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These Keto Cookies With Cream Cheese Remind Me Of A Bakery Treat
I first tested these keto cookies because a reader asked me if she could add cream cheese to my almond flour shortbread cookies. After a few tweaks, the result turned out even better than I expected. The cream cheese added moisture, structure, and a subtle richness that reminded me of a bakery treat, not just a “keto substitute”. Here’s why you’re going to love these cream cheese cookies:
- Extra buttery and more tender than other keto cookie recipes – Many of you know I have dozens of options in my keto desserts archive, but these particular low carb cookies hit different. The combination of cream cheese and a touch of sour cream made the texture more delicate, buttery, chewy, and almost a little creamy… basically the opposite of dry. Even the next day.
- Versatile shortbread flavor with a hint of tang – These keto cookies taste a lot like vanilla shortbread, just a little more tangy. They’re delicious on their own, or can be a versatile blank canvas for more flavors and add-ins.
- Easy to make – They come together in one bowl, using just 6 simple staples that you probably have if you bake keto treats regularly.
- Very keto friendly – At just 1.7 grams of net carbs and 110 calories a pop, this is the kind of cookie that fits into your macros for a keto diet effortlessly. They’re also gluten-free.
If you’re looking for a simple, versatile keto cookie recipe for everything from holiday meals to cookie swaps to your everyday tea and coffee sidekick, you just found it. Make it with me!
“I make these cookies every week. My husband and I love them because they are just the right amount of sweet… not too much and not too little. These soft cookies do not crumble easily, which I find to be a problem with some low carb recipes. They only take me 30 minutes to make from start to finish (including cleanup). When making the recipe, I bump up the Besti Monk Fruit Allulose blend to 1/2 cup as suggested for a sweet cookie, and also include the optional 1 tablespoon of sour cream. We will usually eat one cookie after supper, which is all that is needed to satisfy your sweet tooth.”
-Stephanie
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my keto cookie recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour – The flour you choose makes a huge difference in the end result. Many brands are very coarse and will leave your cream cheese cookies grainy. This one I use is super fine (the finest I’ve ever tried), which will get you that delicate crumb. Unfortunately I don’t recommend substitutes here — definitely not coconut flour.
- Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – I’ve been baking these keto friendly cookies since 2017, and I’ve tried them with just about every keto sweetener under the sun! Besti (which I started using in 2020) gets me by far the best result, with a chewy, tender texture that doesn’t dry out and no aftertaste whatsoever. Sometimes I add a few tablespoons of Besti Brown to get a brown sugar flavor. Other sweeteners I’ve tried (including erythritol, and other brands of monk fruit and stevia) leave the cookies more dry and can have an aftertaste. (In fact, some older comments complain about dryness, because this recipe used to use erythritol — this issue is fixed if you use Besti!) If you still want to substitute, check my sweeteners conversion calculator for the correct amounts.
- Butter – I use this grass-fed unsalted butter for most of my low carb cookie recipes.
- Cream Cheese – I recommend full-fat for the best flavor, but light cream cheese will work. (P.S. Cream cheese makes lots of great low carb recipes, so grab extra to make my low carb cheesecake and cream cheese pancakes!)
- Sour Cream – I originally started adding this when readers complained that my older erythritol-sweetened version was dry, and it helped, but I love the addition even more now that I use Besti. It’s optional, but makes the texture so much better.
- Egg – For structure. A flax egg or other egg substitute should work if needed.
- Vanilla Extract (for flavor) & Sea Salt (for balance)
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How To Make Keto Cookies
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Cream the butter, cream cheese, and Besti. Combine them in a large bowl and use a hand mixer to beat together, until pale yellow and fluffy.
- Add the other wet ingredients. Add the vanilla, salt, egg, and sour cream (if using), adding gradually and beating in between ingredients. The mixture should be a little frothy.
- Add the almond flour. Beat until a soft dough forms. If you want to add any mix-ins, this is the time!
- Scoop. Use a cookie scoop (I use this size) to spoon the cookie dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten each ball with the palm of your hand or the bottom of a jar.
- Bake and cool. The keto cookies are done when they’re golden on the edges. Let them cool completely before enjoying. I like to dust them with powdered Besti using this dusting wand (pictured below).
My Tips For The Best Low Carb Cookies
- Use room temperature ingredients. Softened butter and cream cheese are crucial to cream properly, and you don’t want to shock them with a cold egg later, either.
- How I soften butter and cream cheese fast: Pour boiling water into a stainless steel bowl. While you let it sit for a few minutes to heat up, cut the butter and cream cheese into pieces and arrange on a plate. Empty and dry the metal bowl and place it upside down over the plate. The residual heat will soften the butter and cream cheese in just a couple minutes.
- How to bring eggs to room temp fast: I just place them in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes, until they no longer feel cold.
- This is my favorite hand mixer for all my keto cookie recipes. It’s super powerful and even comes with handy storage. You can use a stand mixer if you have one, though.
- I highly recommend a cookie scoop. This dough is very soft and fairly sticky, so the scoop is super helpful. Besides, it makes all your low carb cookies the same size, so they bake evenly.
- These precut parchment paper sheets are so handy. They fit perfectly with this baking sheet, which I’ve had for years and love. Much easier than wrestling with paper from a roll that won’t stay put!
- Keto cookies don’t flatten or spread the way wheat flour cookies do. So, make sure you flatten them to your desired thickness before baking. I usually do about 3/8 inch thick. Also, since they don’t spread a lot, having the cookies about 1 to 1.5 inches apart is sufficient.
- If the dough is too wet and sticky to flatten easily, chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes. I also find it helps to wet my hands to flatten, so the dough doesn’t stick to them.
- Be careful not to overbake. I look for golden edges, but the center should still be soft when you remove these low carb cookies from the oven.
Keto Cookies (1.7g Net Carbs)
By
Sweet, buttery keto cookies with just 6 ingredients and 1.7g net carbs! These low carb cream cheese cookies are fast, easy, and satisfying.
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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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 soft. If it sticks to your hands when you touch it, refrigerate for 30 minutes.
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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 the keto cookies for about 12-15 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. Allow to cool completely in the pan before handling (cookies will firm up as they cool, but are intended to be soft).
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cookie
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the best texture in these keto cookies and work with the dough more easily.
- Variations: Don’t miss my recipe variations below to get ideas for mix-ins, flavors, toppings, and even a dairy-free version.
- Storage: Keep the cookies in an airtight container for 4 days at room temperature or a week in the fridge.
- Meal prep: Make the dough ahead to refrigerate or freeze. If frozen, thaw overnight before baking.
- Freeze: These cookies keep well in the freezer for at least 3 months.
- Note on nutrition info: I didn’t include the sour cream since it’s optional, but it doesn’t make a huge difference in the numbers, since it’s a small amount across the entire batch.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Keto Ebook Bundle!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Cream Cheese Keto Cookies Recipe
Recipe Variations
Like I mentioned above, these keto cookies are so easy to customize! Here are some fun ways to change them up:
- Mix-ins – Toss in sugar-free chocolate chips (this is my favorite brand), chopped nuts, dried cranberries, poppy seeds (amazing with the lemon zest I suggest below), or even fresh blueberries.
- Flavors – I used classic vanilla extract, but you can experiment with almond extract or even more exotic options. A teaspoon or two of lemon or orange zest adds a lovely flavor, as well.
- Toppings – After the low carb cookies cool, slather them with my keto cream cheese frosting, sugar free chocolate frosting, or even a drizzle of sugar-free caramel syrup (which will harden in the fridge). Top with sugar-free sprinkles if you like!
- Dairy free version – It’s not quite the same, but you can use butter flavored coconut oil instead of butter and plant-based cream cheese instead of regular. My go-to replacement for sour cream is coconut cream with a splash of lemon juice and pinch of salt.
More Keto Cookie Recipes
I’ve made so many low carb cookies over the years that it’s hard to narrow down a few favorites, but here are some that I’ve been loving lately:
730 Comments
Lola
0These cookies are great. I used a stand mixer and beat the cream cheese and butter at a high speed for 3 minutes, continuing to beat at a high speed when adding the vanilla and egg white. The dough was perfect, not crumbly at all and very easy to work with.
As stated, the cookies are better the next day, but they are still quite good the first day. This is a good recipe that I’d be happy to server to anyone, regardless of whether they are on a low carb diet or not.
Susan Rodriguez
0I don’t like the taste of Erythritol; do you think this would work well with monk fruit sweetener.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Susan, Yes! In fact I recently updated this recipe to use monk fruit allulose blend and that’s what I recommend now for these cookies.
Crystal
0I made these according to the recipe and they were too dry for my liking. So I added 1/2 cup of coconut milk to the batter and they turned out perfect! Soft and pillowy and so delicious! Definitely satisfied my cookie craving while on keto.
Mindy Lund
0What Would you recommend to replace the almond flour is someone has a nut allergy? I know coconut flour is often used, but it can be difficult to adjust the amount due to how much it absorbs!! Thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Mindy, Yes, coconut flour would be difficult to substitute without multiple other changes. Sunflower seed meal would be an easier 1-to-1 sub for almond flour. Alternatively, try my keto coconut flour cookies instead.
Christy Hale
0Couldn’t wait to try these! I’m on a keto diet and I’m probably the only person not that fond of chocolate! Keto treats seem to be a lot of chocolate! This was a very easy recipe and I really liked it! Thank you for printing something other than chocolate!
Marie Floriolli Seewald
0For Crystal, I just made this recipe today times 2…I did the recipe, but use a Large whole egg, and 1 1/2 Tlb. Sour Cream Plus 1 pack of Unflavored Gelatin and the cookies were super moist. Just spoon them on prepare cookie sheet cook 11 mins. and cool completely. The next batch I did the same, and added 1/3 c sugar free chocolate chips and 1/3 chopped walnuts.. VERY VERY GOOD.. READY FOR CHRISTMAS. marie S.
Kristina Bynum
0These were very dissappointing to say the least. So crumbly you could hardly eat them except with a spoon. I’m not a baker but I did follow the direction, and waited with anticipation but …….What did I do wrong? Can I add a Tbs of flour.? I used Almond flour.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Kristina, Sorry to hear about these issues! I recently updated the recipe to swap the sweetener and add an optional tablespoon of sour cream, both should help make the cookies softer and better all around. I don’t recommend adding more flour, that will only make them even more crumbly. Give them a try with the version on the recipe card right now! 🙂
BRENDA EGELSTON
0Can you substitute 1 tsp lemon flavoring for 1 of the tsp vanilla? I’d love to have a hint of lemon flavor. Or could lemon flavoring be subbed for all the vanilla?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Brenda, Yes, you could sub out part of the vanilla for lemon flavoring. I would stick to half the amount, the whole amount might overwhelm the recipe. Please let us know how they turn out!
Brooke Jamieson
0Do you use unsalted butter?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Brooke, Generally unsalted butter is used for baking. Unsalted butter will give you more control on how much salt to add overall to a recipe.
Cecilia B
0Can this cookies be frozen? also can you use trivia sweetener instead of erythritol?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Cecilia, These cookies can be frozen with no problems. I am not familiar with that sweetener, so I’m not sure how they would turn out.
Felicity M
0These cookies are absolutely delicious! Could easily eat the entire batch….. BUT! I had a nightmare turning them out of the mixing bowl, onto the parchment lined tray…. the batter stuck to my hands and fingers and scoop… I then couldn’t press them down, just leave a ‘dollop’ on the tray to cook…. I have obviously done something wrong, but I’m not sure what as I followed the recipe instructions exactly. Any suggestions? Please 🙂 They still turned out delicious xx
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Felicity, Sounds like these were a bit too sticky to handle! If that is the case, try refrigerating them for 15 – 30 minutes to see if they become more workable. If they are still too sticky, you can add extra almond flour (in small amounts) until the dough forms the right texture.
Sharon Short
0I have a recipe from my childhood Old Fashion Cookie with Sour Cream. I would like to make it Keto friendly. The batter is cake like, and the cookies are rolled out to approx 1/4″ and bake up soft and fluffy. In the past I have replaced the flour with a gluten free blend that is 1 to 1 ratio. It is okay, but something is missing. I looked thru your recipes and this is the only one with sour cream in it. I would like my recipe to be Keto friendly and I do not know how to convert it, and your help will be greatly appreciated. I do love your website!
Wholesome Yum A
0Hi Sharon, it’s hard to know without looking at the full recipe, but I would recommend using allulose as a sweetener, since it yields softer cookies. As a starting point for substituting flour, you can also use 3 parts almond flour and 1 part coconut flour. Good luck!
Svenja
0Is it possible to use the whole egg instead of just egg white?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Svenja, The egg yolk will change the texture of your cookies and make them a bit softer.
Birgit Vaughan
0How long will they last outside the fridge?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Birgit, These cookies will keep at room temperature for about a week.
Xiomara E Poloche
0I’m looking for better nutrition and I find help in your website. Thank you for sharing.
Norma
0Is there another sweetener I can use instead of the Erythritol. I would like to purchase the sweetener local instead of online.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Norma, Have you seen our new Besti sweetener line yet? We offer Erythritol, Allulose, and Monk Fruit sweetener Blends. You can read about our full line up of sweeteners at: https://www.wholesomeyumfoods.com/keto-sweeteners-comparison/
If you are looking for more information on sweeteners you can find locally, this guide will be helpful deciding which is best for you: https://www.wholesomeyum.com/natural-low-carb-sweeteners-guide-conversion-chart/
Rhonda
0I made this today but they came out pretty dry and not as sweet as I would like and I went with the 3/4 cups of erythritol. Got any ideas for me? Thank You for all the recipes!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Rhonda, You can adjust the sweetener to your taste, if you felt they weren’t sweet enough at 3/4c, then you can add more. Did you add the optional sour cream? It really helps with moisture and texture of these cookies…especially when adding more bulk sweetener to the dough. Also, please take a moment to watch the video, it will give you a good idea of the texture of the dough before baking. Enjoy!
Donna Price
0These cookies are soooo good! I added a little lemon zest and everyone loves them.
Brandee
0After I made them I said to myself these would be so yum with a little lemon I definitely plan to add some next go-round.
Priscilla
0I’ve been on the keto diet for 5 weeks now and the no sugar/carbs has been pretty easy but I grew up with a dad who had a major sweet tooth. After every meal my dad would give us a cookie or ice cream and that habit is hard to kick. This recipe is a huge help! I made my cookies very small and I will eat one after lunch or dinner which satisfies my sweet cravings. Excellent recipe!
Catmaster
0So I just started Keto and i knew i would need some kind of cookie for a snack. I’m surprised I can actually tolerate stevia! So I tried this recipe and was expecting not too much taste but it would satisfy my craving. I was so wrong. These are fabulous. And I’m a cookie queen. I did use a little less flour and 2 cups almond and less than 1 cup coconut flour. I also used a whole egg and some chopped walnuts. I will be making these every week. I work 12 hours shifts and its hard to stop so a cookie and a little almond milk will keep me going. Thank you, I will be trying more recipes if this Keto thing works. Lol
Imee
0Absolutely delicious. Thank you!