is my go to recipe each time I make these cookies. Everyone loves it!!! Thank you for sharing!
You are so welcome, Brandi! I’m thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe!
You had me at ‘cream cheese’. Made these two weeks ago for Father’s day. My husband and son loved them.These are the best chocolate chip cookies. It was not my intent to deviate from recipe, but I didn’t have enough semisweet chocolate chips so I used equal amounts of semisweet and bittersweet. I froze some of the dough and just a few minutes ago, baked from freezer to oven. How nice to be able to bake up a small batch at a moment’s notice. So good!
I’m so thrilled you and your family enjoyed the cookies, Pat!
Delicious! I have always under-baked my cookies. Always. I like my chocolate chip cookies on the soft side … never crispy or hard. These are naturally a (deliciously) “soft” cookie so no need to underbake them! They’re perfect just as they are! Thanks Kelly! You’re my food hero! :)
Woohoo! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Jolyn!
I’ve been making these cookies for 8 years. They are a hit for my family gatherings. I’d like to incorporate walnuts to the recipe but every time I try it the cookies come out flat and crispy. Any recommendations on adjustments to successfully add nuts?
Hi Terra! Chopping the walnuts up into smaller pieces will help them more evenly distribute in the batter (unlike larger pieces that could weigh down the cookies). Hope this helps!
Excellent cookie! I get nothing but compliments when I make these for my family.
I thought about playing around with the sugar ratio, I would like a bit crispier cookie (these are perfectly soft cookies and delicious – the crispier cookie is just my preference) wondering if it will work if I were to just switch the sugars around -1c white and 1/2c light brown? Or 3/4c, 3/4c?
I am not a baker btw just a cookie lover. :)
Thanks, Michelle! You could def switch the sugar ratios around. It might not make a huge difference in texture, but it’s worth a shot!
Good Morning Kelly perusing your recipe for the Secret Ingredient, Adding Cream Cheese alongside Butter in Choc Chip Cookies – Question? Could one roll the Dough into a LOG, then Slice instead of
scoop onto Trays? + Doo the Cookie and a Dough Spread During Baking?
Hi there! I’ve never tried rolling out this dough but I suspect it’d be too wet.
Kelly she asked about rolling the dough into a log then slice and bake. I think that is doable but I would make sure the dough is either very cold or put in the freezer for about 3 or 4 hours then slice it.
Other people I know have chilked the dough. Then scooped into balls #20 scoop The froze on parchment lined plates or small tray. When frozen they moved to an air tight container BUT ALSO added a layer of plastic wrap over the balls.
My family’s new favorite!
I’m so happy your family enjoyed the cookies, Lynda!
Making them for the 4th time since Thanksgiving! My kids (and grandpa) LOVE this recipe! Happy New Year!
I’m so thrilled your family has been enjoying the cookies! Happy New Year!
The perfect cookie! Baked for my family and it replaced our old chocolate chip cookie recipe.
WOWZA! I’m so thrilled your family enjoyed the recipe, Emily!
I accidentally bought neufchatel cheese…is that a deal breaker?
Hi Sandy – You’ll want to use regular (full fat) cream cheese for this recipe to achieve the best results. :)
Hi, can I substitute dark brown sugar for light brown? Thanks!
Absolutely, Rita! It won’t drastically change the outcome, just the flavor a bit.
Hi, I am anxious to try these and wondered if forming the cookies before chilling would also work. When I use other recipes, I make the dough, scoop out mounds and put them right next to each other on a cookie sheet, then freeze. Once frozen, I bag them, keeping them in the freezer and we can have freshly made chocolate chip cookies anytime! So I’m wondering if I can do something similar – scoop the dough while soft into the individual mounds, chill, and then space them apart on a cookie sheet to bake? Can you think of a reason why that wouldn’t work and be easier to scoop, too? Thanks so much!
Absolutely, Jane! I scoop these into balls and freeze them all the time :)
I followed the directions to a T, keeping the dough in the frig for three days. I find these cookies are soft and sticky and the bit of cream cheese taste doesn’t come through at all. And the edges, though browned, were not nice and crispy to contrast with the chewy centers. Taste is okay, but nothing spectacular.
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the recipe, Judy.
I get so many compliments on these cookies. I follow the recipe exactly and let the dough sit for two-four hours. So good!
They do get super chewy in the middle which I don’t mind. I believe there is mention in the tip section to modify the sugar if you like a crispier cookie. :)
I also like salty cookies so I added a bit more of sea salt to top. :)
Awesome! I’m thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Michelle!
Hi i must say I’ve enjoyed your tips and recipes and would love to try them. However, the only problem is that I need the measurements in metrics , if that was the case… it would make life much easier! Thanks for sharing- happy baking !
Hi! I don’t provide metric conversions for my recipes, as I cannot guarantee they would be 100% accurate without being tested. However, you are welcome to use an online converter. :)
Love this recipe! Any chance you will post the nutritional information in your recipes? My youngest son has type 1 diabetes, and it would be great to know the carb count! Thank you
Hi Sarah! You can find the estimated nutritional info by clicking on the purple button below the recipe that says ESTIMATED NUTRITION INFORMATION. :)
I enjoyed your recipe very much …I don’t like eggs , so do think it is ok not to add eggs ! Please let me know .. any options ?
Hi there! I haven’t tried an egg substitute in this recipe so I can’t say with certainty what the results would be.
Everybody loved them. This will definitely be used again.
I’m so happy to read this, Dolly!
Kelly you mentioned in replies about using parchment or silpat. What do you use when you bake cookies?
Both work great!
I am entering these into a fun cookie competition with a group of friends. Good cookie!
Fun! I hope you win, Sue! :)
I would give 10 stars if I could.
I have been making chocolate chip cookies for 60 years, trying different recipes. This is the best cookie I have ever made
Thank you Kelly!
My grandchildren really like to come see me because I have a filledcookie jar.
Thanks again
WOWZA! I’m so happy to read this, Kathleen!
Also, I sub out eggs for the ener-g egg replacer equivalent, and they still turn out great.
Great to know! Thanks!
This is now my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe. I add a healthy dose of cinnamon. LOVE
YUM! I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Vanetta!
The cookies are the best I ever had. And I have tried many recipes
Thank you, Kelly
AMAZING! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Kassie!
This is a great recipe!
My NEW BEST Chip cookie ever,! Adding in Scharffen Berger semisweet baking chunks, Guittard dark choc, Vanilla and any milk choc chips bring out a range of melt and richness. For me, the crisp edge and Ryan and Em, their soft center. I bake 6 at a time leaving the remaining batter in the fridge. Any left overs are warmed up in a Breville oven at 420 degrees for one minute giving us the “fresh out of the oven” all over again. Thanks for sharing!
You are so welcome, LaVerne! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
These look fantastic!
Can l use these cookie recipe to make ice cream sandwiches? Or do I need a harder sturdy cookie recipe? Pls share your recipe for harder sturdier cookie recipe for ice cream sandwiches.
Thanks in advance.
Absolutely!
It’s the absolute best chocolate chip cookie I’ve ever put in my mouth! Thanks bunches for sharing your recipe!
Woohoo! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Feona!
Super great!!! And just might be the recipe I’ve been searching for my whole adult life!! Chewy in the middle is the best!!!
YESSSSS! I’m so thrilled to read this!
This is a great recipe!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the cookies, Kathleen!
These turned out fantastic! I won’t be using any other recipe ever. Hands down can’t be beat! Thank you!
You are so welcome, Chris! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
How many calories are these?
Hi Bobby! You can find the estimated nutritional info by clicking on the purple button below the recipe that says ESTIMATED NUTRITION INFORMATION. :)
Outstanding even for a non baker! I make this recipe as often as possible and follow it to a T! They are superb cookies!!!
I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe!
My grandson wanted a cookie recipe with cheese in them. Being a grandma, I said I’ll see what I could do. I googled “cookies with cheese recipe “. I found your recipe with secret ingredient- cream cheese. Who doesn’t like cream cheese? I quadruple the recipe. Cook 1/2 and freeze the other half so I always have fresh cookies when they come over. Best CC cookie recipe ever!
LOVE this! I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Karen!
The waiting requires willpower, but worth it!
YESSSSS! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Lynda!
Hi Kelly
This is the 4th or 5th time with your delicious recipe. Only the first time did I have dough spread or flatter cookies. Am I spending too much time with the butter/sugar combine?
Hi Ted! There are several factors that may have attributed to this, such as how long you chilled the dough, how the heat circulated in your oven, your type of baking sheet and whether you used parchment paper or a Silpat. Perhaps next time you could flatten the dough slightly (after you’ve portioned it out)? I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying the recipe!
Cookies were delicious. However, I found that I needed to flatten the cookies before baking or they remained rather in the shape of the scoop. They settled down a bit, but not into a flatter cookie shape.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Jody!
I have been married for 25 years. Over the years I have honed my cooking skills and it is definitely one of my better skills. The one thing I have never mastered is cookies, specifically chocolate chip ones. Strange right? Needless to say I was shocked at how great these turned out! Thank you, thank you! Five stars. The last dozen I added chopped pecans to the dough, so delicious! They were perfect.
Yay! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Georgia!
I have two questions before I try the recipe actually. One — I don’t have a stand mixer, so is it okay if I use a rubber spatula to mix the cream cheese, butter, etc.? Two — I’ve been dealing with brown butter recently, and it adds a good nutty flavor to what I add it in. My problem is that I haven’t really used cream cheese before, and I don’t know if the brown butter will clash with the flavor, or if it’ll make the flavor better. I only have enough ingredients to make one batch of these cookies, so I wanted your input before I tried out the recipe. Thanks!
Hi Demi! Using melted brown butter will result in a different taste/texture. In terms of equipment, it’s best to use a handheld mixer or stand mixer to cream together the butter, cream cheese and sugars.
So, the lead in to the smoothie recipe indicates ‘cottage’ cheese as the secret ingredient but the recipe itself says ‘cream’ cheese. They are different cheeses though both are very good especially cottage cheese for the protein. So, which is it, cottage cheese or cream cheese?
Hi Andrea – You are commenting on the Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe, which is cream cheese. The smoothies (recipes here: https://www.justataste.com/healthy-secret-ingredient-smoothies-recipe/) are made with cottage cheese.
These were hands down the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever made!!
Woohoo! This is what I love to read, Debbie!
This recipe has become our family and friends ‘go-to’ cookie choice. I follow instructions as given and it works every time.
I’m thrilled to read this, Mara!
Excellent!!!
Wow! Made these gluten free :)
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Grace!
What is the longest these can refrigerate? I think I left my dough for about 7 days and I really don’t want to waste it.
Hi Katie! Unfortunately, it’s only good for up to four days in the fridge.
I’ll keep it short and sweet…..these are the best! Period.
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Liz!
I only have 1/3less cream cheese, will that work?
Hi Kathy! You’ll want to use regular (full fat) cream cheese for this recipe. :)
Could I use all cream cheese and no butter? I also don’t have time to refrigerate, will they still be good?
Hi Chris – I wouldn’t recommend using all cream cheese as it will change the texture and consistency of the cookies. They’ll work totally fine without the chilling, but it makes them that much better :)
Wow I think these are the best of the best !! Your recipe made me a Hero. Thank you for sharing your talents..
You are so welcome, Jackie! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
I have tried this recipe and it was so good. May I know how long is the shelf life of the cookies after baking it and keeping it is a closed container?
Hi Aldrin! They’ll stay fresh for about 5 days when stored in an airtight container at room temp.
Hello, been loving this recipe since 2014. But been wanting to add a little twist :)) Is it possible to change the 1/4 cup of flour into cocoa powder to make it into a chocolate flavor? Or i have to adjust everything else when adding cocoa powder?
Thank you ❤
Thanks so much! Cocoa powder isn’t a 1:1 substitute with all-purpose flour, and you’d also then need to adjust the liquid ingredients.
Is the outcome of this cakey cookies?
Hi Van – No. The result is a soft cookie that pairs a perfectly chewy center with slightly crispy edges. :)
Hi,
I just wanted to say, I’ve making your cookies for years now, and they are always the bomb thank you, and regards from Germany ❤
I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Natalie!
Can I freeze the dough?
Absolutely! I recommend freezing the cookie dough in balls/scoops so all you have to do is bake them off as needed.
I will never use another cookie recipe. Just so you know, it’s 100% Amazing. Always double here, and today I browned my butter first and about died right there in the spot.
It’s absolutely perfection
I’m SO thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Holly!
I’m not sure what I did wrong but my cookies don’t spread out when baking. Any recommendations?
Hi Ana – There are several factors that may have attributed to this, such as how the heat circulated in your oven, your type of baking sheet and whether you used parchment paper or a Silpat. Perhaps next time you could flatten the dough slightly (after you’ve portioned it out)?
Hi Kelly! Excited to try this. Would mascarpone work in place of cream cheese?
Hi Selina! I’ve never tried mascarpone in this recipe so I’m not sure how the cookies would turn out. Let me know if you give it a shot!
Can I make these of the sheet pan
Hi Gillian! I’ve never tried that with this recipe but I do have a recipe for Salted Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
that you may be interested in. Here’s a link to the cookie bars: https://www.justataste.com/salted-chocolate-chip-cookie-bars-recipe/
How about adding nuts (1 cup?)?
That would work!
Not sure why you have to use unsalted butter. I’ve always used salted butter in my choc chip cookies.
Hi Debbie – I like using unsalted butter so I can better control the quantity of salt in the recipe. :)
With the cream cheese, how long will these last on the counter in a cookie jar?
Hi Katie! They’ll stay fresh for about 5 days when stored in an airtight container at room temp.
Can you use whipped cream cheese? Thank you
Hi Lindy! That works as long as its full fat cream cheese.
OMG! I made these cookies last night while watching movies with my kids…..Let’s just say this will definitely be a regular in my house. These cookies are AMAZING!
Woohoo! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Sharice!
Hello… how would you feel if I add red coloring in order to make red velvet cookies? Thanks
Hi Ginnette! I actually have a Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cake Mix Cookies recipe: https://www.justataste.com/red-velvet-chocolate-chip-cake-mix-cookies-recipe/
Made them twice. First time perfect. Switched to whole wheat flour for the second time Epic fail.
Hello!
How many bigger size stuffed cookies do you think that recipe can make?
Hi there! It all depends on how big you make the cookies. This recipe yields about 36 cookies when using 2- to 3-tablespoon mounds of dough.
This is my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe. Brilliant addition of the cream cheese. I have some dough chilling in my fridge right now, ready to bake and send to my son in his care package. When I asked what he wanted, he said those special chocolate chip cookies with the cream cheese. Those are the best. Thanks for a perfect recipe.
Love hearing this, Laura! I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe :)
Hello I’m going to try this recipe today but unfortunately I don’t have a stand-up mixer. Is it okay to use either a hand mixer or to stir by hand?
Hi Shannon – A hand mixer just might do the trick! Just make sure to scrape down the sides as needed. :)
Thanks! I adore cookies and also I have healthy lifestyle. My favorite sweet healthy recipe is protein cookies. To my mind this cookies really easy to cook and tasty.
I tried this recipe years ago, never went back!
LOVE hearing this, Maria! I’m thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe!
Kelly, I just mixed up this recipe for the first time. I added some things; 1 T. Espresso (cooled), 1 cup chopped Georgia pecans, & 3/4 cup quick oatmeal. I also used semi-sweet chocolate CHUNKS instead of the chips. I scooped out a dozen on parchment covered cookie sheet to bake after chilling and put the bulk of the remaining dough in my “extra” fridge in our basement. Do you think it would be okay to scoop and freeze the big batch for later? I love to have cookie dough at the ready for company or just for us for a quick, but fresh dessert! I will let you know how my “alterations & additions”
worked out, and will rate it then, also. Thanks!
Hi Jolene – Love your additions! And yes, you can scoop into balls and freeze for up to 3 months.
Kelly, YOUR CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE RECIPE WITH CREAM CHEESE IS FANTASTIC! I have literally been searching for a cookie with just the right “bite,” for about a year. I’ve tried about twenty recipes. Many were too crispy, crunchy, flat, cakey, or too sugary. Then I found yours . I made them a while back, in December and thought I had forgotten to save your recipe… I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to find it again, but I did . I remembered the “secret ingredient” and I remembered your photo of the stack of cookies! They do stay tender for a long time, they have the “bite” I was searching for. I am making these forever (the old recipes are out!). You have made me a happy baker. THANKS SO MUCH Kelly. You rock! . From: Dianne in Albuquerque
LOVE hearing this, Dianne! I am so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
I live in Venezuela and I tried this recipe, i used shortening instead of butter beacuse thats what I had at that moment and it worked well, I also added a pinch of cinnamon and cocoa, just a pinch and the taste was great. Mines didnt get that brown in the edges even the they took 15 minutes in the oven. Thanks for the recipe Kelly, love your work.
You are so welcome, Enrique! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe :)
Do you need to refrigerate these cookies since they have cream cheese in them
Hi Lela! You can store the cookies in an airtight container at room temp. They’ll stay fresh for about 5 days.
These are the family’s and everyone’s favorite cookie HANDS DOWN the BEST choc chip recipe! I also use the same dough and make a big cookie in the cast iron!! So bomb!! Thanks soooo much for sharing!
Love hearing this! I’m so thrilled you and your family have been enjoying the recipe!
I followed this recipe to the T but my cookies fell flat…under cooked in the middle and brown around the edges. What could have gone wrk f
Hi Jessica – There are several factors that may have attributed to this, such as how the heat circulated in your oven, your type of baking sheet and whether you used parchment paper or a Silpat. Also, is your baking soda fresh?
I made these cookies my son loved it
Awesome!
Hi! What type of salt did you use though? :)
Table salt!
Hello Kelly
I just made these for my husband who loves chocolate chip cookies. The only difference was my oven was 350* and I let them cook 9 minutes. He didn’t even let them cool and both he and my nephew said ” Perfect! Can you make more! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe with us. It will be our favorite!
Woohoo! Love hearing this, Rhonda!
This has been my go to cookie recipe for a few years now! I have a question-if I wanted to make the dough and roll out the balls and put them in the freezer for whenever we wanted cookies, how long would the dough still be good?
I’m thrilled this has been your go-to cookie recipe, Herra! And the unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months.
Hello I made these cookies today and they are so good! I like they way they are crispy on the edges and soft and chewy in the middle. My cookies look exactly like the photo you posted, so great recipe. The only thing I did differently, was bake them at 350* because I’m cautious about high heat with baking cookies (they baked fine). Will they stay tender for a couple of days? Here’s hoping!
Hi Dianne – I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe! And The cookies should stay soft and chewy, but remember to keep them in an airtight container!
I love your recipe and have used it before but for some reason this time they came out extra extra fluffy. Which isn’t terrible but trying to figure out why?
Hi there, Bethany! There are several factors that may have attributed to this, such as how the heat circulated in your oven, your type of baking sheet and whether you used parchment paper or a Silpat. Perhaps next time you could flatten the dough slightly (after you’ve portioned it out)? I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying this recipe!
I didn’t read the directions correctly and I used the entire block of cream cheese!!!!!!!! It is still baking… not sure what I should expect at this point, but it smells fantastic lol Anyone else do this?
Curious to hear how they turned out, Zarina!
I was looking for a recipe using my left over cream cheese and found yours, will definitely try this next weekend. Thank you for sharing! :)
My husband and family absolutely LOVE these cookies! I’ve made them several times now!! Thank you so much for sharing!!
I’m so thrilled your family has been enjoying the recipe, Melissa!
kelly do you know how to change the weight using gram scale. I have a pblm to measure the butter because the stick size here is different
Hi Khalida! I don’t measure my ingredients in grams, but perhaps you’ll find this conversion table helpful: http://dish.allrecipes.com/cup-to-gram-conversions/
hi kelly, i’m from malaysia, just found your recipe today. Can’t wait to try it. Hope to get best result as yours :))
I hope you enjoy the cookies!
Congratulations! You win! I have been on the search for the perfect CCC and this one wins for me, my family, and my co-workers. The only modification I made was the use of bread flour over all-purpose…personal preference. Thanks for sharing and keep the yummies coming!
Woohoo! I’m so thrilled to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Amy!
Love this cookie my friends and family loved them
But my second time around of baking the cookies when I made the dough I put accidentally 4oz of cream cheese instead of one oz . I hope they will still come out delicious
I’m thrilled to hear you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Natalie!
I tried this exactly as written except used some bourbon infused butter instead of regular butter. I had high hopes but they came out kind of puffy/cakey :(
Hi Anna – It’s hard to say what might have caused this. Were all of your ingredients at room temp? And is your flour fresh? All ovens are different, so it could have to do with how the heat circulated in your oven, too.
Can you add nuts to the recipe? If so, do you need to eliminate something?
Hi Liz – You can add in the nuts and keep the chocolate chips at the same amount, but keep in mind there will be less dough compared to the fillings, so you may have to adjust the baking time. Hope this helps!
This is a terrific all round chocolate chip cookie. Easy to make. I usually refrigerate my dough overnight and haven’t encountered any problems other than everyone gobbling them up. They are flexible and work well with a mix of chips, toffee bits and spices(cinnamon or ginger), crystallized ginger,candied orange rind etc. I have tried just about every chocolate chip recipe out there from the NY Times one with bread flour to the ones on the chip packages. this is hands down the best. thanks for sharing.
WOW! Thank you so much for your kind review, Mogla! I’m thrilled you enjoyed this recipe!
Thank you for this recipe. I followed your direction step by step and the cookies turned out fantastic! It’s crispy around the corners and soft on the inside. Thanks so much! :)
Excellent! Thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Linda!
I couldn’t find out approximately how many cookies this makes. Also I am on a low sodium diet and you gave estimate nutrition advice of 106mg but I couldn’t find how many cookies is a serving size. Also since I would be probably cheating on my heart healthy diet, can you freeze the individual cookies before baking as to not continuely cheat on my diet all in one week. Or do you suggest baking them and then freezing them.
Hi Frances – This recipe yields about 3 dozen cookies, but that will vary based on how large you make your cookies. And I recommend freezing the cookie dough in balls/scoops so all you have to do is bake them off as needed. :)
What an awesome recipe! I wanted to eat the dough raw. Mine turned out fantastic. I eat a ketogenic diet so I subed the flour for almond flour and used Swerve instead of sugar. Absolutely beautiful. They grew A LOT.
Awesome, Christina! So glad you enjoyed it!
Put my cookies in the fridge for 2 hours but they arent spreading… they are just mounds? I used a cookie scoop for my portions. Why is this happening
Hi Shannon! It’s really hard to troubleshoot what might be causing this but is your oven running at the right temp? They shouldn’t spread all that much… let me know!
Hi Shannon,
Make sure you are measuring the flour properly. You might want to try ‘spooning’ the flour gently into the measuring cup – not packing the flour in.
Hope this helps!!
Great tip, Kate!
My dough is in the fridge right now. Made it last night. Looking at the next step now on the recipe and I just saw “Kelly’s Notes” which reminded me to look at the ingredients again. Yep, I added the whole package of cream cheese. UUGGHH! I KNEW things were going too smooth and they’re for my son’s Birthday party Sunday! I don’t have time to make more! OH!! And now that’s I’m thinking I added both sticks of butter! OH-EM-G! Ladies, don’t bake while distracted. :( I’ll update you with how they turn out.
I was just wondering how long have you left your dough in the fridge because I left it for 2 hours and it didn’t look as good and crinkly as shown in the pictures. Mines looked like really smooth cookies like the ugly kind. If I left it in the fridge longer would it have looked like yours
Hi Reena! What do you mean by “the ugly kind?”
The cookies turned out great, but a little flat. Would adding a teaspoon of baking powder solve my problem?
Hi Raneem! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! It’s hard to say what might cause flat cookies. Is your baking soda fresh?
Thank you for this wonderful recipe. Every time my son comes home from college I make several batches. We can’t seem to get enough.
Thrilled to hear you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Amy!
Hi!! I am loving your website. Quick question could I make this cookies way smaller, like a tablespoon big, if so how long should I keep in the oven for? Thank you!!
Hi Josie! You can absolutely make these smaller! Because ovens vary greatly by temperature I can’t give you an exact time, but you can start checking the cookies around the 5- to 7-minute mark and bake until they’re just slightly underdone. Let me know how they turn out!
Can i use a rolling pin? I have a heart shaped cookie cutter I want to use to make treats……will this work if I use flour or will it mess up the cookies?
Hi Jenn! I’ve never tried rolling out this dough but I suspect it’d be too wet and then the hearts might not hold their shape.
Mmmmm Great Cookies God I hope I don’t eat em all too soon .I been baking like crazy easy recipe. Thank You
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Vernon!
Hello!
Cannot wait to make these!!
If you refrigerate the dough for 24 hours , is it necessary to let dough sit out at room temp before baking or can it be done as soon as it comes out of frig?
thanks!
Michele
You’ll want to scoop out and bake the cookies right away – enjoy!
Tried these cookies for the first time. AMAZING!! Our new family favorite, this one’s a keeper!
Thanks!
This is what I love to hear! So glad you and your family enjoyed the recipe :)
i used this recipe, but only had dark brown sugar, and i used walnuts. they are my new favorites. can cream cheese be used in a brownie recipe in the same fashion.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Joan!
Hi Kelly,
I’m sorry if you’ve already addressed this question, but I’m kinda short on time so I can’t finish looking through all of the comments. Have you tried using both regular and whipped cream cheese? If so, what difference did you notice? Thanks!
Either will work! Just make sure to measure it per the recipe instructions. :)
Made these cookies last night….In love! First time I have ever baked super soft, chewy and moist cookies! (I do not like hard, crispy cookies!) These were delicious! I only have one baking sheet so it took me three rounds to get all the cookies baked. Lesson learned: Even though cookies don’t look cooked, don’t keep baking! My first two batches I think I cooked too long (they’re still chewy) – but the last batch I baked at no more that 7 minutes then let them rest o counter. These were the best cookies!!
This is what I love to hear! So thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Riss!
Do these cookies need to be refrigerated due to the use of the cream cheese? Or can they safely be left out?
Hi Michelle – You can store the cookies in an air-tight container at room temp. They’ll stay fresh for about 5 days. Enjoy!
And how many eggs exactly do you use?
As the recipe states, 2 large eggs. Enjoy!
How many does it feed?
Hi Gracie – This recipe yields about 3 dozen cookies, but that will vary based on how large you make your cookies.
Do you think I could make these into cookie bars ? Would the recipe have to change much ??
Hi Meg! I’ve never tried making cookie bars with this recipe, however I think it could work. Keep the oven temperature the same and start checking them around the 20-25 minute mark. Definitely let me know if you give it a shot!
I made the cookies and we ALL loved it. I like your blog and planning to try other recipes. Great job!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Indoo!
made these, and they were nice and puffy till I took them from the oven and they fell.. fresh baking soda, and everything. not sure why that is.. am hoping that they taste good still
Hi Melissa – It’s hard to say what might cause flat cookies. Did you chill your dough?
I am anxious to try this the next time I make choc chip cookies. I was just wondering though, why isn’t 1/4 cream cheese listed in the ingredient list?
I hope you enjoy the recipe, Angie! And the cream cheese is listed under the ingredients – below the baking soda – you may need to clear your cache if you are not able to see it. :)
How many grams is 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour? Can you tell me how much butter & cream cheese in grams too? Thank you
Hi Choo – I do not measure my ingredients in grams, but perhaps you’ll find this conversion table helpful: http://dish.allrecipes.com/cup-to-gram-conversions/
These cookies taste great but are so flat. I chilled the dough for over 2 hours. What did I do wrong?
Hi there Karen! It’s hard to say what might cause flat cookies. Is your baking soda fresh?
Hello there!
I do not have a stand mixer ! Is there any hope for me?
(I do have a hand mixer, but I don’t think that would work)
A friend made this recipe for me and the cookies were the best I have ever had! I’ve got all my ingredients ready but now I’m unequipped!
Hi Bee! A hand mixer just might do the trick! Just make sure to scrape down the sides as needed. And the chilling of the dough is the most crucial part!
Can these be made Gluten Free with another type of flour?
I guess it’s more like 2 + 1/4 Cups of flour, at least that’s how I understand it.
It means 2 full cups and a 1/4 cup of flour
What is the deal – use the paddle attachment ? I do not have one but are you talking about the bread paddle?
Hi Marilynn -The paddle attachment comes with all KitchenAid stand mixer. It’s the flat-shaped one and not the whisk or the bread hook.
Why is the dough chilled? Making a double batch now, not chilled. They’re perfect.
Hi Brenda – It helps the butter re-solidify and leads to a better texture for the cookies. They’ll work totally fine without the chilling, but it makes them that much better :)
Hey, its mh first visit to your blog. Its pretty impressive i must say and thanks for sharing such a wonderful recipe, I liked the idea of cream cheese in chocolate chip cookies. I’m definitely going to try them this week. Thanks again.
OMG!
I’ve made these at home and they are deeeelicious!!! I am going to a cabin this week and would love to make these again but I’m wondering if they would work at 5000 high altitude? How would I tweak this to make it work?
Thanks!!!!!
Hi Karla – I’ve never tried baking these at altitude so I’m not sure!
I did it! I did it! It was amazing! I can not believe that I baked such delicious cookies!
Thank you very much Kelly for this magical recipe! :)
Woohoo!
Hi Kelly, I have been using your recipes and I just loooove them each time!
I have a question about this one, I don’t have access to a mixer right now and I promised to my husband there will be a dozen of them on the kitchen counter when he gets home!! ( The rest will be in my stomach!)
Does it work without mixer? I mean does it work by mixing with hands?
Thanks so much, Sarah! I think you could do it by hand, but the texture might be slightly different.
Have you ever used DRY choc pudding mix, in the cookies. It is very good, keeps them fresher. Add it at the last and start stiring
These look great and I will try your secret. But I have people in my family that like their chocolate chip cookies crunchy all over. Any suggestions on how to do that?
Hi Debbie – This recipe results in very soft and chewy cookies, so to make them crispy you’d have to really alter the ingredient list.
Oh man, genius idea! I’m sharing this in a cookie round-up on Lifehack if that’s okay! :)
What can eggs be substitute with,? I’m a vegetarian and we don’t eat eggs. Pls help me with the quantity too
Hi Devangshi – I’ve never made this recipe with an egg substitute so I cannot provide alternatives.
It sounds perfect for my soft cookie loving family!
Can you use the cream cheese in the tub or should it be the one in the rectangular package?
Either works! Just make sure to measure it out in the measuring cup :)
You’re reading the measurement of flour wrong. It’s 2 cup and 1/4 cup of flour. Not 2 cups that measure 1/4 cup each.
HI Ree, You can use salted butter as long as you dont add the salt called for in the recipe. I have many times and it has come out just fine.
Hi Christine, I used cane sugar and it came out yummy!!
Hi Urska! It is 2 cups of flour along with 1/4 cup of flour. Hope this helps. Not the same as 1/2 cup.
It means 2 cups plus another quarter cup(2 and 1/4 cup)
Urska, she means 2 cups plus 1/4 cup.
Hi, I’m wondering if you ever tried mascarpone in these cookies. If you did, how did they turn out?
Thanks, ?
Hi there! I’ve never tried mascarpone in this recipe so I’m not sure how the cookies would turn out. Let me know if you give it a shot!
The cookies sound fabulous but what amazes me is how generous you are with your time to reply to every comment in addition to sharing your recipe. You must be a great friend:)
Thanks so much, Marie! I do my absolute best to respond to as many comments as possible!
I made these cookies but they disappeared the first night so I mast another batch but I ran out of flour and it was late and I didn’t want to go to the store so I used Krusteaz buttermilk pancake mix and they turned out wonderful..
So glad you enjoyed them!
Two And One Quarter Cups :)
These are the BEST cookies!! I used a log of plain soft goat cheese for the cream cheese (easier dairy for me to digest) and used 1.5 c white flour and 3/4 c spelt flour and 1 tsp cinnamon! Kept the dough wrapped in the fridge for 2 days and made fresh batches when I had friends over. Everyone raved about these!!
Great, easy recipe!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
My grandmother is allergic to eggs, can I substitute something in, or take them out completely?
HI Jasmine – I’ve never tried an egg substitute in this recipe so I can’t say with certainty what would work to get the same result.
Hi! I made this yesterday and it was very good! But the outside of my cookie wasn’t crisp. What am I doing wrong? I followed everything except I didn’t use a paddle attachment. Help!
Hi Clarice – So glad you enjoyed the recipe! There are several factors that may have attributed to this, such as the heat circulation in your oven, your type of baking sheet and whether you used parchment paper or a Silpat.
Clever!
Two and one-quarter cups
What if I don’t have a standup mixer with a paddle attachment ? Will it mess up the mixing of the ingredients if I use a hand mixer with standard mixer attachment on a slow setting ?
That should work, Maria!
Is it going to affect the cookie if I reduce the amount of sugar?
Hi Maria – Yes, it’ll affect the outcome if you alter the sugar content.
I love your Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies. Just wondering, can you freeze the cookie dough or the cookies once they are baked?
Definitely! I recommend freezing the cookie dough in balls/scoops so all you have to do is bake them off as needed.
Hi Kelly! Do you think i can use a cream cheese DIP instead? I’m dying to try these but Im having second thoughts on the kind of cream cheese i have onhand. Nice pictures by the way. :)
Hi Rei – No, I definitely wouldn’t use a cream cheese dip. You’ll want to use regular (full fat) cream cheese. Enjoy!
Same here! Still tasty, but I was hoping for a cookie soft and chewy in the middle with crispy edges.
It is two whole cups plus one fourth of a cup.
Those cookies are very . I will have to cook them.
Just wanted to say thanks so much for the recipe. These are my go to chocolate chip cookies. Everyone who eats them says they are the best they’ve ever had. Thanks Kelly!
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed it, Cat!
I’ve never posted on a cuisine blog before but just had to tell you that you have managed to make THE PERFECT cookie recipe. And I say this because I’ve taken SO many liberties with it and the cookies still come out absolutely perfect as if by magic! 5 minutes ago I got a batch out of the oven that I made without the cream cheese, baking soda (I find the taste soda gives cookies/pancakes/cakes really objectionable, also every single cookie I make with soda ends up with a cake-y texture which I dislike), and even one of the eggs because I ran out; I didn’t refrigerate the dough and crammed the dough balls all close together on the pan and they still came out PERFECT. Thank you thank you thank you for this recipe!
Wow! Thanks so much for your comment!
Made your cookies today and it is delicious!! Thank you for the recipe.
Christy
Best cookies ever. I made these for my family and they went mad over them now they always chocolate chip cookies.
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed them!
Hi,
i was so excited about this receipe, so i tried it. but something went wrong.
Are you sure that there is the right amount of flour given in the list?
i put like 8 portions of cookie dough and ended up with one big mess of bubbly sugar stuff. which i then had to toss away. the whole thing just melted and started cooking.
any idea of what went wrong? should i add more flour?
Hello – It’s hard to determine exactly what the issue may have been, but yes, the recipe is correct as listed.
Just wondering if cane sugar, that’s what I have on hand right now, would alter the outcome or do you suggest using white sugar.
Thanks!
Hi Christine! I recommend using white sugar.
This is freakin’ brilliant! I have a few tubs of cream cheese in the fridge and have been thinking “what the heck can I do with these?” There is never any better answer to that question than chocolate chip cookies!
I just made the cookies using bacon-flavored cream cheese. The cookies turned out okay, however the chocolate chips didn’t get all melted & gooey. The cookies also didn’t brown on top. Any ideas? Does it matter that I used margarine instead of butter?
2 1/4 cups means two full cups plus one quarter cup.
Great recipe.
I wonder if it would be possible to substitute cream cheese with cream cheese frosting as I am all out of cream cheese and only have the frosting left? Like say cutting the sugar level by half a cup and putting 1/4 cup of frosting?
Hi May – The frosting is much thinner than cream cheese so it’d affect the texture of the cookies.
I don’t the measurements of the ingredients. Can someone help me to convert it into Kg (kilogram)?
My entire family love these! They’re superb cookies! But…they always seem to only form into 19 – 21 cookies, not 3 dozen….what am I doing wrong?
So glad you enjoyed the recipe! The yield will vary based on how large you make your cookies.
Hmm I’m having a weird problem with these cookies. They don’t come out as flat. Instead they’re very round and look big. I don’t think putting too much dough per mound either.
Love your chocolate chip cookies recipe.. I will definitely try.
I was simply looking up a chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe and found this one. Ironically I always wondered about a cookie recipe using cream cheese other than used for using and OMG HERE IT IS. …. I can’t wait to make these. Simple recipe with AN AMAZING AWESOME Cookie My Family will love. TY for sharing.
Hi! I just made these and they look delicious! I’m wondering why my cookies seem “puffy?” They’re not flat like yours they seem puffier. I don’t know how to explain it! Lol. Do you have any tips? Thanks!!
Hi Nat! All ovens are different, so it could have to do with how the heat circulated in your oven. Or perhaps you could flatten the dough slightly (after you’ve portioned it out)?
Do you think it would affect the recipe at all if I wanted to add some slivered almonds? Should I put less chocolate to accommodate, or would it be okay to just add them and make a “chunkier” cookie? Thanks for your feedback — these look AMAZING!
Hi Jaime – It shouldn’t affect the recipe at all! You can add in the nuts and keep the chocolate chips at the same amount, but keep in mind there will be less dough compared to the fillings, so you may have to adjust the baking time. Hope this helps!
You can still eat these if you are Gluten Free…I just made them. I bought Bob’s Red Mill gluten free 1 to 1 flour (blue label) and made these and they turned out the same as if you were to make them with regular flour. No weird texture or after taste! This is my teenage son’s favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe and when he was diagnosed with gluten intolerance this summer he was crushed and thought he couldn’t enjoy these cookies again…well now he can! Thanks Kelly for a fabulous recipe and thank you Bob for making a fabulous flour so I can continue to enjoy Kelly’s recipes!!
Awesome, Christina!
2 cups AND 1/4 cup flour. ;-)
Usually written as 2-1/4 C
Mine don’t look as good as yours and they don’t taste amazing, good but not as good as I was hoping. I followed the recipe but mine seem too fluffy or something. The ones in your picture just from looking must taste better. Wondering what I did wrong?
I have made. These cookies and it was amazing
the whole patch was finished right away we even had a fight for the last one that we had to divide it between 3 persons
Thank you for the recipe this is the only one I use
These great cookie pics were pinned to my Cookie Monsters board at Pinterest.
#cookies #chocolatechip #chocolate
Hello from Cyprus!
Dear Kelly,
Today I made these cookies.
I always thought it was terribly difficult and unbearable for me.
Thanks to you I made and now I’m very happy (and my husband) … :-)
Thank you very much!
I can not wait to try it and your other recipes.
I haven’t made these but I believe she means two and a quarter cups of flour. (2.25 Cups)
hello this was a great recipe i just wanted to ask, what temp do i cook them on and how do i keep my cookies from melting in to one big cookie? it always happens to me.
and may i just say i am in love with your recipe . they are amazing. everyone wonders how i cook so good. for being at my age. ( im only 15 ) thanks for your time
Would have never guessed cream cheese. Can’t wait to give these a try!
Yes! The addition of the cream cheese is perfection! It keeps them moist and not too greasy with the lessened amount of butter.
Made these this weekend for my niece who only likes soft choc chip cookies and they were awesome! My only question is the picture of your cookies looks like it has a ton of choc chip morsels in them and the recipe calls for only 2 cups of morsels. I used a regular sized bag of choc chip morsels which is a little more than 2 cups and my cookies didn’t seem to have as many morsels in every cookie. Did you use exactly 2 cups or did you add more morsels to the batter?
Beside using baking soda can I use rising flour or baking power?
Hi Pearl! I’ve never tried making the recipe with either of those ingredients, so I can’t say for certain if the cookies would still turn out.
I have a batch of this dough in my fridge right now, with one substitution! I used homemade cashew flour instead of wheat flour because I have celiac disease, hopefully it turns out well!
that’s awesome for the secrets..thanks for love sharing, i love baking/cooking, it’s always great to see your share…
may i know how long to preserve such frozon dough in the fridge recommended?
How many does a batch make and how many grams of butter as we dont have sticks of butter here in New Zealand, thanks
I recently made these and they were excellent! Ate a few to satisfy my craving and took the rest to my office. co-workers raved!
Hello from Australia, they were the best cookies i have ever made, and probably ever tasted, and i dont say that lightly as my father was a pastry chef with 50 in the game, also being a lover of raspberries i subed have the chocolate chips for raspberry m&m’s and they were amazing also.
Thank you so much, can’t wait to try more of your recipes :)
So thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Jon! Love the raspberry M&M substitution :)
These cookies are the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever had! I can taste the cream cheese but that does nothing to discount the deliciousness of these cookies. Next time I will increase the brown sugar and vanilla but I have found the only recipe for chocolate chip cookies I will ever use again. The texture is incredible and I had no problem with the dough coming together. I ate 5 last night before I could stop myself. Thanks Kelly!
Yes! This is what I like to hear :) So glad you love them!
Hi Kelly
You say to underbake the cookies, so do I bake them for 7-9 minutes instead of the time frame you give of 9-11 minutes.
Hi Jackie – Ovens vary greatly by temperature, so I can’t give you an exact time, but you can start checking the cookies around the 7- to 9-minute mark and bake until they’re just slightly underdone. Enjoy!
I accidentally used half milk chocolate and half dark chocolate chips. Will this cause any problems?
Nope, not at all :)
Can you make these without either type of mixer lol? I don’t have either type sadly
Delicious. Perfect texture of cookie with an amazing taste. Although, I spoiled my taste buds with the raw dough. Thank-you so much! This recipe is on another website as well, so you know it’s extra-effective.
these cookies look amazing!
and I want to make them but I don’t have baking soda’
can I use baking powder?
thanks =]
Thanks, Erel! You’ll definitely want to use baking soda to make sure the recipes turns out as stated. Enjoy!
I make a white cookie at Christmas time with the cream cheese in it, prefer them to regular sugar cookies. Have made these several times, the cookie dough is unbelievable! Some of them made it to the oven, didn’t turn out like your pic though, mine were more taller and puffy, will try to flatten them before baking. I have made these just to eat the cookie dough, no lie! Thank you for this recipe!
Hi there, Looks like a fantastic recipe. Can’t wait to try it. Just wondering though cookies start off warm and chewy normally when left over night they harden. Almost like store brought cookies which I don’t really like. Is this the same case with these cookies?
MAny thanks.
Hi Zahra! The cookies should stay soft and chewy, but remember to keep them in an airtight container!
I’m all about experimenting with my cookie recipes. Trouble is I never write down what I’ve changed or adjusted. The cream cheese substitution is DEFINITELY on my must try list. Thanks for the recipe!
These cookies look so yummy! They sound like the perfect recipe to try! Our family loves soft, chewy cookies, and we tend to make them at least once a week. Thanks for sharing this great recipe!
I made the batter on Sunday and waited until Thursday to bake the cookies. Let me just say, BEST COOKIES I’VE MADE THUS FAR. This is a superb recipe. And yes, I ate three cookies immediately after baking them (:
Just made these today. Absolutely fabulous! Will be my go to recipe from now on. My 3 yr old described them as scrumptious. :) Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Sharla!
I ADORE cream cheese in my cookies! Ever since I started using it I haven’t looked back; it’s my new secret weapon. These look gorgeous… the perfect combo of golden, crisp edges and a chewy center. :)
Absolutely delicious!
I made these cookies over the weekend while preparing a meal and dessert for a sick friend. I ALWAYS read the directions fully before diving into a recipe, but I didn’t this time due to being in hurry-up mode. I did not have time to refrigerate the dough at all. I was pretty bummed because I had high hopes for these and felt like I had just messed it all up. However, the cookies were still amazing!! I don’t consider myself a great cookie maker and I’ve only really begun to enjoy baking over the past couple of years. I always seem to over bake them or they are flat, etc. These were perfect and my husband and girls went crazy over them (we had to sample at least a dozen for ourselves). This will be my new go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe for sure. I cannot wait to see how they turn out when I actually follow the directions correctly! :)
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed the, Malissa!
hi! these cookies are the best, my boyfriend loves it so much. but just wanna know if how long can it be stored after baking?
Hi Star – You can store the cookies in an air-tight container at room temp. They’ll stay fresh for about 5 days. Enjoy!
Hi Kelly
Which is better to use to bake the cookies? Jelly roll pan or the flat cookie sheets? Can I ask which you use and the brand?
These are soooo good. Thanks for the awesome recipe!!
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Karin!
Hi Kelly
Just to clarify, so you “refrigerate” the dough instead of freezing it for up to 2 hours or 3 days?
Yes! Refrigerate :)
Great recipe!!! Followed it to a tee the first time. I am a serious chocolate lover so second attempt I substituted a 1/4 cup of cocoa in flour mix
Awesome! Love the addition of the cocoa powder, Brian!
I am not able to eat dairy. Can I substitue the cream cheese for non-dairy cream cheese, and the butter for margarine? Or it won’t taste good?
Hi Leeba! I’ve never tried making those substitutions in this recipe, so I can’t say for certainty how the taste/texture will turn out.
Hello,
I’m french and I would like to test your cookies but I don’t know what is cream cheese.
Is it the same cheese you put in tiramisu ?
Merci beaucoup.
Your blog is fantastic !
Hi Myrtille – I’m not sure which cheese you’re referring to, but cream cheese is a tangy, semi-firm cheese spread. Hope that helps!
Made the dough yesterday, baked half today. Husband says, “Hope you’re talking these to work cuz you know I’m not a big chocolate lover.” So I froze half the recipe to bake at a later date. By the end of the evening he said, “I think you better make more for work.” He ate at least eight. They are magnificent. Rounded teaspoons were the perfect size. Baking time remained the same. Mille gracie!
Haha! I love it, Kel! Thanks for your kind comment and I’m so glad you’re enjoying my recipe :)
Pretty good, but not enough butter flavor..if there is such a thing as too chewy..these are. Sorry.
I loved the idea of putting cream cheese in the choc. chip cooks. I made them exactly how the recipe said, but I got cake like cookies. The taste was amazing!! But they were not cookie like, gooey or chewy. I was disappointed. I read on the internet cake like cookies could be from too much flour so maybe I’ll try less next time. THanks for the awesome post though.
BEST chocolate chip cookies I’ve made so far!! So good! Glad I tried! Thanks! :)
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Jeni! :)
The best CC cookies I’ve ever made. I can’t keep any after making them, the kids love them, too! Thank you so much for the recipe!!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Yaalisa!
I don’t know if you already answered this – but too many comments to read ALL of them… I made the dough today and mine was SUPER sticky and thick. Didn’t look as “moist” as yours. Also, baked a few and they ended up REALLY cakey and not nearly as flat. Any suggestions?
Hi Becca! Were all of your ingredients at room temp? And is your flour fresh?
Kelly
Do you recommend a particular brand of cream cheese? What do you use?
Hi Lynn! Any brand of cream cheese will work, just as long as it’s not low-fat. I use good ol’ Philadelphia :)
my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe! (and i’ve tried quite a few!) i doubled the cream cheese and they were so yummy! also, this time we’re trying it with oreo cookie pieces instead of chocolate chips!
what does refrigeration do to the cookie dough? is it necessary for flavor?
Hi Dolly! It does wonders for the dough and allows the flavors to really come together. It makes all the difference in the world!
This is the best chocolate chip recipe that I have ever come across. Delicious! Thanks for sharing :)
May I ask why the need for parchment..I mean it’s purpose? Thanks
PS Trying these tonight!
Hi Tammy! The parchment prevents the cookies from sticking to the baking sheet. Enjoy!
Hi, Kelly. I’ve try your chocolate chips cookies recipe and it taste so so yummy. However my cookies do not look as nice as the pic that you posted. My I know what’s wrong with it? I can send u the result if u don’t mind thx.
Thanks for the recipe. I just whipped up a batch and have them in the fridge for overnight. The only change I made is the chocolate chips, I had to substitute with mini peanut butter cups ( I did not have plain chocolate chips). I have a questions though, since cream cheese is an item you usually keep in the fridge would you have to refrigerate the cookies after they are baked? Or can you leave them out on the counter?
You can leave them out!
I love the cream cheese in this recipe. Can I use the cream cheese in other
recipes that call for one cup of butter and instead use 3/4 cup butter and
1/4 cup cream cheese?
Thanks for your comment, Shirley! Unfortunately cream cheese isn’t always an easy ingredient to substitute, as it depends entirely on the type of recipe. It could work in some other baked goods (to replace a portion of the butter), but it depends on the other ingredients.
We are snowed in for this near blizzard and my family is craving chocolate chip cookies. I have everything on hand, and my husband is picky annoy his cookies, going to go make up a batch! Can’t wait till they are ready! Yum…
Awesome! I hope you enjoy the recipe, Elizabeth, and stay warm and safe!
I am making these cookies as I type! The dough has been in the refrigerator since 2, it has snowed here in Philadelphia! What a perfect treat for my family!! Thank you!
Awesome! What a perfect cold weather treat, Jehahn! :)
Hi Kelly – I actually made 2 batches. First one 11min cook time & second one 20min. My hubby & I both prefer the 2nd batch by far. The taste is AMAZING and the PERFECT crunch is the BEST EVER! This is definitely a keeper. Hard to give some away but definitely worth sharing. Again, with many thanks to your Secret Ingredient & posting about it so appetizingly.
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Isabel!
End of year celebration for me & my post-op hubbie with delish home-made choc chip cookies. I am sold on ur recipe. Pics do wonders for the anticipated heavenly experience we all imagine. Thanks for posting such a “perfect answer” for universal appreciation.
So glad you all enjoyed the recipe, Isabel! Happy New Year!
Seriously the best cookies ever! I have made 5 batches over the last week…and may have eaten all of them:)
So glad you enjoyed my recipe, Becca!
Wow! this recipe is AWSOME!
This is Martha Stewart’s recipe with cream cheese added!
I’ve never really made Choco chip cookies before, but when I saw your recipe and how you had a secret ingredient I because very I intrigued. So yesterday I set off to making your cookies, and I could hardly keep my paws off the batter! Thank you for this recipe. It’s remarkable.
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Miki!
Hi! I don’t have any unsalted butter only salted would I have to get unsalted butter?
Hi Ree! You’ll definitely want to use unsalted butter, as salted butter will make the cookies way too salty.
Do you taste the cream cheese? don’t really like cream cheese
Hi Ree! You won’t taste the cream cheese at all. It’s entirely for texture :)
I was looking for a CC recipe because the one my family had settled on (after many tries) was one that included a package of vanilla pudding. In trying to get away from the chemicals I went searching again to find the “secret ingredient” was cream cheese which sounded interesting. Voila. New recipe found. Got thumbs up with some changes (i.e. DD requested “more vanilla”, etc) but the taste and texture worked for everyone. YAYYY. And for anyone who also is someone who reads the recipe and goes…”ugh, no, I can’t refrigerate these for any length of time because I need them NOW.” I made them without refrigerating them and they were fine. I don’t doubt that they taste better made and then refrigerated, but if you can’t..it is ok. :-) I don’t know why this never dawned on me but I run my dishwasher at night and I thought…woah..great idea, make the dough the night before, throw everything in the dishwasher…then bake the next morning. :-) Thanks for this recipe! How I “lucked” out to fund a replacement for my “always” recipe for CC first shot I don’t know but I am thrilled :-). Merry Christmas and God Bless us Everyone :-)!
Thank you so much for your kind comment, Nancy! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Merry Christmas!
If you need 4 oz. of cream cheese, shortening ect…. fill a one cup measuring cup with 4 oz. water then 4 oz. of cream cheese will bring it to 1 cup. Dump out the water and you are left with the cream cheese, using a spatula take out the cream cheese.
Love this tip! Thanks, Debi!
This cookie is amazing! Wow! Definitely go with a smaller portion because it is so rich. Loved the helpful tips!
I just finished making the dough up. Had to double the recipe though since my kids become cookie monsters when I bake cookies lol. Can’t wait to see how these turn out.
Interesting! I can’t wait to try these!!
Well – it’s just my own preference – but I think the temperature is about 20 degrees too high, and there should be about 1/4 to 1/2 cup more brown sugar. But – it might be my impatience – they may taste better after cooling.
Baking cc cookies is usually my specialty. Apparently, not today. Just tried this recipe, and it tasted funny. I realized that I put 1/2 cup of MSG instead of sugar into my batch. Ewwww….
Luckily, I hadn’t baked them yet. Just made my 2nd batch. They are in the frig now. Can’t wait to bake them tonight.
I made these today and only chilled them for 2 hrs. I also used sea salt instead of regular salt and they turned out fantastic! This is the first batch of cc cookies I have ever gotten to come out. And I have been trying for years. I think the sea salt added another layer of taste that took it over the top.
Thank you for sharing such a great recipe!!
I just baked this recipe…. omgish, super yummy!!! They taste like what you buy at a bakery. I did however use parchment paper and worked just fine. Read another post where they had problems w it. These cookies are really yummy fyi but my cookies don’t look like the picture, they actually look better lol :)
Thanks so much for the recipe. This is officially my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe!
Haha! I love it, Michelle! Major kudos to you :) Thanks for your kind comment!
Hello this was a really great recipe! The only thing I would suggest is not recommending the use of parchment paper. I tried it with my first batch and it quickly filled my entire house with smoke. Yuck! I then tried it with just nonstick canola oil spray and they turned out perfectly! Thanks again.
I’m 14 years old, and I love to bake.. I’ve already made a cheesecake, two cakes 4 different types of cupcakes, 5 types of cookies, and some heavenly tiramisu. But I’ve got to admit, this is one of my favorite recipes by FAR. The dough almost didn’t make it to the fridge.. Definitely a keeper for sure.
Hi Sarah! Congrats on all of your baking successes! I’m SO glad you enjoyed my recipe :)
LOVE this!!!! Cream cheese makes everything better:-) Your site is stunning.
Kelly, I absolutely love your recipes! I used your secret ingredient chocolate chip cookie recipe a few weeks ago and sent a batch over to Kevin in Tokyo, he loved them!
I have never written a review…I had to comment on these!!! These are the best CC cookies I have ever made! I thought I had found the “best” last Christmas and was disappointed my recipe was stolen with my laptop…but then I found this recipe. I am making them again after only two days because they are already gone!!! I will never make different CC recipe ever! Thanks :)
Awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Brenda!
If I wanted to make these cookies with no egg, what can I use as a substitution?
I was wondering if I could use flax seed or unsweetened apple sauce but not sure of how that would effect the texture of the cookie
Hi Daisy – I have never tried using an egg substitute of unsweetened apple sauce, so unfortunately I can’t say with certainty how they’d turn out.
Hi Kelly! Thanks for the recipe! I refrigerated the dough for 72 hours, I had a problem with the cookies though,, they were brown from the sides and I got them out of the oven, but the center was too soft almost uncooked
Hi Wadha! Oven temperatures (as well as baking sheets) can cause great variances in how quickly doughs bake. Do you have an oven thermometer to ensure your oven isn’t running hot? And did you use parchment paper or a Silpat on your baking sheet?
Amaaaazing!!!!! Thanks Kelly for sharing. Really enjoyed following this recipe. Your pics were so awesome I actually made them right away. Everyone in my family Loved Loved Loved. Thanks again!
I’m trying this recipe right now! I had a family member start a fight with me over fridgerating the cookie dough. I’m following the recipe and just refriderating it for 2 hours to see how it will come out. crossing my fingers!
This is the BEST cookies recipe ever! I have been trying all the recipes for a very long time and they never really tasted any good. But these cookies with cream cheese are PERFECT! They taste like Subways cookies.
Thank you for sharing! You are amazing, Kelly.
Amazing , I made them with my daughter as a fun treat and now my husband wants them all the time!!!! Look what you started!!! Haha thank you delish
Haha! I love it, Carolynn! So glad you enjoyed the recipe :)
Whipped up a batch earlier today and they have been in the fridge for four hours and I’m about to bake some now! Can’t wait to taste them!
I just tried this recipe last night. I was the best cookie I have ever had. Thanks for sharing such great recipes.
AWESOME! So glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Betsy!
My cookies ended up amazing and the pictures are incredible! I just have to say for the mounds of cookies did you mean 2-3 teaspoons? When i did the first 6 with tablespoons they were MASSIVE so I did some with teaspoons and they looked more accurately like the picture – just curious
Dumb question maybe, but if I refrigerate do I scoop them right from fridge to oven or let them come to room temp?
Not a dumb question at all! You can scoop them right from the fridge onto the baking sheet and then bake them. Enjoy :)
I just helped my daughter make this exact recipe for her friend, it’s her Birthday party tonight and I think she will love these cookies : D First batch was our learning curve, we also made one large cookie for her friend with what was left after doing about 3 cookies sheets worth of well spaced cookies, turned out tastey looking
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Sapphirine! Love the idea of one giant cookies :)
I made these cookies last night and did not look like the cookies in the picture- they were soft on the inside and outside- followed directions exactly – what happened?
Hi Angela! These are soft chocolate chip cookies, so they definitely should have that texture on both the inside and outside. If you want them crisper, you can bake them slightly longer, and they’ll be even more chewy. Hope that helps!
Hello! I really wanna try using this recipe for a double chocolate chip cookie. How much cocoa powder can I add to this recipe ? Thank you.
i love this recipe and i really want to give it a try.. just a question, would it be the same if i use a handheld mixer??
Yes!
Made this today! I love if! The cream cheese made it more fun! Thanks for the recipe.
This looks like a wonderful cookie to try!! I’ve always loved the use of cream cheese in other things besides cheesecake!
Making the dough tonight and baking them tomorrow! Can’t wait!
Quick question: is there no need for baking powder?
Thanks for sharing!
Yum!! These cookies look amazingly delicious!! I love cream cheese, so these are perfect. Thanks so much for sharing!!
Hello! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe. I made two batches of these. One batch yesterday and another this morning.the first time, the batch of cookies came out yummy, but it wasn’t chewy as I hoped it to be. So I decided try again, and the second batch came out fairly similar. It had a cake like consistency but you can still feel that is a cookie. Please guide me towards the light. Also, how did you get such perfect shape? I have refrigerated mine. It didn’t spreads when baking. As a matter of fact, the top part of the cookie will be sorta raw while the bottom in burning up. How can I tell what two minutes before the baking time will look like. One last question, if I may, I use an ice cream scoop as well, but your shapes are just amazing! Did you pressed the batter down a little after releasing it from the scoop.
I made these last night. They turned out fabulous!! The family LOVED them. I just love your blog too.
Thank You so much for sharing! <3
Kellie
I made this last night batter sat over night in fridge they spred while cooking why :-(
Can I add a note? In order to get a perfect measurement for any fat just get a liquid measuring cup and place water to measure the volume.
So for instance you have 1/4 cup cream cheese well you would put 1/4 cup of water in a measuring cup then add the fat. Once the water level hits 1/2 cup then you have the exact amount of fat you need for your recipe. This recipe will not fall on an minor error but others can and do.
So I made these today on a whim. The pictures had me sold. I ended up having to use about 1/4 cup whole wheat white flour because I ran our of AP flour as well as only freezing them for 1/2 an hour rather refrigerating them but they STILL turned out great! Looks exactly like the picture! Chewy at 10 minutes (I probably could have baked them a little longer but I had to leave) but still very yummy- great for Pizzokies. I also sprinkled a bit of salt on them. I still have some dough left (after making a dozen) that I’m excited to make! Great recipe!
Love the addition of salt! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
A little past midnight and I could not sleep. I’m visiting my dad tomorrow and he loves when I bake for him. So I decided to google some recipes and stumbled across this one. I was pretty angry when I found out I didn’t have any brown sugar. Well, I wasn’t going to give up that easy. I googled a substitute for brown sugar and found molasses. Well, if you don’t have brown sugar are you really going to have molasses? I was determined to make some cookies, though. So, again…with the help of google I used a honey/maple syrup mixture mixed with regular sugar. I was a little hesitant to taste the dough but I was pleasantly surprised! DELISH! But, I was still somewhat worried about how everything was going to bake. So, I didn’t wait for them to chill. I tried out just two cookies. They are literally the softest most delicious chocolate chip cookies I have EVER made. :) Thanks for the recipe!!
Wow! I love your resilience, Paige! And I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies :)
I’ve put the dough in the fridge, but even after an hour, it still seems extremely un-doughy, like more runny than i’ve ever seen cookie dough before. Is that okay?
Hi Olivia! It’s important to only blend the dough until the flour is just incorporated, as over-blending it can cause it to be too loose. Hope this helps!
Self rising flour can be used?
Hi Jose! You’ll want to use all-purpose flour for these cookies. Enjoy!
I made these last week for a treat at work. After tasting them I selfishly wished I would have left them at home for me! Sooooo good!!!! Everyone at work loved them….even the ones who didn’t like cream cheese! Don’t let that scare you away from making them….you can’t taste it in there! I’m making more tonight. Going to take a dozen to a friend and her kids to try; then I’m going to make a few and scoop out the rest of the dough and flash freeze them, then put them in a ziploc to pull out when the cookie need strikes! With these, I’m thinking it will strike a LOT! :)
We used to have a place in town where you could buy premade cookie dough, pies, bread, etc….anything that was dough-based. The cookies were scooped out and frozen individually, then bagged in up in a dozen or so to buy. It was wonderful being able to pull out only 2 or 3 and have a warm cookie whenever I wanted! Unfortunately, they closed. They had a DIVINE cookie that was a chocolate cookie and a cheesecake ball center (almost completely surrounded by the chocolate cookie)….soft and fudgy. I wonder if you’d try something like that for all of us readers and let us know how to do it? :)
I’m so thrilled you are enjoying my recipe, Jackie! Love this story!
Awesome! Can’t wait t try them!
I absolutely LOVE this recipe! I followed the recipe exactly and got perfect cookies crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. if you’re even just a little bit hesitant to make these cookies don’t be they are AMAZING!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Alex! Thanks for your kind comment :)
I have always made cookies and froze them before I bake them. That way I can bake what we use and they stay fresh. My question is can the chocolate chip cookie with cream cheese be frozen?? I scoop them put them in the freezer on the sheets then put in bags, seal, write the date and kind of cookie
Hi Charlyene! I have made this dough and frozen it in logs before, then sliced and baked the cookies. So I think your technique will work!
I must try these!! I haven’t used cream cheese in cookies but man that sounds delicious!
These cookies look delish. Never thought of adding cream cheese to cookies.
I LOVE all of your cookie tips!! I have baked the majority of Christmas cookies for my family since my mom passed away several years ago. I never had the chance to ask her the ‘secrets’ to awesome cookies. Now I feel like I’ve got an extra great start for this years batches!!! YAY!! Thank you SO much!!!
And … I can’t wait to try the cream cheese in the chocolate chip cookies – a favorite at my house for sure!! :)
For Urska, I think the answer you’re looking for is 2 whole cups plus 1/4 cup of flour.
For the recipe, these really do look like amazing cookies. I love the secret ingredient you used. :)
Urska– it’s two cups PLUS a quarter cup. Not two quarter cups (which would be together one half cup).
For Urska – It is not 2 quarter cups of flour (as you interpreted that would be 1/2 cup). It is 2 cups + another 1/4 cup.
Refrigerate for up to 72 hours I will have to put a lock on the door or the dough will be completely gone before ever getting to the oven. Can’t wait to try this TODAY.
Extremely gorgeous cookies, Kelly! Cream cheese is a brilliant addition. And I totally agree with the brown sugar in CC cookies – I usually go heavy on the brown sugar!
Hello Kelly; this is my first visit to your site. I shall be returning regularly! For the wonderful sounding cookies, is Philadelphia cheese okay? Perhaps Philadelphia Light?
Welcome, Bonnie! Philadelphia cream cheese will work great but definitely use the regular and not the light/low-fat version, as it’ll throw off the consistency of the dough. Enjoy!
I love me some chocolate chip cookies! I bet the cream cheese in there makes them super soft and chewy. Love that!
What’s not to love about these cookies. Love using cream cheese in place of butter. Yumm!
Found you through the Popsugar select program and first time on your blog. Instantly in love :)
Welcome to Just a Taste, Lail! And thanks so much for stopping by!
These look amazing! I would’ve never guessed to put cream cheese into cookie dough. I will have to give these a try sometime.
Cream cheese added to chocolate chip cookies is such a great idea! I need to make these for the weekend!!
These look amazing! Love your pretty pictures! Chocolate chip cookies are my best friend and worst enemy :).
All I ever really want is cookies that look like this! Must try ASAP!
Oooh I’ve tried cream cheese in linzer cookies and they always give amazing results! Can’t wait to try it in these gorgeous chocolate chip cookies!
oh, i’m writing the next comment :) sorry, but i don’t understand how much is that :) isn’t it the same as 1/2 cup of flour? :))
Hi! I reaaaally want to try this cookies, but i don’t understand.. how much flour do you need for this recipe? What is that 2 1/4 cups of flour- isn’t it just the same as 1/2 cup or does it mean something else?
Hf :)
Hi Urska! It’s 2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour.
THe endless search for perfect chocolate chip cookies is over. Can’t wait to try this out. BTW I love your new video’s. I used the one about single serving Ice Cream at a BBQ this summer… Awesome
I would have never have guessed you used cream cheese! Brilliant Kelly.
Cream cheese in cookies sounds amazingggg.
These cookies are GORGEOUUUUS!!! I’ve seen the cream cheese idea and kind of thought “meh” but you have made me change my mind! They look scrumptiouuuus
Question..how well do these yummy cookies keep their texture and tasty goodness after the first day?
Hi Kat! If you store them in an air-tight container at room temp, they should last about a week … if you don’t eat them all before then :)
YUM
I would have eaten three of these too! They look amazing. Love the tips too!
Fabulous cookies, I love the cream cheese idea!
WOW! These are fantastic!!! I love the cream cheese idea. Your photos are stunning!
Cream cheese?? Never would have guessed. I won’t be able to stop at three for sure. Can’t wait to try this tip.
Now I need cookies!!
Making these tomorrow. Absolutely!
Amazing Kelly. :) Freakin’ awesome. Love these cookies and cream cheese is probably my favorite ingredient in the kitchen. I love your line “these are cookies, not green juice” haha! Gorgeous pictures too. I have to try these sometime!
Haha thank you, Sally! I figure if you’re going to eat cookies, just go for the full-fat amazingness :)
I love cream cheese in chocolate chip cookies! This recipe look perfect :)
OMG! I need these cookies in my life!! And with cream cheese as the secret ingredient, what’s not to love :)
Pinned!
These look beyond amazing, Kelly!! And I say that as a true chocolate chip cookie connoisseur. :-) Can’t wait to try these, seriously!
Oh wow I’ve never thought to put cream cheese in cookies, bet they taste divine though!
These are beautiful! What a perfect bake!
I also have a cookie recipe like that that calls for cream cheese – so good! And I always chill my dough, not sure how it makes it better but it does!
I love the tips you pointed out! Chewy but still slightly crisp on the edges – that really is the perfect cookie. I can’t wait to try these – I’m excited about using the cream cheese!
I’m trying these stat! Yummers.
What an interesting idea! I feel as though the cream cheese will give a slightly different dimension to the taste – in a good way!
Absolutely MUST give these a go! They look incredible, Kelly. So soft, chewy and light. Love the secret ingredient – cream cheese is something we never go without in this house!
Oh man those cookies look incredible! Never used cream cheese in them before. Definitely want to give these a try :)
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
I’m seriously in love with these cookies! Such a great idea adding in cream cheese. And stunning photos, btw!
Cream cheese!!! I love it! They do look absolutely perfect, Kelly!
I love this!! Definitely trying this soon!!! :)
I’m trying this, for sure. My last experiment with cream cheese in cookies was not that good, it’s time for me to try it again!
Can’t wait to hear what you think of them, Jen! The refrigeration element is key!
not only am I love the idea of cream cheese in cookies, but I’m thinking it might be worth experimenting with Mascarpone? I am a serious Mascarpone advocate and think it could totally rock this recipe!!! If I try it I’ll let ya know girrrl :)
Whaddya know? I have a ton of cream cheese in my fridge needing to be used and I just happen to REALLY want chocolate chip cookies right now. It’s fate! ;)
Freaaaaaking out right now. And I guessed the secret ingredient! AND, I also read that Famous Amos would refrigerate his dough twice before baking! So, reading your instructions makes me a believer. And I love cream cheese. And I’m going to whip these up, like, now.
Fascinating, Bev! The refrigeration definitely works wonders.
OH my gosh! Yum!
Oh my gosh! Amazing! These look so, so good! I love that the secret ingredient is cream cheese, I always have that on hand! I cannot wait to try these out. I am always looking for new cookies recipes!
Yummy!
Beautiful and perfect chewy chocolate chip cookies, Kelly! I’ve made these chippers before with cream cheese from a chocolate chip cookie book, but I can’t wait to try your recipe. They look so yummy! Thanks for sharing!
Gorgeous, Kelly! I made Cream Cheese Choc Chip Cookies a few months ago and loved loved loved the results and what it did for them. Like you, I swapped it for some of the butter and would like to play around more and see how far I can take it. Your cookies are beautiful!