Chocolate Chip Cookies (with Cream Cheese)

If I could only pick one kind of cookie to eat for the rest of my life, I’d probably go with Chocolate Chip. They’re simply classic. And, since there’s a thousand different ways to make them, it’s like eating a different cookie each time! I’ve got my favorite recipe that I turn to time and time again, but I realize that they don’t really fall into the “quick and easy” category. Not everyone has cake flour and bread flour always hanging out in their pantry, and they take a bit of time. Which is a problem when you want to shove cookies in your face 5 minutes ago. So I’ve been on a never ending search for the quick and easy chocolate chip.

I think I finally found them.

These babies are moist and dense and chewy—just the way I like them. And not only are they soft and chewy right out of the oven, but they stay that way. Their secret ingredient? Cream cheese. It adds a bit of tang and a lot of moisture to keep these cookies delicious for days (if they stick around that long). And the best part? The cream cheese replaces the egg in the recipe, making these cookies egg-free for those with food allergies!

 

I might be in trouble now that I’ve found a quick and easy recipe. Chocolate chip cookies might become a permanent fixture in my kitchen, and my tummy.

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Chocolate Chip Cookies (with Cream Cheese)
Adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Café and Baking Blonde
Makes about 3 dozen 2-inch cookies



2 cups plus 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ cups semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips

1. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar and beat until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla and beat until combined. Add flour mixture, a little at a time, beating until just incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips.
4. Using a 1-inch cookie scoop or a heaping tablespoon, roll dough into 1-inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Flatten each ball slightly with your hands or the bottom of a glass. Chill in refrigerator for about 20 minutes, up to overnight. (If chilling overnight, cover with plastic wrap.)
5. Preheat oven to 325F. Remove dough from fridge and bake, rotating pans halfway through, until cookies are golden and start to brown around the edges, about 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.