Shop
My
Custom
Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List
Get It NowThese 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)
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)
Sweet, buttery keto cookies with just 6 ingredients and 1.7g net carbs! These low carb cream cheese cookies are fast, easy, and satisfying.
Remove Ads
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
-
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
-
Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat together the butter, cream cheese, and sweetener, until it's fluffy and light in color.
-
Beat in the vanilla extract, salt and egg. Beat in sour cream, if using (optional).
-
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.
-
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.
-
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 Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers (this also helps me continue to provide free recipes on my site), or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
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.
Add Your Notes Your Notes
Try More Of My Recipes
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.
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:
726 Comments
Debsy
0Made these for first time today. 2nd batch I added more vanilla and swerve. Also added shaved macadamia nuts & coconut. Add cocoa powder to some of the batch. Love these. Will be making regularly to take to work to avoid the usual sweets co-workers bring in.
Moli
0Is it better to use powdered or granular erythritol?
And I love your recipes!
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Moli, granulated erythritol is recommended here.
Suzanne K
0Do you think I can use Monk fruit for the sweetener? If so how much? Many thanks.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Suzanne, Yes you can use monk fruit blended sweetener in the same amounts as listed.
Leah
0Good- I did use powdered erythritol since it was all I had. Dough was nice, final product was good, maybe a little too soft for me but still yummy. Thanks!
Paula
0Hi, can I eliminate all sweeteners and use chocolate chips instead?
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Paula, the sweetener does play a role in the texture of these cookies so I wouldn’t recommend that. They also wouldn’t be as keto-friendly.
Wholesome Yum A
0So good! But the aftertaste is bitter.
Esmeralda Thornton
0I’m new to this & your recipes look sooo good! Can’t wait to try them!
Carol L Orzechowski
0I made these exactly as written. I weighed my flour and measured everything else as written. My batter was not too crumbly, so I scooped them out and weighed them too (24 FMLA each). The only thing was they had the cooking taste from the erythritol. I would definitely make them again but figure out how to mask that cooling.
Amber
0Hey! Could I use coconut flour instead or would that change the taste?
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Amber, I wouldn’t recommend that. Almond flour and coconut flour behave very differently and the cookies would be too dry.
Doreen Bowers
0They came out perfect, I made a few thick, crunchy and then changed it up with a few blueberries and lemon juice… and I can say it enough, yum yum yum.
Thank you for a great recipe
Debsy
0Blueberries & Lemon juice! 😉 Will try next weekend.
Maria Rodriguez
0My cookies came out horrible, tasty but horrible consistency and sooo dry. Way too much flour, I had to make it a lot wetter, added more butter and another egg and still bad.
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Maria, the batter does start out more crumbly before it bakes. Is it also possible you used coconut flour instead of almond flour? That could definitely explain the dry consistency.
Carmen Banks
0I made these tonight. OMG. They were DELICIOUS. I did go with the 3/4 cup sweetener and I even sprinkled a bit of coconut sugar on top before baking. I have been craving some sugar cookies and this hit the spot!!! Thanks so much for the recipe.
Sam
0These were the first keto cookies I made. I have tried other recipes since, but haven’t found one yet that tastes as good as this one. They are good with peanut butter added as well.
Beth
0I was wondering if you can substitue stevia for the erythritol in this recipe? If so what would be the equivalent measurement for it? Thank you.
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Beth, I wouldn’t recommend that because it would change the texture of the cookies. Check my sweetener conversion calculator for more info on why these two aren’t usually interchangeable.
Edie-Beth Collova
015 min without looking browned my first batch too much but on my 2nd, I did just 10 minutes and added sugar free chocolate chips and sprinkled stevia on top (I went with the lower sweetener amount and regretted it!) I’m not a sweetaholic by any means but I definitely recommend adding the full 3/4 cup. The 1/2 cup result was not sweet at all to me.
Anyway, the finished product the 2nd time around was nice and I’ll enjoying having on hand to pair with my MCT coffee.
Ts
0How many cookies does this recipe make? My batch turned out 14 cookies which, according to my carb manager recipe building app, turned out to be 9 net carbs per cookie!!! I followed the recipe exactly. I should have checked before I ate one since I only eat 13/day. Eek.
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Ts, this recipe yields 24 cookies.
Yaz
0Hello Dear
Is it okay to keep the cookies at room temperature ?
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Yaz, you can store at room temperature for a day or two. Anything longer than that and they should go in the fridge.
Wendy
0I am looking for a cookie that is NOT hard and crunchy. Any ideas?
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Wendy, you might like my chocolate chip peanut butter protein cookies. My classic chocolate chip cookies also have a nice balance of crispy and chewy textures.
Lindsay Horner
0I don’t know what everyone is raving about. I was excited to try these because of all the positive comments. I followed the recipe to a T, maybe didn’t flatten them out enough. They tasted very bland.
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lindsay, I’m sorry to hear about that. Some people have had success adding cinnamon or cocoa powder to their cookie dough, so you may want to try that next time for more flavor.
Paula
0I followed the recipe to the letter and they were delicious and crispy. The best low carb desert I’ve tried so far. I will be making these over and over. I can’t understand the comments that said they weren’t crispy. Thanks.
Natasha
0I saw this on IG and I’m going to try them tonight. They look amazing, but my question is how many cookies in a serving?
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Natasha, the serving size is one 2-inch cookie. You can see the full nutritional breakdown on the recipe card.
Patti
0I made this recipe and they were delicious. I let mine bake just a bit longer than recommended and had no problems with crumbling. I also find that many keto baking recipes don’t seem done with the time specified. That said…what is the nutritional value to almond keto cookies? Can’t find a breakdown anywhere. These cookies are so good they make it easy to stay on keto!
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Patti, you can find complete nutritional facts for this recipe (and all my recipes) on the recipe card, right below the walkthrough video.
Shirley
0Hi! I just give it a try and it was almost perfect! My cookies weren’t moist enough, just not sure why.
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Shirley, did you use finely ground blanched almond flour? Sometimes the coarseness can affect the moisture. Glad to hear you liked them!
Tonya
0Hey, can I save the mix in refrigerator to make the next day?
Wholesome Yum
0That should work, Tonya. Make sure it’s tightly covered when you chill it.
Hafizah
0Hi if I convert erythritol to 1/3 cup Lakanto, do i have to make adjustments for other ingredients? And how long do I leave the cookies to cool off?
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Hafizah, check my sweetener conversion chart. You’ll still want to let the cookies cool completely before handling them.
Erika
0I love the cookies, Made them a few times, I just use coconut oil and monk fruit mix. The only question I have is can I freeze them and for how long? Thank you
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Erika, Yes, you can freeze them! They’ll last 4 to 6 months frozen.
Danilo Alvarez
0I follow the recipe all the way and when the cookies where 12 minutes on the oven and I checked they where already burn, what seems to be the problem?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Danilo, Each oven is a bit different so I recommend checking earlier just in case. It will also vary depending on how thin you flatten the cookies.
Mary R
0Very good. I added some lemon juice, since I had a lemon, and that was a very good add. With the additional liquid they did not turn out very crispy, still very good. I want to try these again, but with lemon zest instead of juice, and flatten a little more before baking. Thanks for the recipe!
Rosalyn Hall
0Okay, I did not read the comments down far enough, so I used all coconut flour and the does is too crumbled it will not hold shape. What can I add to make thicker to hold together
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Rosalyn, Sorry, I don’t recommend this recipe with coconut flour. You might like my coconut flour cookies instead.
Norma Norman
0Can I substitute eryrithrtol with stevia?
Wholesome Yum L
0Hi Norma, this sweetener guide and conversion chart might help.
Brandi
0I love these cookies! Can I freeze them?
Wholesome Yum L
0Hi Brandi, I haven’t tried that. Let me know if you do and how they held up.
Pooja
0The cookies turned out yum but were not crisp. Wondering where I went wrong?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Pooja, They were either too thick or didn’t bake for long enough. I’m glad you liked the taste.
Rita N Shatley
0Do you have a hard copy book with these recipes in it?
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Rita, check out my upcoming hardcover cookbook!
Tai
0How would using a whole egg instead of and egg white impact the recipe?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Tai, It would change the ratio so they might be too egg-y.
Chris Sholl
0Can I use Swerve?
Tiffany
0I just wanted to try this recipe so I cut it in half and I added a 1/2 cup of Swerve instead of 1/4 cup. In my brief experience more Swerve makes Keto desserts sweet enough for my taste. The batter was on point! I prefer chewy over crispy sometimes, but I see now that I can adjust the thickness according to my mood and watch the amount of time I bake them to achieve the desired texture. Thank you! Awesome cookie. I will bake them again!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Chris, Yes, you can. Check the low carb sweetener conversion calculator.
Sheila
0These cookies have become to be one of my favorite to make out other than chocolate chip. The first time I made them I couldn’t stop eating them. I did add 4 oz. of cream cheese instead of 2 oz. to have more of a cream cheese taste; it didn’t affect the baking quality of the cookies. Next time when I make them I will try it with chopped pecans on top or drizzle some melted Lilly’s chocolate on top. If you are on the fence don’t be; make these cookies, they will satisfy your sweet tooth.
Holly
0Hi, do these have the “cooling effect”/cold taste from the erythriol?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Holly, I don’t really detect it, but you could use a sweetener blend if you’re sensitive to pure erythritol.
Cindy Rivera
0Can you use coconut flour instead of almond flour
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Cindy, No, sorry, this recipe is for almond flour only.
Eileen
0Hi! So I baked this recipe on point. It’s just lack taste and cheese flavor. If I would adjust on the Splenda I used how many per recipe and the cream cheese it was 2oz per recipe. Thank you!
Joe
0Very good. Your net carbs however are incorrect. I plugged your recipe into Carb Manager and they are actually 4 net each serving not 2. All your other nutritional values were pretty close.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Joe, The nutrition info comes from the USDA and is correct. Most likely there was some difference in the ingredient referenced in the app you used. I’m glad you like the cookies.
Eileen
0Hi! I followed the recipe it was great. My question is can I add something to make it a little sweeter? Can I adjust the Splenda I used? I was afraid to add because I wanted to follow the recipe on point. Thank you!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Eileen, I’m glad you liked them. You can add a little more sweetener, but not too much more so that it doesn’t change the consistency of the cookies. You could also try drizzling or dipping them in (sweet) sugar-free chocolate if you want more sweetness.
Greg C
0Great recipe. I used a heaping tablespoon of coconut oil rather than butter and baked them for 20 minutes at 350. To squish them down, I used the bottom of a jar covered in plastic so they separate quickly.
DaisyQ
0I love your posts but did not like these cookies. It may have been my almond flour but I just did not find them too be to my liking. Next time I am going to use a blend of flour a including coconut. I did add my own touch to them that my husband liked…brushing the tops with all natural unsweetened peanut butter gave them a nice top.
Nicole
0Great recipe! I swapped out 3c of almond flour (I doubled the recipe) for 3/4-1c of coconut flour…. just to give the cookies a hint of coconut flavor. Turned out great! I used Swerve and there’s not weird aftertaste!
Kim Stepney
0Delicious, golden cookies with great flavour, easy to make.
Jonas
0Maya, I have to thank you for your great recipes and thorough tips. I baked these in two batches, left the second in the convection oven a little longer, and was very pleased with the taste (and texture) with those deep amber cookies. No surprise with the science there, but the intensity of flavor far surpassed the “light golden” batch (all caveats about crossing the burn line apply, of course).
Thanks again!
Marissa
0There cookies are AMAZING!!! So moist and delicious. I followed the recipe as is. I used granulated swerve and powdered. They tasted amazing. Perfect Keto Cookies.
Maria Ferrell
0I cant find the amount of each ingredient to use for these cookies. Cream cheese cookies.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Maria, The ingredient amounts are on the recipe card above. They don’t work in Safari reading mode, so you’d need to turn that off if you have it on your device.
Sheila
0I did not have almond flour on hand. I did have, though, plenty of flaxseed. I put it in my coffee grinder to get a finer consistency. I also added 1/4 tsp almond extract. I have to say that I was very pleased with the outcome. I will buy almond flour for my next batch to see what the difference will be.
Jamie
0Have been craving sweets and this fulfilled the crave! I accidentally added the entire block of cream cheese (I shouldn’t multitask when baking, lol) I added half almond and half vanilla of the extract. I also substituted a tiny bit of the sugar for brown sugar and used slightly less than 1/2 cup for both sugars combined. The comment of sugar-free jelly on top was the best advice. My cookies did have an almond taste and not overly sweet (just how I wanted them) I had trouble flattening them until I plopped a ball of batter down put saran wrap on top and flattened w my spatula; worked perfectly! Thank you for an amazing recipe that cures that sweet tooth. My new go-to recipe 🙂
Patricia
0I made these with non-blanched flour and an extra oz of cream cheese (just because I did not want it to go to waste). They were perfect! I could taste a hint of cream cheese, not too soft or hard.
Thank you