Cheesecake Cookies Recipe

Soft and creamy Cheesecake Cookies bring two desserts together in one! Made with cream cheese and cake mix, these tender treats disappear almost as fast as you can make them.

Can’t decide between cheesecake and cookies? You can have BOTH with this easy recipe. Unlike our chewy Raspberry cheesecake cookies, today’s recipe is soft and fluffy!

Cheesecake cookies cooling on wire rack.


Why make Cheesecake Cookies

This Cheesecake Cookies recipe combines the flavor of a soft sugar cookie with cream cheese. Dusted with powdered sugar, they’re an easy treat.

Using a box of white cake mix, the cookies come out soft, creamy and just a bit buttery. Egg whites make them fluffy and pillowy, while a touch of almond extract adds an irresistible hint of flavor.

One note: these cookies don’t have exactly the flavor of cheesecake. The taste is more similar to a soft ricotta cookie. Or even a slice of fluffy angel food cake.

They do, however, have a creaminess that’s very similar to cheesecake.

Unlike traditional cake mix cookies, today’s recipe is thick and fluffy!

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients needed for cheesecake cookie recipe.
  • Cream cheese. The cream cheese sold in blocks is best here. Do not use spreadable cream cheese.
  • White Cake Mix. Any box of white cake mix you enjoy should work well.
  • Almond extract. Or swap the almond for vanilla. My homemade vanilla extract is delicious in these cookies.
  • Egg whites. Save those egg yolks for homemade lemon curd!
  • Butter. Always use unsalted butter in my baking, unless I specify otherwise (like with these chocolate chunk cookies). Use our tips on how to soften butter quickly.

Tips and Tricks

Cheesecake cookie dough in a clear glass mixing bowl.

Do not over mix.

After adding the cake mix to beaten egg whites, butter and cream cheese, be careful not to over mix. Mixing the cookie batter too vigorously will result in tougher cookies.

Watch baking time.

Be careful not to bake these cheesecake cookies for too long. They are delicate and will become crunchy and crumbly if overbaked.

The cookies should be just lightly golden brown when you take them out of the oven. As they cool, they’ll set into light and fluffy treats.

Dust them generously with powdered sugar and serve!

Add Oreos. Make a batch of our Oreo Cheesecake Cookies for a delicious treat!

Cheesecake cookies stacked on table, one broken open.

Recipe FAQs

Do these cookies taste like cheesecake?

These have a creamy soft texture that’s similar to cheesecake. That said, these are definitely cookies! The white cake and buttery cookie flavors are more prominent than the cream cheese.

How do you store cheesecake cookies?

Baked cheesecake cookies should be stored in an air tight container. They keep well at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Can you freeze cheesecake cookies?

Yes, you can freeze cheesecake cookies for up to 3 months in a freezer safe container. Thaw at room temperature or in the fridge overnight and enjoy.

Can I make this recipe with low fat cream cheese?

I don’t recommend using low fat cream cheese in this recipe. The fat in regular cream cheese is necessary to give the cookies a creamy rich consistency.

Cheesecake cookies topped with powdered sugar and stacked on a plate.

Easy Cookie Recipes

See all Cookies recipes

Cheesecake Cookies Recipe

4.86 from 21 votes
By: Aimee
Soft and creamy Cheesecake Cookies bring two desserts together in one! Made with cream cheese and cake mix, these tender treats disappear almost as fast as you can make them.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes
Servings: 34 cookies

Ingredients 

  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 box white cake mix
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar for garnish
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Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
  • In a mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese together. Beat in egg whites and almond extract.
  • Add white cake mix and beat just until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • Using a 2 Tbsp cookie scoop, spoon dough onto cookie sheet about 2-inches apart.
  • Bake for 12-14 minutes, just until the bottoms become lightly browned. Don’t overbake!
  • Remove from oven and cool cookies on a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, once cooled, if desired.

Notes

  • Cream Cheese- do not use spreadable cream cheese here.
  • Extract. Swap out the Almond Extract for vanilla extract- my homemade vanilla extract is perfect for today’s recipe!
  • Do not overbake or overmix these cookies. They should be light and fluffy.
  • STORAGE: store cooled cookies in airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Or freeze cookies in airtight freezer safe container for up to three months.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 60kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 14mg, Sodium: 32mg, Sugar: 2g
Course: Cookies
Cuisine: American
Did you make this recipe?Mention @shugarysweets or tag #shugarysweets!

Simple, delicious and always a hit, this Cheesecake Cookies recipe might just become your new favorite way to use white cake mix!



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About Aimee

Aimee is a dessert lover (specifically rice krispie treats), workout enthusiast, self-taught foodie, and recipe creator.

Learn more about Aimee.

Affiliate Disclosure:**There may be affiliate links in this post! By clicking on them, or purchasing recommended items I may receive a small compensation. However, I only recommend products I love! Thank you for supporting Shugary Sweets! See my disclosure policy for more info**

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Posted on April 21, 2021

Comments & Reviews

  1. 5 stars
    They taste just like eating the center of a cheesecake – delicious. Question though: Mine didn’t spread like the picture, they stayed in ball form. Ideas on why?

  2. This recipe doesn’t work. Everything was fine until adding the flour. Its impossible to mix. It almost burnt up my mixer. I didn’t miss a step at all. Very simple recipe but it doesn’t work. Had to throw it all in the trash.

  3. I am obsessed with these cookies! I made a large batch to share with my friend and she loves them too! Thank you for this delicious recipe!

  4. These are so amazing and so addicting! They were such a big hit and everyone loved them! Definitely making these cookies again!

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