Like my original sugar cookies, this new recipe for cream cheese cut-out sugar cookie dough is extra soft, while still holding its shape for cutting out with cookie cutters. Cream cheese makes the dough extra soft and creamy, which I love in so many cookie recipes, like apricot cream cheese thumbprints and maple walnut tassies. Whenever I need a flavor upgrade from plain sugar cookies, this is the recipe I choose! Here’s a handful of reasons why I know you’ll love them too:
Cream Cheese Cut-Out Cookies Details
Texture: Super soft + smooth + thick + creamy = PERFECT. Flavor: Enjoy a little tang, a little sweet, and a whole lot of nutty Nutella icing on top. They’re like regular sugar cookies but with a flavorful flair! Ease: The dough and glaze are easy to prepare, but you’ll need a couple special tools like cookie cutters and a rolling pin. Plus, Nutella is super sticky and thick, so it’s easiest to use a handheld or stand mixer to beat all the icing ingredients together. Time: Though this recipe does take a few hours to complete, most of the time is spent waiting for the dough to chill. I promise they’re worth the wait!
Key Ingredients in These Cookies
And one other thing to note, this recipe makes a good amount of cookies so if you’re looking for 3 dozen cookie cutter cookies, this recipe can be your prime choice!
How to Make These Cream Cheese Cut-Out Cookies
The full printable recipe is below, but let’s walk through the steps with some photos so you have a clear idea what to expect. These cream cheese cut-out cookies are pretty simple, but be mindful of the order of steps. Combine the wet ingredients and dry ingredients separately per the recipe instructions below and then bring it all together. The dough will be soft and creamy. Time to roll out and chill. Divide the dough in half because smaller sections of dough are easier to manage. Roll out each portion of dough and then chill them in the refrigerator. Since this is a very soft cookie dough, make sure you flour your hands, rolling pin, and work surface. Here’s half of the dough rolled out: Cut the chilled dough into shapes and bake. Let cool completely before decorating.
Rolling Out Cookie Dough: The Trick Is the Order of Steps
Notice how I roll out the dough BEFORE chilling it in the refrigerator? That’s the trick to the cookies holding their shape, and let me explain why it works. To prevent the cookies from over-spreading, the cookie dough must be refrigerated first. Right after you prepare the dough, it’s too soft to cut into shapes but it’s not too soft to simply roll out. (Don’t chill the cookie dough and then try to roll it out because it will be too cold and stiff to roll.) I divide the dough in half before rolling it out because smaller sections of dough are easier to handle. Another trick! Roll out the cookie dough directly on a silicone baking mat or parchment paper so you can easily transfer it to the refrigerator. Pick it up, put it on a baking sheet, and place it in the refrigerator. If you don’t have enough room for two baking sheets in your refrigerator, stack the pieces of rolled out dough on top of each other, with a layer of parchment paper in between. (That’s what I do.)
Nutella Glaze
You need a mixer for the Nutella glaze. After preparing it, spread it on the cooled cookies. No piping tips or complicated decoration required! And if you’re feeling extra nutty (I can relate), you could sprinkle some chopped hazelnuts on top. If you end up loving these tangy and soft cream cheese cut-out cookies, you may enjoy these raspberry sugar cookies too. I actually used today’s recipe as the base for that raspberry flavored dough!
Other Sugar Cookie Recipes
Raspberry Sugar Cookies My Favorite Regular Sugar Cookies Drop Sugar Cookies Brown Butter Sugar Cookies Chocolate Sugar Cookies
