Butter Cream Cheese Almond Cookies
A vanilla, nutty base with a melt-in-your-mouth taste, these butter cream cheese almond cookies could win over even the toughest critic. Made soft from the butter and rich from the cream cheese, the almond cookies are a great match for any gathering.
This cream cheese cookie recipe is a wonderful one for anyone new to baking! The cookies themselves come together easily and require next to no kitchen techniques. However, the end result is a warm and buttery cookie with a hint of vanilla.
Using almond flour in addition to all-purpose flour gives the cookies a lighter texture than normal. The cream cheese, however, provides the comforting, rich taste you’d expect. Thus, the almond cookies are the perfect blend of both worlds and leave everyone who tries one asking for seconds.
Ingredients
For the dough:
● 1⁄2 cup (113 g) butter, at room temperature
● 4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
● 1 cup (200 g) sugar
● 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
● 1⁄2 cup (50 g) almond flour
● 1 1⁄2 cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
● 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
● 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
● Pinch of salt
● Sliced almonds (for garnish)
Preparation time:
Dough preparation: 10 minutes
Refrigeration: 1 hour
Shaping and decorating: 5 minutes
Baking: 14 minutes
Cooling: 10 minutes
Total Time: approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes
Serves: 18 cookies
Instructions:
In a bowl, beat the butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
Add these dry ingredients: almond flour, wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and mix with a spatula until a homogeneous dough is formed.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
Using a #20 cookie scoop, form dough balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Sprinkle sliced almonds on top of each cookie.
Bake for 14 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack.
Variations and Substitutions
Coconut: For a bit of extra sweetness and chewy texture, add some shredded coconut to the batter.
Icing: Drizzle the cream cheese cookies with a light, almond icing to bring out even more nutty but sweet flavor.
Extracts: Lemon extract pairs deliciously with almond cookies. Add just a hint into the batter and then zest some lemon rind over the top of the cookies. This makes them both bright and refreshing.
Chocolate chips: Perfect for anyone who loves a gooey center. Adding some mini chocolate chips (white or milk chocolate) gives a comforting, indulgent, taste to the cookies.
Espresso: Make the cream cheese cookies perfect for coffee time by sprinkling some espresso powder into the mix for a deep, coffee richness.
Nuts: Adding slivered almonds on top is classic but swapping to toasted pecans or pistachios can be fun too.
How To Make the Best Butter Cream Cheese Almond Cookies
To ensure the almond cookies bake evenly, use a #20 trigger ice cream scoop to portion them and make sure that both the cream cheese and butter are at room temperature before you need them. This ensures they mix well with the other ingredients.
If you have the time, sift the dry ingredients to prevent any lumps and air pockets.
Try not to overmix the dough. Instead, stop mixing when just combined.
Don’t press the almond slivers into the cookies firmly. Place them on top lightly and as the cookies rise, they will adhere to them.
You know the cream cheese cookies are done cooking when the edges are just lightly golden. This is when you want to remove them from the oven. Since they’re delicate at this stage, let them cool fully on the baking sheet as well.
If you need to save yourself time, don’t refrigerate the batter as a whole. Portion it into balls on the baking sheet and refrigerate them that way. Since they’re in smaller portions, they only need to chill for about 20 -30 minutes.
Store leftover almond cookies once cooled in an airtight container on the counter. Here, they’ll stay fresh for 2-3 days. You can store them in the fridge for up to a week just know that they’ll lose some of their soft texture and firm up a bit once chilled.
Butter Cream Cheese Almond Cookies
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1⁄2 cup Butter (113 g), at room temperature
- 4 oz cream cheese (113 g), at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar (200 g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1⁄2 cup almond flour (50 g)
- 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour (190 g)
- 1⁄2 tsp baking soda
- 1⁄2 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- Sliced almonds (for garnish)
Instructions
- In a bowl, beat the butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
- Add these dry ingredients: almond flour, wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and mix with a spatula until a homogeneous dough is formed.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Using a #20 cookie scoop, form dough balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Sprinkle sliced almonds on top of each cookie.
- Bake for 14 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack.
Notes
- Use room-temperature ingredients: Both the butter and cream cheese should be at room temperature for a smoother and more homogeneous mixture.
- Sift the dry ingredients: This prevents lumps and ensures better integration with the wet ingredients.
- Do not overmix the dough: Mix just until the ingredients are combined to avoid tough cookies.
- Use a #20 cookie scoop: This ensures all cookies are the same size and
bake evenly. - Do not press the sliced almonds into the dough: Simply place them on top, as they will adhere naturally while baking.
- Bake in the middle rack of the oven: This ensures even baking and prevents the bottoms from browning too quickly.
- Do not overbake the cookies: Remove them when the edges are lightly
golden, as they will continue to cook with residual heat. - Let them cool on the baking sheet: This prevents them from breaking when still warm.
- Store them properly: Once cooled, keep them in an airtight container to
maintain their texture and freshness longer. - Form the balls before refrigerating: If you are short on time, form the dough portions on the baking sheet and refrigerate them for just 20-30 minutes before baking.
