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Cream Cheese Cookies are an easy, tender cookie bursting with cinnamon sugar. These cookies make for the perfect Christmas (or anytime!) treat!

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Cookies, AKA Sickerdoodles on steroids! Cream Cheese Cookies, just the name of these has me drooling. But, then add cinnamon to the mix and I’m sold!
HERE IS WHAT OUR READERS ARE SAYING:
“I made these the other night and they are amazing! I am even going to try using some different flavours in my next batch!” – tiredmum
These remind me of snickerdoodles, however, they have the texture of meltaways. The absolute perfect combination.
This is really one of our favorite cookies ever and they are so easy to make! You will want to whip these up all the time, once you make them you won’t be able to stop.
For me, the holiday season is all about recipes like this one. The best cookies are the ones that stick in your memory for years to come.
These chewy cookies are all of that and more! Again, though, the only thing I’ll warn you about is how irresistible they are. Ask Lily about the time she ate a whole sheet of them. Seriously!
So let’s get deeper into this recipe for Cream Cheese Cookies. You’re gonna love it!
We are suckers for cinnamon desserts and some of my favorite include Quick and Easy Cinnamon Rolls, Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake and Cinnamon Roll Blondies!
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- With pantry staple ingredients these cookie are easy to whip up!
- You can halve or double these cookies depending on how many people you are serving.
- These are also great rolled in powdered sugar if you are not a fan of cinnamon!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Cream cheese, softened
- Powdered sugar
- Egg
- Baking powder
- Vanilla bean paste or extract
- Kosher salt
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Ground cinnamon
HOW TO MAKE CREAM CHEESE COOKIES:
- Cream the butter and cream cheese with a hand mixer until smooth in a large bowl.
- Slowly add the powdered sugar until combined.
- Add the egg, baking powder, vanilla, and salt. Mix to combine.
- Add the flour slowly until fully incorporated, scraping the sides as needed.
- Cover and place in the fridge for one hour to rest.
- Preheat oven to 375°F—line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, mix the cinnamon and sugar. Set aside.
- Roll dough into 1-inch-sized balls, which is about 2 teaspoons of dough.
- Roll in the bowl with the cinnamon sugar until well coated.
- Place on a prepared cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 8-9 minutes, until just set. Do not overbake, it is hard to tell when these cookies are ready, they will puff up but won’t get golden brown.
- Let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool completely.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
WHAT ARE CREAM CHEESE COOKIES?
If you’ve never had a cream cheese cookies recipe before, they are tender, slightly chewy, and as you can imagine, addictive!
I’ve had them plain before but I really wanted to try something new with the basic recipe.
Normally, you will roll the dough balls in powdered sugar, instead, I rolled them in cinnamon sugar!
This makes the outside have a slight crunch and a nice cinnamon kick!
What’s not to love?? I really don’t know why I haven’t tried this sooner.

How yummy would these be on a huge Christmas cookie spread?
Honestly, though, these are perfect year round if you ask me.
You can’t go wrong with cookies with cream cheese! It’s always time for cinnamon in my book. It is one of my favorite spices and it goes well with so many things!
TOOLS USED FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE:
- Hand mixer to mix the batter
- Vanilla Bean Paste, this is a must for a great vanilla kick to any baked good.
- Parchment paper, to cover your baking sheet
- Baking sheets, for baking 🙂
- Wired rack, to cool baked goods – and these cookies!

ANY ADDITIONS?
Bring it on! This recipe has all kinds of possibilities.
- Chocolate Chips: Fold in some chocolate chips to the dough for delicious cream cheese chocolate chip cookies. This addition makes for a great cookie that’s a hit with chocolate lovers.
- Fresh Lemon Zest: Add fresh lemon zest to the wet ingredients for a citrus twist. It’s perfect for lemon lovers seeking a bold lemon flavor in their sweet treat.
- Nuts: Mix in chopped walnuts or pecans to the cookie dough balls for a delightful crunch, turning these into chewy cookies with a nutty flavor.
- Brown Sugar: Substitute some of the powdered sugar with brown sugar to give the cookies a richer taste and a chewier texture, reminiscent of chewy chocolate chip cookies.
- Almond Extract: Replace vanilla extract with almond extract for a subtle almond flavor that pairs wonderfully with the cinnamon.
- Sprinkles: Roll the dough in festive sprinkles instead of cinnamon sugar for a fun twist, especially during the holiday season or for special occasions.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: Drizzle or spread cream cheese frosting on top of the baked cookies for extra indulgence and a boost of cream cheese flavor.
- Spices: Add a pinch of nutmeg or allspice to the dry ingredients to enhance the warm, spiced flavor of these buttery cookies.
- Citrus Zest: Incorporate orange zest into the dough for a different citrus note, adding a little zing to your simple cookies.
- Dried Fruit: Mix in raisins or dried cranberries for a fruity addition that complements the cinnamon.
ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?
Any new cookie recipe needs some tweaking to fit your own taste buds.
- All-Purpose Flour: Use half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose flour in the flour mixture for a heartier cookie with more fiber.
- Granulated Sugar: Replace granulated sugar with superfine sugar for a smoother texture on the cookie exterior.
- Egg: Substitute the whole egg with two egg yolks for an even richer, more tender cookie.
- Vanilla Extract: Swap out vanilla extract for almond extract or even lemon extract to change up the flavor profile according to your personal preference.
- Kosher Salt: If you don’t have kosher salt, you can use sea salt or table salt—just use a little less since they are finer.
- Butter: Replace unsalted butter with salted butter; simply omit the added salt in the recipe to balance it out.
- Powdered Sugar: If you’re out of powdered sugar, you can make your own by blending granulated sugar in a blender until fine.
- Ground Cinnamon: Try using pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice instead of cinnamon for a different flavor experience.
- Cream Cheese: For a dairy-free option, use a vegan cream cheese substitute to make the recipe suitable for those with dietary restrictions.
I also think these would make a great cream cheese sugar cookie.
Roll these in colored sugar for a festive touch! So, what do you think? Do you love cinnamon as much as I do?

HOW TO STORE:
Store these perfect cookies in an airtight container, they should keep for up to 2 days, any longer you will want to play in the refrigerator to extend the life.
You can also freeze for up to three months in as well in an airtight container, you can defrost on your countertop or in the refrigerator.
DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:
- You can easily double or halve this recipe depending on how many people you are serving.
- These cookies can be frozen, see my tips above.
- These need to chill before baking, make sure that you do not skip this step.
- These should be baked on a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet to reduce spreading.

Want that perfect cookie for your holiday get together?
Then you need to make these delicious and easy Cream Cheese Cookies!
If you like this recipe, you might also like:
This recipe is adapted from Cakescottage.
If you’ve tried these CREAM CHEESE COOKIES let me know in the comments how it turned out! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!
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Best Cinnamon Cream Cheese Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- pinch kosher salt
- 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Cream the butter and cream cheese with a hand mixer until smooth in a large bowl.1/2 cup unsalted butter , 4 ounces cream cheese
- Slowly add the powdered sugar until combined.1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- Add the egg, baking powder, vanilla, and salt. Mix to combine.1 egg, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, pinch kosher salt
- Add the flour slowly until fully incorporated, scraping the sides as needed.1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- Cover and place in the fridge for one hour to rest.
- Preheat oven to 375°F—line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, mix the cinnamon and sugar. Set aside.1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- Roll dough into 1-inch-sized balls, which is about 2 teaspoons of dough.
- Roll in the bowl with the cinnamon sugar until well coated.
- Place on a prepared cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 8-9 minutes, until just set. Do not overbake, it is hard to tell when these cookies are ready, they will puff up but won’t get golden brown.
- Let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool completely.
Video

Notes
- You can easily double or halve this recipe depending on how many people you are serving.
- These cookies can be frozen, see my tips above.
- These need to chill before baking, make sure that you do not skip this step.
- These should be baked on a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet to reduce spreading.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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My 2nd year making these. They were a big hit last year!!
No they dont need to be refrigerated!
These don’t have to be refrigerated after making them because of the cream cheese, do they? I just made them and they are delicious! Love them!
Your recipes are great and I love that they are easy to make thank you for sharing
Thank you for sharing recipe! I can’t wait to make these with my granddaughter! This will definitely be a traditional holiday memories I’ll pass on to them!🥰
Yes!
Can the dough be frozen until ready to bake?
Yes, either is perfectly fine!
These are a family favorite and I’m so excited for an excuse to make them again for Thanksgiving. If I make the dough today, can I refrigerate it until tomorrow or even Thursday morning before baking? I want them to be as fresh as possible (and not all be eaten before then haha)
I’m a baker and definitely not a fan! Very doughy and little taste. Quite disappointed considering all the good reviews.
Not the best, not the worst. I felt like the cookie itself was lacking flavor. Adding cinnamon chips or more cinnamon into the cookie may have helped. Would be decent to dip in coffee.
I made these the other night and they are amazing! I am even going to try using some different flavours in my next batch!
These cookies were divine! The only change I made was added a little more salt. Dough was soft but after chilling, good to work with. Will be making them again!
I wanted to make these slightly less sweet so I only used 1 cup of powdered sugar. When I baked them, they didn’t spread at all. They stayed in a ball shape. I’m wondering if the sugar is the reason?
I love these and make them often! They remind me of the mini cinnamon donuts sold at the county fair. Great with my morning coffee!