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Are you following along with me? Today is the final day of Keto Cookie Week at Wholesome Yum. I’m finishing it off with a quick and easy keto cream cheese cookies recipe. These low carb keto cookies are one of my favorite keto cream cheese desserts. I hope you’ll give them a try!
Before you do, make sure you go back to check out the other low carb Christmas cookies I shared this week:
- Chocolate peanut butter no bake cookies
- Lemon meringue cookies
- 4-ingredient low carb peanut butter cookies
- Turtle cookies
It’s hard for me to choose a favorite. What’s yours?
Inspiration for Keto Cookies with Cream Cheese
Ultimately, if I had to pick just one keto cookies recipe from this week, it would have to be this one. Cream cheese makes great desserts – low carb cheesecake, to name another!
Cream cheese cookies are quick and easy, and just perfect for dipping in hot tea or even coffee. They also happen to be a classic kind of cookie that people like to make around the holidays.
The inspiration for these low carb cream cheese cookies started with the 4-ingredient gluten-free shortbread cookies I posted last year. In fact, that recipe went live almost exactly a year ago today.
And, it was the most popular recipe on Wholesome Yum’s Facebook page during the last holiday season. (Be sure to follow along on there if you aren’t already! I share exclusives and other low carb recipes there.)
The shortbread cookies were delicious, and I’ve been using them as a launchpad for other recipes ever since. Recently, I wondered if I could adapt them to make cream cheese sugar cookies – without the sugar, of course.
I started by adding cream cheese to the original recipe and playing with the ingredient amounts. I also added an egg for more structure. After several experiments, this was the final result.
Just like the original version, these are low carb, gluten-free and sugar-free. They are crispy, with a very muted cream cheese flavor and a delicate crumb. My new favorite keto cookies, for sure!
How To Make Cream Cheese Cookies
Are you ready to learn how to make cream cheese cookies the easy way? All you need is a hand mixer, a single bowl, and a baking sheet. Yay for not having too many dishes to wash!
The whole recipe needs just six ingredients, plus salt. It doesn’t get much simpler than this.
Here’s how to make keto cookies with cream cheese:
- Use the hand mixer to beat together the butter, cream cheese, and sweetener. It’s important for the butter and cream cheese to be soft before you begin, so just let them soften at room temperature first. Otherwise, they’ll be too hard to mix together. You’ll know this step is done when the mixture is very pale yellow and fluffy.
- Beat in remaining ingredients. First add the vanilla, salt, and egg, then a dollop of sour cream if you want softer cream cheese cookies, and finally the almond flour, adding gradually and beating in between. You’ll end up with a dense, crumbly dough.
- Scoop the cream cheese cookie dough onto a lined cookie sheet, and flatten each ball with the palm of your hand.
- Bake until golden, then cool completely.
Tips For The Best Keto Cookies
You can see that this keto cookies recipe is pretty straightforward, but here are a few tips for a great result:
Add sour cream for softer cookies.
A reader suggested this to me, I tested it, and decided to incorporate it into the recipe as an optional ingredient. (Thank you, Marie!)
It’s just a tablespoon of sour cream for the entire batch of keto cream cheese cookies, but somehow makes a big difference.
Use monk fruit allulose blend.
Originally I made this keto cookie recipe with erythritol, which you can still use if you like, but now I much prefer them with monk fruit allulose blend. It makes softer cookies that are less dry.
(If you still prefer erythritol, be sure to convert the sweetener amount on the recipe card using my keto sweetener calculator.)
Use a cookie scoop.
Even though you could use a spoon or your hands to make these low carb cream cheese cookies, I highly recommend a cookie scoop. It ensures that the cookies are uniform in size, so that they’ll cook evenly.
Press the cookie dough into the scoop.
Because the dough for these cookies is fairly dense, it can fall apart if it’s too loosely packed. Just press with your fingers after scooping to ensure that it stays together upon release.
Flatten the cookies appropriately.
Keto cookies do not flatten or spread very much the way regular cookies with wheat flour would. So, make sure you flatten them to the right thickness before baking.
Also, since they don’t spread a lot, having the cookies about 1 to 1.5 inches apart is sufficient.
Bake until golden on the edges.
The baking time will vary depending on your oven, the pan you use, and how thinly you flatten the cookies. You’ll know they are done when the edges are golden.
Let the low carb cookies cool.
The cream cheese cookies will get nice and crisp as they reach room temperature. Don’t handle them right away while they are hot, because they will be too soft and probably fall apart.
They’ll get perfectly crunchy as they cool, so be patient. These keto cookies are worth the wait! đŸ˜‰
Decorate the cookies if you like.
Keto cream cheese cookies are delicious as is! But if you want to, you could drizzle some glaze or chocolate on top.
Personally, I’m usually too pressed for time to decorate my cookies. Besides, I’m not very good at it. If you are, go for it!
Otherwise, another option is to dip half of the cookie in chocolate.
Tools To Make Keto Cookies
Tap the links below to see the items used to make this recipe.
- Hand mixer – This one is really powerful and I love the convenient storage. A hand mixer is a must for the best texture in these keto cookies!
- Stand mixer – Another great option for making keto cream cheese cookies.
- Medium cookie scoop – A cookie scoop ensures that the cookies bake evenly.
- Sheet pan – This one is sturdy and will last a long time.
Low Carb Keto Cream Cheese Cookies Recipe - Quick & Easy:
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Low Carb Keto Cream Cheese Cookies Recipe - Quick & Easy
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GET BESTIInstructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
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Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat together the butter, cream cheese, and sweetener, until it's fluffy and light in color.
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Beat in the vanilla extract, salt and egg. Beat in sour cream, if using (optional).
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Beat in the almond flour, 1/2 cup (64 g) at a time. (The dough will be dense and a little crumbly, but should stick when pressed together.)
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Use a medium cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 tbsp, 22 mL volume) to scoop balls of the dough onto the prepared cookie sheet. Flatten with your palm.
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Bake for about 15 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. Allow to cool completely in the pan before handling (cookies will harden as they cool).
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 2-inch cookie
Nutrition info does not include optional sour cream.
If you prefer to buy pre-made cookies, these are delicious!
Video Showing How To Make Keto Cream Cheese Cookies:
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626 Comments
Rose
I used marscapone for the cream cheese and added extra marscapone in place of sour cream. Used 2.5 tbls stevia for the sweetener, so a bit less than stated. Added 1 tsp almond extract along with the stated vanilla. I also added 1/2 tsp baking powder. The mix was soft and pliable, so not as dry and dense as expected. I baked at 177C in my Vortex Airfryer, directly on the lift out tray, for 10 mins, turning half way through. They are quite golden brown and definitely cooked through. Taste good warm so I’m looking forward to tasting the cold version to see the texture.
Karen
I like the cookies but am having an issue with the bottoms getting too dark. I’ve tried shortening the cooking time to 12 mins, lowering the temp to 325 but had the same result. They look perfect from the top, the edges are just starting to get golden but the bottoms are burned and don’t taste good. I have to cut the bottoms off to enjoy the cookie.
KDawn
I used snøfrisk cream cheese and duck eggs for these and they are beyond delicious đŸ™‚ Thanks for the recipe, SO GOOD!
Marjorie Heard
Can I use mascarpone for the cream cheese?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Marjorie, The flavors will be more subtle, but the recipe will still work. Enjoy!
Jewel Marcuerquiaga
Love your cookies…a bit of cinnamon was nice. I also had a strip of parchment paper about 4 inches wide and I could lay that on top of a roll of cookies and flatten them with my hands no sticky mess. I was wondering what sugar substitute you like that doesn’t leave that nasty aftertaste? Thanks Jewel
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Jewel, I have my own line of keto-friendly sweeteners! They don’t have any aftertaste, and several options to suit your needs. Check out Wholesome Yum Foods to see the full lineup of sweeteners!