I am a collector. Zach might prefer the term hoarder but I disagree. I collect books, usually garnering approximately 3 new purchases before finishing my current read (thank goodness for the Kindle or my house would be a fire hazard). I have a drawer that’s literally full of pretty, way-too-sparkly nail polish colors even though I only paint my nails two to three times a year, and I have a cabinet cluttered with obscure cookie cutters, because you never know when you’re going to need to cut out a cookie in the shape of a lobster or an octopus, right? Right. My favorite collection, though, might just be my collection of chocolate chip cookie recipes, and today I’m adding a brand new one to share with you: these thick, chewy, super soft Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies.
I’d been toying with the idea of adding cream cheese to classic chocolate chip cookies for a while, and actually started working on this recipe around the same time that I developed my peanut butter chocolate chip cookie recipe, which revolutionized my love for peanut butter cookies. It sat on the back burner for a while, but a few weeks ago I decided it was time to bring this cookie to light. I wanted a cookie that was soft and thick, but not cake-y (does anyone like cake-y cookies?), and while cream cheese is great for making baked goods soft (which is why I used it in my favorite coffee cake), it has a tendency to make cookies cakey rather than chewy. After experimenting with a surplus of brown sugar, an extra egg yolk, a touch of cornstarch, and just the right amount of butter, these cream cheese chocolate chip cookies are finally, perfectly complete, and the latest addition to my chocolate chip cookie collection.
Tips for Making the Best Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies
Use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese (not the spreadable variety). I’ve found that the dough is easy to roll immediately after mixing together. If yours is too sticky, feel free to chill it in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to make it easier to roll. You don’t have to roll the dough, just dropping it by the spoonful will work, too, but the cookies will be much less attractive. I recommend reserving a half cup of chocolate (whether you use chunks or chips) and then once the cookies come out of the oven, gently nestle the chunks/chips into the tops of each cookie. You can skip this and stir all the chocolate in to the batter, but doing this really makes them look nice!
I hope you’ll try them out and add them to your collection, too! Enjoy! 🙂
How to Make Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies:
