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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
KDawn
0I used snøfrisk cream cheese and duck eggs for these and they are beyond delicious 🙂 Thanks for the recipe, SO GOOD!
Marjorie Heard
0Can I use mascarpone for the cream cheese?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Marjorie, The flavors will be more subtle, but the recipe will still work. Enjoy!
Darci
0My husband and I really enjoyed these. The recipe was very easy and the instructions were clear. We did find the first batch good but a little plain. On the second batch, I rolled the dough balls in a mix of cinnamon and erythritol before flattening them out. Kind of like when you make Snickerdoodles. They turned out great! I also made a few with sprinkles. Sprinkles are for winners. ?
Thanks for the recipe. I will definitely make these again!
Jewel Marcuerquiaga
0Love 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
Cornflakes
0Loved these. Added a little lemon extract to everything else and they are so tasty!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi 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!
Shannon
0Awesomeness!! I’m an experimenter, so I played around a bit. Mixed up the flours a little, 1.5 C Almond flour, 1 C Cashew flour, and 1/2 C Walnut flour, and dusted with Swerve confectionery sugar after baking. These are deee-lushes!
Zoe
0Great biscuits I flattened slightly and then put my finger into the dough and put sugar free strawberries jam into them to make jam drops. Tasted great.
John
0Made these and they are very good but, bake them till they turn golden or they will be too wet, not crispy. I used the sour cream.
Sharon
0I was pleased with how these turned out. I have two questions though:
1. Do I need to refrigerated these for storing?
2. I watched the video and noticed it shows an egg white going into the mixture, but the recipe states a whole egg.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Sharon, The recipe written in the recipe card is the most up-to-date version. The video shows an older version of the recipe that only used egg white. The cookies are safe to store at room temperature for a few days but will need to be moved to the fridge for longer-term storage.
Kay W
0These are barely OK with tweaking. Pretty sure I made these almost a year ago and I threw them away, which is saying a lot. I love cookies. If not these, something very similar. So glad I read the comments before giving them another try. My modifications: I doubled the cream cheese, used only 2 cups instead of 3 of almond flour (according to comments and common sense because these would basically be almond flour without any flavor otherwise), and I added 1/3 cup of macadamia nuts because I thought they would go well with the cream cheese and give some crunch. They are just OK. Kinda still too much almond flour and very little flavor otherwise. Good thing I added the macadamia nuts. I think that saved them. If I tried them again I would further reduce the almond flour, further increase the cream cheese, and increase the macadamia nuts as well. Lots of tweaking for a recipe. Oh might need to increase butter and salt as well.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Kay, A lot of changes were made to this recipe, so it wouldn’t really resemble the original. I have several other cookie recipes you may prefer. Here are Keto Peanut Butter Cookies, Keto Oatmeal Cookies, and Keto Magic Bars. I hope you find a recipe you love!
Allison
0I tweaked this a bit. I used about 2 1/2 cups of almond flour, cheesecake flavoring, 1/4 c unsweetened coconut, and I did thumbprints on top with sugar-free strawberry preserves. I had to bake them a minute or two longer than the recipe stated, but the sugar free jam gave them that extra deliciousness. I did also use the sour cream.
tegma
0Could I use another sweetener of my choice in these cookies, for ex., Swerve?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Tegma, Yes, but you will get a different final texture in the recipe. Allulose creates softer cookies, erythritol blends (i.e. Swerve) will create more crispy textures. Enjoy!
Ariann
0Hi, I loved this recipe it was easy to make and was overall a pretty good snack food for keto diets. One question I have tho is do all the cookies come out a little grainy ot just me?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Ariann, These cookies are not grainy, but your results can vary depending on the type of almond flour you use. I always recommend using Wholesome Yum Almond Flour, which is super fine ground and blanched.
Mary Beth Wylam
0Hello….I thought the cookies were really interesting… as I’m new to Keto foods and baking. Trying to be a bit healthier, although my family isn’t really interested in a Keto way of life! I had on hand, the almond flour but was almost out, so I subbed coconut flour (only 1/2cup), even though you suggested not doing that….it was what I had. Otherwise, I followed the recipe to a tea, and only baked three cookies at first, to try out the texture. They turned out super dry. I read some of the reviews saying that three cups of almond flour was just too much….I used 2 1/2 cups almond and 1/2 cup coconut flour. So, I added more cream cheese into the mixer and some almond flavoring….and a bit more sweetener. I have to say, it didn’t really help the consistency, but the flavor was better having added the almond flavoring. I made some frosting using cream cheese, 100% dark, unsweetened chocolate, monk fruit sweetener, and butter. This helped a lot too. These cookies are only for me, so its okay that no one likes them and they’ll help when I get a sweet tooth urge! I just wish I could find a good, chewy, Tollhouse-like keto cookie out there. Its fun to try new things though, and maybe the coconut flour altered the consistency and I’ll give them another try. Thank you for the recipe and l’ll continue my quest!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Mary, Unfortunately coconut flour and almond flour are not interchangeable, even in small amounts. The dry cookies were the result of the coconut flour substitution. I hope you’ll get the chance to try the recipe as originally written, they should not be dry that way. If you want them more chewy, you can add a little bit of xanthan gum (like 1/4 or 1/2 tsp for the whole batch).
Sis
0I loved this recipe. I added lemon juice in one batch and added cinnamon in another. It’s a very versatile cookie. Thanks.
Francy
0Just made these. Followed the recipe exactly (3 cups of almond flour & 1 tablespoon of sour cream) and used Swerve sweetener. They don’t look quite as crackly on the top as your picture but thinking that may be the addition of the sour cream? Regardless, they taste fantastic – will definitely make again!
Bren Castillo
0Your recipes are great, but this website is pretty rough. Every time I open it my computer goes into overdrive and slows down everything. I get bombarded with ads and popups and its really hard to focus on anything else. I think the recipes are fabulous and amazing but is there any way you could back on all the ads and popups? It makes it really impossible to navigate the page
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Bren, Thanks for your feedback. The ads are used to keep the site running and allows me to continue to add more free content. If you would like to have the ads removed, then please join the Wholesome Yum Plus membership! Not only do you get to enjoy a premium website experience, but you also get great quarterly gifts, and discounts on Wholesome Yum Foods products.
StacyLynne
0I just finished making these. Glad I read the comments first as I did reduce the almond flour to 2.5cups and added a little almond extract (these are def worth a revisit for other extract flavors. Orange or lemon would be lovely). I recently made peanut butter cookies with this sweetener (first time ever using) and it left that cooling sensation, so with these cookies I took advice I found and dissolved the sweetener into the egg and vanilla mixture first and there is no cool sensation after baking (I fear this now). I did add an extra ounce of Cream Cheese and the sour cream. They came out better than I expected. Tasting the batter pre-baking was disappointing, so I doubted the outcome. I most definitely was pleased with the after baked product
Tara
0Hi thanks for this coconut free recipe. ( I have a food sensitivity which makes finding keto recipes tough). I used cream cheese from the tub which tends to be softer than the one I buy in the block shape. No sour cream and all 3 cups of flour. I even baked in the toaster oven and they came out perfectly soft and not too crumbly!!! I kept in a Tupperware and never got crunchy!! So happy!! Now I made with cocoa powder and hazelnut extract. They’re cooling. Hope they’re just as good!!
Cm
0Amazing cookies
Cc
0I made cream cheese keto frosting and placed on top!! Delicious cookies! Yum
Rebecca Gamez
0Awesome thanks
Antoine
0I should have read the comments first. Had to throw the whole mix away because 3-cups of almond flour were just too much.