These easy to make Christmas Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies are so soft because they’re made with cream cheese! Dip each cookie into vanilla sugar glaze and top with red and white sprinkles! Recipe makes 48 cookies.

Super Soft Cream Cheese Cookies
Have you ever added cream cheese to your cookies before? If not, your cookie loving brain is going to love it! The cream cheese makes the cookies soft, moist and so good! If you’re looking for new Christmas Cookies recipes to try, you need to give this recipe a shot!
Because I love taking cookies to the next step, I mixed some powdered sugar and milk together to make a light vanilla glaze frosting to dip each cookie in. Finally, add holiday colored sprinkles or chopped up candy canes on top of each cookie and they’re ready to go! If you’re sharing these with others, make sure to keep a few for yourself because they won’t last!

How to Make Christmas Sugar Cookies
In a large mixing bowl mix sugar, butter, cream cheese, egg and vanilla together. Once combined, add flour, salt and baking powder.
Roll doll into balls and place on a cookie sheet.
Press down on each cookie gently with the back of a spoon. You want them slightly flattened.
Bake until the bottoms of the cookies are golden brown. Allow to cool before moving on to frosting them.
The frosting is a easy powdered sugar and milk mixture. Mix until frosting consistency forms.
Dip each cookie into the frosting..
And then add your favorite sprinkles on top. Enjoy!
How many cookies does this recipe make?
This recipe makes 48 Cream Cheese Christmas Sugar Cookies, which I think will last you a few days during the holidays, with a few more to spare for Santa!
If you want to be someone’s best friend, make an extra batch for them as a holiday gift. Trust me, everyone will be asking you for this Christmas Cookies Recipe!
Tips to Make Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies
- Want to use cookie cutters? Refrigerate the dough overnight and this will allow you to roll out the dough and use cookie cutters.
- Buy bulk. I always buy sprinkles in bulk during the holidays because it saves me money! Here’s my favorite sprinkles.
- Have leftover cookies? You can freeze these by placing them in freezer bags. When ready to eat, throw in the microwave for a couple seconds. Warning when heating: the sugar glaze will melt slightly.
Other Christmas Cookie Recipes
- Snowball Cookies
- The Best Peanut Butter Blossoms Cookies
- Christmas Sugar Cookie Bites
- Christmas Cut Out Sugar Cookies
- Peanut Butter Christmas Sugar Cookies
- Ricotta Cookies
- Christmas Donut Cookies
- Christmas Shortbread Cookies
- Gingerbread Men and Women Cookies
- Chocolate Pretzel Cookies
- Christmas Cookies to Make With Kids
- Soft Gingerbread Cookies
- Easy Sugar Cookies
- M&M Christmas Cookies
Pin for later:
Christmas Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies
PrintIngredients
For the Cookies
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup butter softened
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 1/4 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Frosting
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
Additional
- Sprinkles Decorative Sugar, Crushed Candy Canes
Instructions
For the cookies
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a large bowl cream together the sugar, butter, cream cheese, egg and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder and salt and continue to mix until cookie dough forms.
- On a nonstick cookie sheet or silicone baking mats, add tablespoons of dough for each cookie. With the back of a spoon gently press down each cookie to slightly flatten.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes or until bottoms are light golden brown. Allow to cool before frosting.
For the frosting
- Mix powdered sugar and milk together in bowl with a spoon.
- Once cookies are cool, dip each one into the glaze. Add additional sprinkles or chopped up candy canes on top.
Tiffany says
Do you need to refrigerate?
Pamela says
Hey Tiffany, refrigeration is not necessary.
Leslie says
Cookies are my favorite for the holidays, and these sound like the perfect ‘feels like home’ cookie. Thanks so much for sharing at the #happynowlinkup!
April J Harris says
Your sugar cookies sound luscious, Pamela! I love the idea of adding cream cheese. They look so festive too. Pinning! Thank you so much for being a part of the Hearth and Soul Link Party. Merry Christmas!!
Amanda Carney says
I cannot tell when the cookies are done because they are soft cookies. How do you know?
Pamela says
Hey Amanda, check the bottoms of the cookies and see if they’re a golden brown. 9-11 minutes is usually pretty perfect!
Lanae Bond says
I think I might try this recipe for Christmas since I have all of these ingredients in place!
Jess says
PINNED! YUM! ๐
I would love for you to share this with my Facebook Group for recipes, crafts, tips, and tricks: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pluckyrecipescraftstips/
Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!
Patricia says
I can’t wait to try these with my girls this week! #mondaymommy
Colleen says
Looks delicious! Do you have to bake longer when refrigerated overnight? Also, can I frost with cream cheese frosting?
Pamela says
Hey Colleen, if you are just chilling overnight, you don’t need to adjust the baking time. You can definitely frost with cream cheese frosting if you prefer! Enjoy!
Heather says
Mine turned out well, but I did have an unexpected result. The dough was super sticky and ended up gumming up my stand mixer beaters (don’t have kitchenaid with paddle attachment)so I had to finish mixing with a spoon by hand and when I used my spoon to slightly flatten, I had to keep spraying it with oil so the dough wouldn’t stick to the spoon when I pulled it away. Is that normal or did I do something wrong?
Pamela says
Hey Heather, I’ve never experienced the dough becoming that sticky. The only thing that I can think of is that the butter was melted, not softened. I’m glad to hear they turned out well though! Thanks for commenting!
Heather says
Ah! I did end up softening the butter in the microwave so it could have been too melty. I’ll definitely plan to soften on the counter next time. Should the cream cheese also be softened?
Kristen says
I was wondering the same thing re: cream cheese softening
Pamela says
You can soften the cream cheese if you feel that it’s easier for mixing. If so, I would microwave it for about 10 seconds. Many times I will just remove from the refrigerator and let it sit for 5 minutes while I measure out the rest of the ingredients, this usually softens it enough for mixing. Enjoy the cookies!
Lida Snodgrass says
These look and sound awesome. Do we just drop them from a spoon or do we roll them first? Or would it matter?
Pamela says
Hey Lida, I just drop them from the spoon. With the back of a spoon gently press down each cookie to slightly flatten. Enjoy the cookies!
Lisa Collins says
Hey the cookies are great but is there a way to have more of a cream cheese taste??
SweeTea says
IMG_3864.jpg
These cookies are AMAZING!!! They were even better than I imagined. I๏ธ made my cookies bigger than the recipe suggested; therefore, I๏ธ added 4 minutes to the baking time. I made a total of 24 cookies. Not only were they scrumptious, they were festive in appearance. They are perfect for the holidays!!!
Pamela says
I am so happy to hear you liked these cookies so much! Thanks for commenting and sharing!
Stefanie says
I didnโt see any flour on the ingredients list?
Pamela says
Hey Stefanie, there’s flour in the ingredients list. Please check it out again!
Deb Vince says
Very tasty and easy to make.
Pamela says
Thanks Deb! Glad you liked these cookies!
Lm says
Hi Pamela! Can this recipe be doubled or even tripled? I’m have to make 10 dozen for a cookie exchange ๐
Pamela says
It absolutely can! Enjoy the cookies!
Anne says
These were absolutely fabulous!
Pamela says
Hey Anne, thanks so much for commenting! I’m so happy you liked these cookies!
Sharrold says
Are the cookies freezable before frosting Shsrrold
Pamela says
Absolutely, you can freeze them!
Rebecca says
Hi Pamela,
I had a question about freezing them as well. But wanted to ask if the frosting can be frozen as well, or should that be done at the time that I bake them?
Pamela says
Hey Rebecca, you can freeze the cookies with the frosting on them. When they come out of the oven, let them cool so the frosting sets Then place them in the freezer in a container, placing a piece of wax paper between layers so the cookies don’t stick to each other. Hope this helps!
Joan says
If you put the cookies on a rack and when they come out of the oven, all you have do is pour the glaze over the cookies. Put newspaper under the racks. Easy cleanup
Pamela says
Hey Joan, thanks for your tip!
Peggy says
These look delicious . Just one question plain or self rising flour? Thanks
Pamela says
Hey Peggy, just regular all purpose flour. Enjoy!
Janet says
I used All Purpose. Just made these this morning..
They are very yummy and easy to make.
Pamela says
Hey Janet, thanks for commenting, super happy to hear you liked the cookies!
Heather says
Could these work with some almond extract added, either to the cookie dough or glaze (or both)? If so, how much would you add?
Pamela says
Hey Heather, I would just substitute the almond extract instead of vanilla extract for the dough. Enjoy!
Heather says
Thank you!
Glynda says
How should these be stored?
Pamela says
Store in airtight container.
JoEllen says
Just wondering if you can freeze the cookie dough, until you need it?
Pamela says
Absolutely! I do it all the time! Enjoy the cookies!
Bec @ Cook Love Eat says
These look so festive! I love cream cheese recipes. Kids will love these. Thanks!
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
Lovely cookies to enjoy any day of the year but especially at Christmas. Merry Christmas
Emma @ Bake Then Eat says
Lovely cookies Pamela, Merry Christmas to you and yours ๐
Marta @ What should I eat for breakfast today says
Happy Holidays! I am sure it will be delicious ๐
Lyndsey says
They look AMAZING!!! Soft cookies FTW!
Can’t wait to try these tomorrow!
Kelly @ Kelly Lynn's Sweets and Treats says
Mmmm love how soft these look! Must try!! Have a Merry Christmas! Xoxo ?
Leigh Suznovich says
Oh these look so simple, yummy and pretty! I might need to do some last minute baking and these would be perfect, thanks ๐
Wendy says
So pretty and they sound delicious! I love a chewy, glazed cookie! How cool that the same recipe can be used as a roll-out or drop cookie! Happy holidays. ๐
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
Happy Holidays, Pamela! These cookies look really festive with those pretty sprinkles.
Carolina Benavides says
Pamela your cookies do look pretty.
Have a MERRY
CHRISTMAS.!!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR.