Cookies and Cream Cookies with Cream Cheese

Indulge in These Thick Cookies and Cream Cookies

The first time I pulled a batch of these out of the oven, the smell alone nearly knocked me sideways. It wasn't just the usual scent of sugar and butter; it was the deep, roasted aroma of dark cocoa wafers mingling with the sweet, milky fragrance of melting white chocolate.

I remember standing in my kitchen on a drizzly Tuesday afternoon, watching the steam rise from the baking sheet as the cookies settled into their thick, pillowy shapes. The house smelled like a gourmet sweet shop, and I knew right then I’d stumbled onto something special.

I used to struggle with cookies that spread too thin or ended up dry and crumbly. I made the mistake of using cold cream cheese once, which left little lumps in the dough that never quite incorporated.

But through trial and error, I found that the secret lies in the temperature of your fats and that mandatory chill time. Now, these are my go to when I want to impress someone without spending all day at the counter.

They are heavy, rich, and have that incredible contrast between the soft dough and the crunchy cookie bits.

We've all seen those "gourmet" cookies that cost five dollars a pop at the mall, but honestly, these are better. There’s no artificial aftertaste here, just pure, buttery goodness and a heavy hand with the mix ins. If you've been looking for a recipe that stays soft for days, you've found it.

Let's get into the details so you can get that first warm, gooey bite as soon as possible. Trust me, the wait while they chill in the fridge is the hardest part, but it's what makes the magic happen.

The Physics of the Velvety Crumb

Acidic Interaction: The lactic acid in the cream cheese weakens the gluten structure, ensuring the crumb remains tender rather than bready. This creates a dense, fudgy interior that mimics the texture of a high end brownie.

The stovetop method is a fun twist if you want a "pizookie" style dessert, but the oven remains the gold standard for that consistent, even rise. If you like a more traditional texture, you might also enjoy the technique used in my Soft and Chewy recipe.

Essential Recipe Specs for Success

When we talk about precision, I'm not just being picky. In baking, the weight of your ingredients can change everything. Using a scale to measure 226g of butter is far more reliable than just "two sticks," especially if you're using European style butter which has different water content.

Component Analysis

Chef Tip: Freeze your Oreo chunks for 15 minutes before folding them in. This prevents the dark cocoa dust from turning your entire dough a murky gray color, keeping the white chocolate and dough looking bright and clean.

Selecting Your Rich Ingredients

Every element in this list plays a specific part in the final symphony of flavors. Don't skimp on the quality here; since the ingredients are simple, they really shine through.

• 226g Unsalted Butter: Slightly softened. Why this? Allows for better aeration during the creaming stage for a lighter lift.
• 113g Full fat Cream Cheese: Brick style, not spreadable. Why this? Provides the signature "tang" and ultra soft, fudgy internal structure.
• 200g Light Brown Sugar: Packed tight. Why this? The molasses content adds a hint of caramel and essential moisture.
• 100g Granulated White Sugar: Standard white sugar. Why this? Helps create those slightly crisp, golden edges we love.
• 1 Large Egg + 1 Yolk: Room temperature. Why this? Room temp eggs emulsify faster, preventing the batter from breaking.
• 2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract: Avoid the imitation stuff. Why this? Vanilla acts like salt for sweets; it makes the chocolate taste "more" like chocolate.
• 375g All Purpose Flour: Sifted if it's lumpy. Why this? The structural backbone that holds all those heavy mix ins in place.
• 1 tsp Baking Soda: Freshness matters. Why this? Reacts with the acidic cream cheese to give the cookies their rise.
• ½ tsp Salt: Fine sea salt is best. Why this? Cuts through the sugar to highlight the creamy white chocolate notes.
• 1 tbsp Cornstarch: The secret weapon. Why this? Interferes with gluten to ensure a crumb that stays soft and velvety.
• 2 cups Oreo cookies: Coarsely chopped. Why this? Provides the "cookies" in our Cookies and Cream Cookies title.
• 255g White Chocolate Chips: high-quality chips or chunks. Why this? Adds pockets of creamy sweetness that melt beautifully.

Adding a touch of espresso powder to the dry ingredients is a trick I often use in my Cookies Double Choc recipe to deepen the cocoa notes, and it works surprisingly well here too if you want a more "grown up" flavor.

Tools for the Perfect Batch

You don't need a professional bakery kitchen, but a few specific tools will make your life much easier. I always suggest using a stand mixer such as a KitchenAid if you have one, because creaming the cream cheese and butter requires some serious power to get it perfectly smooth.

A 2 tablespoon cookie scoop is another non negotiable for me. It ensures every cookie is exactly the same size, which means they all finish baking at the exact same second. No more burnt small ones and raw big ones! Also, grab some parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

These cookies are loaded with sugar and chocolate; they will stick to a naked pan like glue.

Finally,, a sturdy cooling rack is essential. If you leave these cookies on the hot pan for too long, the carryover heat will overcook the bottoms, turning them hard. We want soft and buttery, not crunchy and burnt.

Detailed step-by-step Guide

1. Cream the fats. Beat the 226g butter and 113g cream cheese together until the mixture looks like pale, fluffy clouds. Note: This usually takes 3 full minutes on medium high speed.
2. Add the sugars. Pour in the 200g brown sugar and 100g white sugar. Cream for another 2 minutes until the gritty sound of the sugar fades.
3. Incorporate the eggs. Add the whole egg, the extra yolk, and the 2 tsp vanilla. Mix until the batter is glossy and fully combined.
4. Whisk the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the 375g flour, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch. Note: Sifting prevents "flour pockets" in the final dough.
5. Combine the mixtures. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet. Mix on low speed until just a few streaks of flour remain.
6. The sensory check. At this point, you should smell a warm, marshmallow like aroma from the vanilla and cream cheese base.
7. Fold the mix ins. Gently stir in the 2 cups of chopped Oreos and 255g white chocolate chips using a spatula. Do not overmix or the dough will turn gray.
8. The big chill. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes. Note: This prevents the cookies from spreading into flat pancakes.
9. Shape and bake. Preheat your oven to 180°C. Scoop 70g portions of dough onto your sheet. Bake for 12 minutes until the edges are barely golden.
10. The rest period. Let them sit on the pan for 5 minutes. Listen for the faint "crackle" as the edges set and the centers stay soft.

Fixing Common Cookie Mistakes

If your cookies aren't coming out quite right, don't panic. Baking is a science, and usually, there's a very simple explanation for what went wrong. I once had a batch turn out so flat they looked like lace doilies turns out my butter was way too hot!

Why Your Cookies Spread Too Much

This is usually a temperature issue. If your kitchen is warm or you didn't chill the dough long enough, the butter melts before the flour structure can set.

Common Mistakes Checklist

• ✓ Check your oven temperature with an external thermometer (most ovens are off by 5-10 degrees).
• ✓ Never place raw dough on a hot baking sheet from a previous batch.
• ✓ Don't skip the extra egg yolk; it’s the secret to that fudgy, indulgent mouthfeel.
• ✓ Ensure your cream cheese is full fat brick style, not the spreadable tub variety.
• ✓ Use a kitchen scale for the flour; a "cup" can vary by up to 30 grams depending on how you scoop it.

Personalize Your Sweet Treats

While the classic Oreo and white chocolate combo is legendary, you can definitely play around with the flavors once you've mastered the base.

For a Velvety, No Spread Crumb

If you want that ultra thick "NYC style" look, increase the flour by 25g and keep the dough balls in the freezer for 20 minutes before they hit the oven. This creates a massive temperature contrast that keeps the center tall and soft while the outside gets a nice "shatter" when you bite into it.

For Maximum Visual Impact

Don't mix all the Oreos into the dough. Save about half a cup of the chopped pieces and a handful of white chocolate chips. After you scoop the dough balls, press these extra bits into the top. It makes them look like they came straight out of a professional bakery display case.

For a Dietary Alternative

You can swap the all purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend (look for one with xanthan gum). The texture will be slightly grainier, but the cream cheese does a fantastic job of masking the lack of gluten and keeping the moisture levels high.

Storage and Freshness Tips

Storing these properly is the difference between a treat that lasts all week and one that’s a rock by Tuesday. Because of the cream cheese, they stay moist longer than traditional butter cookies, but they still need protection from the air.

Storage: Keep your Cookies and Cream Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If you find they are losing their softness, pop a piece of plain white bread into the container. The cookies will absorb the moisture from the bread and stay velvety.

Freezing: These freeze beautifully! You can freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months. Or, better yet, freeze the raw dough balls. When you're ready for a treat, just bake them directly from frozen, adding an extra 2 minutes to the cook time.

Zero Waste: If you end up with "cookie crumbs" at the bottom of the container, don't throw them away. They are incredible as a topping for vanilla bean ice cream or folded into a milkshake. You can even pulse them in a food processor to make a decadent base for a cheesecake crust.

What to Serve Alongside

These cookies are undeniably rich, so you want something to balance that intensity. A cold glass of whole milk is the classic choice for a reason the fat in the milk helps wash away the sugar and prepares your palate for the next bite.

If you're serving these at a dinner party, try pairing them with a sharp, tart raspberry coulis. The acidity of the berries cuts right through the white chocolate and cream cheese, making the whole experience feel lighter. For a truly indulgent dessert, crumble one over a bowl of high-quality vanilla gelato.

The contrast between the cold cream and the chewy, room temperature cookie is pure bliss.

If you are looking for something different to serve at your next gathering, consider adding my Peanut Butter Balls recipe to the platter. The salty peanut butter is a fantastic counterpoint to the sweet white chocolate in this recipe.

The Truth About Chilling Dough

A common myth is that chilling dough is just about "firming up the butter." While that's true, the real magic is hydration. During those 60 minutes in the fridge, the flour fully absorbs the liquids (eggs and vanilla).

This results in a more uniform bake and a much more complex, caramelized flavor profile.

Searing vs. Baking

Another myth is that you need a high heat to "seal" the cookies. Actually, a steady 180°C is perfect. High heat will burn the white chocolate chips which have a lower melting point than dark chocolate before the center of the cookie is even warm.

Low and slow (well, 12 minutes) is the way to go for that velvety finish.