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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
Mary
0These turned out great! And the longer in the frig the better they got! I added the higher amount of sweetener. Thanks! They hit the spot!
Cindy
0I like these! This KETO, People can’t expect a sugary sweet cookie. Truly they are just the right sweetness. Not a bit dry. Great texture. Thanks!
Heidi
0They were easy to make but I find them dry and lacking something. I did add some nuts to them but they just did not turned out how I hoped they would. Not a fan of them,sorry.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Heidi, Sorry these didn’t turn out as expected. You may prefer the texture of these Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies over the Cream Cheese Cookies.
Carol
0I love these! I have to keep my family from eating them all before I get some. The base recipe is excellent as described and also good with cardamom, coconut etc!
Maria Hernandez
0I made my bf buy me all the ingredients and the cookies turned out tasting not as we thought. We were a little disappointed. I don’t recommend adding sour cream, they make the cookies more like playdoh and less crumbly like. I won’t even give this recipe a second try. I feel like all the positive reviews are fake.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Maria, Sorry to hear the cookies were not to your liking. I added sour cream to the recipe to make the cookies more soft and less dry, but you can omit it if you prefer a crisper, more crumbly cookie. I don’t add any fake reviews to my website.
Kelly
0I didn’t like them. Threw the whole lot of them away. Too much almond flour taste.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Kelly, Sorry this recipe didn’t turn out as expected. I recommend using high-quality, super fine ground blanched almond flour for the most neutral flavors in baking. This is the brand of almond flour I use in all my recipes.
Mary
0These came out really good. Keep an eye on them because they start to brown quickly. Great base to experiment with other flavors like maybe lemon or orange zest added. Almond extract might be good too or add ground pecans. Many options.
Tammy McDowell
0I made these a second time. This time, I used half a cup of sweetener. I left the sour cream out, but upped the cream cheese by not quite an ounce. The result was a cookie that was so tasty, my mom only got one. Dad got the rest…lol. They were absolutely wonderful as we are chewy cookie folks.
Marcella Cooper
0These cookies are amazing. I included the sour cream and it was a hit. I’m baking them again now without the sour cream and I’m sure they’ll be just as delicious. I love how soft they were but also that they were sweet but not too sweet.
Kim Millership
0Can I use Coconut flour instead of Almond flour, and if so how much?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Kim, I’m sorry, that will not work in this recipe. Coconut and almond flour have very different properties and are not interchangeable. If you need to stock up on almond flour, you can get it at WholesomeYumFoods.com!
Tammy
0These are amazing! I finally found a cookie that I like better than the dough! I was nervous about making my first keto sweet. I love sweets and that was the hardest thing to give up. When I tasted the first one I was hooked. Thank you!
Melissa
0I was a little disappointed in these. They taste just like baked almond flour. I think there is too much almond flour and not enough cream cheese. I will try adjusting and see how they come out.
Alexandra
0I rarely leave comments on recipes, but this was too good not to comment on! I followed the recipe and video, and the only difference I made was using 2 cups almond flour instead of 3 ( I ran out so that’s all I had on hand!). These still turned out super moist, chewy, and delish! This is now our fave keto treat recipe. Excited to make them again and experiment with different extracts as mentioned in some comments. Thank you for another solid recipe!
Kara
0So I messed with the recipe enough that it’s probably something else entirely, but it’s really good, so I thought I’d share. I used brown sugar Swerve (1/2 cup, lightly packed), 2 eggs, 2 cups of superfine natural almond flour, 3 tsp small-batch vanilla, and a splash of cinnamon and nutmeg. I also used cream cheese *spread* – maybe 2.5 – 3 ounces to account for the air space. I used a melon baller as my scoop because that’s all I had. These came out like tiny fluffy delicious chocolate chip cookies, so then I went and added chocolate chips to the rest. These were much closer to chocolate chips cookies (with my whack version) than the keto chocolate chip cookies I attempted at Christmas and literally threw away.
Katie
0Do you need to refrigerate these for storage due to cream cheese and sour cream after baking??
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Katie, These cookies can be stored at room temperature for a couple of days but will keep the longest in the fridge.
Jerry
0These cookies were pretty good!! I did read a bunch of the reviews and made a few tweaks. Here’s what I tweaked: used 2 1/4 cups of almond flour (about a half a cup at a time) and 2 tbsp of sour cream. Then I added a half a teaspoon of cinnamon and a quarter teaspoon of nutmeg along with a pinch of baking powder. Popped them in the oven for about 20 mins and they came out great! Super soft and chewy, yet crispy and brown on the edges. If you prefer crispier cookies, maybe bake them 5-10 mins longer, your call. Overall, good recipe and I’ll definitely back these again!
Rosa
0So, before I started making this, I read most of the comments left on this recipie. And after all the rave reviews, I decided to give this a try.
I did came across some comments saying it was dry or crumbly, so I decided to add my flour 1 cup at a time.
OH MY! WAS I GLAD I DID THAT!! I followed the recipie exactly, and i added 1 cup of almond flour and that was enough! It came out like a short bread kind of texture. Next time i will try 3/4 cup of almond flour instead … and maybe add some baking powder.
The flavor is good, but for sure i would have wasted expensive ingredients if I had thrown in the 3 cups of almond flour.
So, my recomendation is:
Add your flour 1/2 cup at a time and check the texture before adding more . I live at sea level, so I dont know if that makes 2 cups of flour of a difference.
Anyway, the cookie came out tasting ok, just be carefull with the dry ingredients.
Raquel
0Made these tonight. The taste was AMAZING but the dough was too sticky to work with at first and the cookies never fully cooked inside without starting to burn on the outside. They remain too chewy for my taste after cooling. I did add extra sweetener and used xylitol (again, the taste was great the way I adjusted), but perhaps the sweetener change affected consistency. Will try again with lower oven temp and longer cook time. Thanks for the recipe!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Raquel, Yes, this may be due to the different sweetener. I think you have the right idea to bake at a lower temperature for the rest of the batch.
Sue
0I didn’t read anywhere on that recipe about egg white only so I’ll put the whole egg in! I wound up with a dry powder that I couldn’t even get to stick together. I didn’t like this recipe. Unfortunately. I wasted a lot of ingredients. Hard lesson. I do wish I had watch the video first and I would’ve seen the egg white and not the entire egg. I still don’t think I did something right because the mix is just as dry as powder. this recipe did not work for me or I didn’t work for the recipe, one or the other.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Sue, The recipe does call for a whole egg, you had that right! The video shows an older version of the recipe where I originally used the egg white only, but it’s since been updated to include the whole egg. I am sorry the recipe didn’t work as expected. Did you use softened butter and cream cheese? That would make a big difference in the final texture if the ingredients were too cold.
Mary
0Can I use Stevia granulated instead of monk fruit?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Mary, If you are using baking stevia that is 1:1 with sugar, then the recipe should work. Please note that you will get a different texture than what you see in the pictures, as you will be using a different sweetener. Allulose gives soft, chewy cookies. Baking stevia is generally a blend of stevia and erythritol and will make your cookies crunchy.