Soft and Fluffy Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies.
I have the cutest, softest and fluffiest cream cheese sugar cookies to share today!

I really could not be more excited about these cookies. These were actually supposed to be Tuesday’s post, but after I photographed them, I knew they needed to be a Friday post. For some reason I feel like Friday’s posts just need to be super fun, and that’s what these cookie are…fun, easy and so, so, so delicious.
Ok and cute. I really cannot get over how cute these cookies are. Normally I am not a heart person. I’m not even a person who likes pink for that matter, but I love these cookies and am so excited to finally to talk all about them today.
These are the softest, fluffiest and most delicious sugar cookies I have yet to make. They’re simple to make and the perfect Valentine’s Day treat…of course they also make for a delicious, sweet cookie for pretty much any other time of the year too. Yes, please!



Before I dive face first into these cookies…Happy Friday!! It feels weird that the weekend is already here. Did anyone else’s week fly by?
As always, I’m pretty excited for the weekend, but per typical Tieghan fashion, I have lots of work planned for my weekend. Today and Saturday are going to be spent creating more recipe videos with my brother Malachi. I feel pretty lucky that I get to work with my brother, as opposed to just another film guy. It makes the whole working on the weekend thing actually fun. Kai, is away at school most of the time, so it’s fun to have him come home once a month and film. It doesn’t feel as much like work. Got to love when work is fun and doable, and when you get some family time in there too!
Not sure what my Sunday plans are just yet, but be sure to check back here both tomorrow and Sunday. I have a special Saturday post this week and some more fun Valentine’s Day inspired things coming at you on Sunday…so stay tuned!
What are you guys up to this weekend? Someone please leave me a comment saying either, one that you are headed out to play in the snow, or two, that you are making these cookies, or three (my personal favorite), that you are both playing in the snow and making cookies! I will be doing both for sure. 🙂


So these Soft and Fluffy Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies. Honestly, aren’t they the prettiest?
Best part? Just like Tuesday’s cupcakes, these are all naturally dyed using my current favorite vegetable, beets! I still cannot get over these fun shades of pink and the fact that just a teaspoon of beet juice did the trick. I think it’s so cool. And no, you do not taste an ounce of beet anything. I promise. These are kid tested and kid LOVED. Meaning Asher has devoured each and every single one of the cookies I sent up to the house (and come back down for more!). And, yes, she too is in love with their cuteness. She was so excited to see these cookies when she came over the other week.
Her words, “Tieg, they are soooo cute! Too cute to eat…ahh, wait never mind, can I have one?”.
Man, I love that little girl. The things that come out of her mouth. Priceless.

Anyway, I think it’s pretty clear that I too love these cookies. But for more than just their major cute factor. These are some of the best sugar cookies. They’re soft and fluffy on the inside and out. To me, that’s the perfect sugar cookie. The cream cheese is the secret to keeping these so soft and light, while the vanilla adds ample flavor.
These are also really simple to make and would be perfect to bake up with kids…or maybe just your girlfriends for a Girl’s Night In… sounds like fun!
The one thing I always do with my sugar cookies is roll them out and cut the shapes before chilling the dough. Once the shapes are cut and on the pan, then I chill them. I swear, this is so much easier and so much less time-consuming. <–trust me, this is a game changing tip.
So what do you guys think, can it be a snow filled cookie making weekend?


Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Soft and Fluffy Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies.
By halfbakedharvest
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: decorated cookies, heart cookies
Delicious and cute cookies!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg, at room temperature*
- 2 1/4- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Frosting
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoons meringue powder (optional)
- 3-6 tablespoons water
- 1/2 vanilla bean, seeds removed or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- beet juice or food coloring
Instructions
-
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy, about a full 3-5 minutes. Add the egg and mix until evenly combined. Add the 2 1/4 cups flour, baking soda and salt, beating until combined and the dough forms a ball, adding more flour if needed.
Generously flour your work surface. Divide the dough in half and flatten each half into a disk. Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Make sure you are using enough flour or your dough will stick. Cut out the cookies into your desired shapes. Carefully transfer the cookies to a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover the baking sheet and place the sheet in the freezer, freeze until very firm, about 20-15 minutes. Roll out the leftover scraps, and repeat with the remaining disk of dough.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the cookies on the middle rack of the oven for 12-15 minutes or until just lightly golden brown. Do not over bake. Cool on the baking sheet five minutes and then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
To make the icing, combine the sugar, meringue powder and 3 tablespoons water. Mix until icing holds a ribbonlike trail on the surface. Add the vanilla and 1-3 teaspoons beet juice and mix until just combined.
Frost the cooled cookies and decorate as desired. Keep stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
*To quickly bring your eggs to room temperature, place them in a large bowl with their shells on. Cover them with warm water and let them sit 5 minutes.
*The cookie dough can also be stored in the freezer for up to 1 month. To bake remove from the freezer and let sit on the counter for 5 minutes prior to baking. Bake As directed.

Sounds pretty good to me! Let’s do this!
ps. I think dried roses make just about everything prettier. I am obsessed.
These look AMAZING!
I love how pretty and bright the icing is.
Thank you Izzy!
These look so cute 🙂 I would love to receive these on valentines day!
Rachael xx.
theteacozykitchen.blogspot.co.uk
I wish I could send them! Thanks so much Rachael!
LOVE these! And I am loving that you are using beets to make a natural food coloring on the icing! I cannot wait to make these! This weekend will be filled with camping with my husband’s family and taking photos of new recipes for the coming weeks! So excited!
Wow, that sounds so so amazing Amanda! Hope you have an amazing weekend and love these, thanks!
meringue powder ?
heading to the cities today. Wonder where i can buy this?
Fred Meyer/Kroger ? is my only grocery stop.
There is JoAnn Fabric Store that has a large Wilton section. maybe there?
Need to make these for Sunday for my sweet neighbors Early Valentine day party.
Since i have no email on the road can you text my phone ? i will email it back to you.
thanks.
Hi Leslie! You can omit the meringue power. it is not a must for the frosting. Hope you love the cookies! 🙂
Work (it’s tax season ?)
Make cookies ❤️?
Church ⛪️
Skiing ⛷
Thanks for the recipe! Cookies are darling!
Wonder if I could color the frosting w red wine? ?
Hmm, red wine!? I have never thought of that. I really do not know, but i mean, I am not opposed to trying! 🙂 Hope you have a great weekend and love the cookies!
Back in the early 1980’s, I clipped a recipe from the newspaper (it’s still in my recipe binder, crumbling and yellow with age) called Carl Reiner’s Cream Cheese Cookies. Carl Reiner is now 94 (but still tweeting!) – he was a famous, prolific writer, producer, actor, director. His recipe was a little different than yours (no egg, had nuts, slightly different measurements) and the dough was not suitable for rolling – a little crumbly. He’d likely get a kick out of your tweeting your recipe to him!
WOW! Thats so cool you have that from that long ago, and how ironic we made almost the same recipe! So cool! I’ll have to find him!! Thanks Marge!
Wow, how cool! His recipe sounds delish! Thanks for sharing!
Oh they’re really so cute I couldn’t eat them!!
Haha, this is the problem I find with decorating my food!
I love soft sugar cookies and the frosting is sooo pretty! I think I’ll be making these on Sunday! Now I just have to get the heart cookie cutters…
Ah yay! I hope you have tons of fun and enjoy them Amber(:
I am confused about the vanilla bean in the frosting. Do you grind the bean with a mortar and pestle before adding?
Hi! You just cut the bean in half, then use a sharp knife to scrape out the seeds. If you prefer, you can use 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Let me know if you have questions. hope you love the cookies! Thanks!
Words cannot describe just how pretty these are!
Awh thank you so much Corina!
These are so cute!! Thank you for sharing, Tieghan!! <3 <3 <3
Of course!! Thank you Jessica (:
oh so lovely! what a treat
Thanks Sara!
They look so lovely! Love the colors and the fact you used beets to color the icing. 🙂
Thanks Julia, it was a fun one (:
These cookies are so pretty. And I just love the idea of using beet juice for colouring the frosting!
Right? I just loved making them! Thanks Andrea (:
These cookies are adorable cute and bright. Love them!!!
Thanks Carlos! Hope you have a great weekend!
The colors!!! I think we have an equal infatuation with beets at the moment. They can do no wrong 😉
Totally obsessed haha! Anyway, thanks Laura (:
Oh my goodness! These are SO PRETTY. So curious about your tip of cutting the shapes before chilling the dough. Definitely need to try these!
Yes!! Let me know how it goes!
Wellll, if you don’t like PINK it is a good thing you aren’t coming to our house on Sat. I am doing a dinner for out kids, grandkids, and great grandkids. PINK is the number one color. PINK makes me feel better than any color there is. After having sons, grandsons, and now 2 great granddaughters I finally get to do PINK. HA!
Well i’m so happy you like it! That sounds so fun, hope its an amazing weekend Charlotte (:
These are beautiful! Are the dried roses edible? They are the cutest touch! And, beet juice! How creative!
Thanks Courtney! Yup, dried roses are edible. 🙂
These are so cute, T! I also love using beet juice as a natural dye. And I can always go for a fluffy cookie.
I also kind of don’t like pink….but I also kinda do. I have to be in the right mood for it. Otherwise I just resort to my trusty grey cardigan, 24/7.
Thanks Annie! I think your right theres a mood for everything but generally its just not me. (:
I love the super bright color of that icing!
The beets work really well!! Thanks so much Kari!
LOVE these! What type store sells meringue powder and how does the vanilla bean work into the icing? Thanks! I’m having a Valentine Tea on Tuesday and would love to make these for it.
Hi Cathy! I buy my meringue powder at Target, Walmart or on Amazon. That said, if you prefer you can omit it. The powder just keep the frosting a little stiffer. You need the vanilla bean seeds, but you can also use 1 teaspoon vanilla if that is easier. hope you love these!
These are stunning! I think I will be making these and I will try the beets too! I don’t know about snow though, it will be 70 tomorrow and almost 80 on Sunday here in Raleigh North Carolina!
That sounds pretty nice!! I could use some sun right about now. I really hope you like the cookies!
These cookies are so gorgeous and I love the natural beet juice for those pretty shades of pink. I need to make a batch this weekend! 🙂
The beets worked amazing!! It was fantastic. Hope you get to make them!! Let me know what you think (:
I love the colors of these cookies Tieghan! They’re just gorgeous. And I love how you used the beet juice for the coloring. Need to try!
Ah the beet juice was too fun! Thanks Mary Ann!
I found meringue powder at JoAnn’s Fabric in the Wilton display. Two sizes..i chose the smaller container as the clerks could not give me a ‘shelf life’ info.
Oh awesome!
Can’t wait to make the for a Valentine’s Party! How much beet juice to use?
Hi! You need only about 1-3 teaspoons, a little goes a long way! Let me know if you have questions. Hope you love these! 🙂
These look SOOO delicious! Do you think I could add cocoa powder and make them chocolate?
Hmm, I think replacing 1/4 to 1/2 cup flour with cocoa powder might work, but I have not tried it. Let me know how it goes!
The prettiest I’ve ever seen, can’t wait to try my batch?
Thanks hope you love them Anne!
The color from the beet juice is gorgeous!
I’m obsessed with how they came out (: Thanks Laura!
Is there a reason why I can’t pin this recipe ?
Hi! I am really sorry, my pin it button was not working. Should be good to go now! Let me know if you have problems. Thank you!
What is the yield?
about 2 dozen cookies. Thanks!
These are just the cutest and I love the beet dye option!
Thanks so much Gina! Happy Valentines day!
My dough came out like traditional cookie dough, is that correct? Or is it supposed to have more structure to it?
Nope, that sounds right. Just add flour when rolling. Let me know if you have questions. Hope you love the cookies! 🙂
Right on time for valentine, they look so beautiful, delicious and they will make a perfect gift, Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Jane, so happy you like them (:
These cookies make me smile!
Awh thanks Matt!
How many cookies does this make, I could be blind but I don’t see it in the recipe! Going to make these today!:)
about 2 dozen. hope you love the cookies! 🙂
Fantastic idea! I will have these done to surprise my wife:)
Sounds amazing Marcin! I hope she loves them! Thank you!
These are irresistible. My goodness, a cream cheese cookie with that lovely glaze – this is a keeper.
(: thank you so much!
I have been looking for the right sugar cookie recipe. Especially to be shaped like hearts and to be topped with pink frosting. This cookie was it! It was soft, but not too cakey and very good flavor. The dough was great to work with. Thanks so much!
I am so so glad these were perfect for you Susan! Thank you!!
These are similar to what I make but:
1 # butter
8 oz cream cheese
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
4.5 to 5 cups flour
no baking soda and salt optional
and need to chill several hours or over-night
It needs to be said not to over-bake them and not to roll too thin or they’ll be crispy. It makes 3-4 dozen cookies depending on how thick one rolls them out and the size of the cutter
Those sound delicious Wendy! Couldn’t agree more too! Thank you (:
This is the second recipe that I’ve used from this site and I am IN LOVE with these cookies! They are soo incredible light and fluffy. I can’t believe it! It’s been four days that I’ve had these and they are STILL as soft as they were when they were right out of the oven! This recipe is another keeper that I will use and pass on to my children. They’re so easy to make and so much fun. The only thing I wasn’t a fan of was the icing. I just can’t seem to get it to thicken up enough to stay on the cookies. I use the icing as a dip for them instead lol. Still incredibly delicious though.
I am so glad these turned out amazing for you Courtney! Thank you so much for making them!
These are amazing and easy to work with. I am terrible at rolling out and doing shapes but I followed the directions and it all WORKED!!! HOORAH! thanks for a terrific recipe. i’m going to frost them tomorrow with buttercream.
Perfect!! I am so glad you loved these Karen! Thank you! xTieghan
These are soft and delicious! I loved using very juice as the colorant for the icing. I added a little honey to the icing to help it set up.
I am so glad these turned out amazing for you, Danica! Thank you! xTieghan
So from a non-beet eater…where do you get the beet juice? Out of a can of beets or do you need a juicer? Love the idea of the color being natural.
Hey there,
You can purchase beet juice at your local grocery store. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Wondering if I could make these with gluten free flour? I made these and they are delicious and icing is so pretty!
Hey Laura,
I am thrilled you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for giving it a try! Yes, I would use an equal amount of GF flour. xTieghan
Hey Tieghan! Do you have a cream cheese frosting recipe that would work for these cookies? Thank you
Hey Ella,
You could follow the buttercream frosting for these cookies:
https://dev.halfbakedharvest.com/the-santa-clause-cookies/
I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan