Thick, soft, and stuffed with chunky Oreo pieces and pools of melted white chocolate, these cookies and cream cookies are the kind of thing you make once and then can't stop thinking about. I first baked a batch on a rainy Saturday afternoon when I had a sleeve of Oreos sitting on the counter and zero plans, and honestly, that was the best decision I made all week. The cream cheese in the dough gives them this almost cheesecake-like richness that keeps them bakery-soft for days.
If you love cozy, crowd-pleasing bakes, you might also want to check out my Marshmallow Brownies or these dreamy Banana Bars with Chocolate Chips for another easy win.
Why You'll Love These Cookies and Cream Cookies
These Cookies and Cream Cookies are soft, thick, and loaded with real Oreo chunks and creamy white chocolate chips in every single bite. The cream cheese in the dough makes them taste almost like a cheesecake cookie, rich and tender, and they stay that way for days sitting on the counter. No dry edges, no flat spreading, just big bakery-style cookies that look and taste like you picked them up from a fancy cookie shop.
Jump to:
Cookies and Cream Cookies Ingredients
Here's everything you'll need for a batch of 30 cookies.
See Recipe Card Below This Post For Ingredient Quantities
- All-purpose flour: Forms the structure of the cookies. It keeps them thick and chewy without being cakey.
- ,Cornstarch: A small but important addition. It softens the crumb and helps give the cookies that tender, bakery-style texture.
- Baking soda: Gives the cookies a little lift and helps the edges set while the centers stay soft.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out the flavor of the chocolate and vanilla.
- Full-fat brick cream cheese, softened: This is the secret weapon. It makes the dough incredibly rich and keeps the cookies soft for days. Make sure it's fully softened so it creams smoothly.
- Butter, softened: Adds richness and helps create that tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Room temperature butter is key here.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the dough and helps the edges get that slight golden crispness.
- Packed light or dark brown sugar: Adds a warm, molasses depth and contributes to the chewy texture. Either light or dark works beautifully.
- Large egg, at room temperature: Binds everything together and adds moisture. Room temperature helps it blend evenly into the dough.
- Pure vanilla extract: Rounds out the sweetness and adds a warm, comforting aroma to every bite.
- White chocolate chips: Melts into sweet little pockets throughout the cookie. They pair perfectly with the Oreo pieces and cream cheese flavor.
- Roughly chopped Oreos : The star of the show. Chopping them roughly gives you big, satisfying chunks of cookie in every bite rather than fine crumbs.
How to Make Cookies and Cream Cookies
Here's a short note before you start: the dough needs at least 2 hours in the fridge, so plan accordingly. It's completely hands-off time, and it makes a huge difference in how the Cookies and Cream Cookies bake up.
Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt until combined. Set this bowl aside.
Beat the cream cheese: In a large bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the softened cream cheese on medium-high speed until it's completely smooth and creamy with no lumps.
Add the butter: Add the softened butter and beat until the two are fully combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. You want a unified, fluffy base before moving on.
Cream in the sugars: Add both the granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until the mixture looks smooth, pale, and a little fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Mix in egg and vanilla: Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat on high speed for about 1 minute until fully combined. Scrape the bowl down and give it one more quick mix.
Combine wet and dry: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. Don't overmix here or the cookies can turn out tough.
Fold in the white chocolate chips: With the mixer still on low, beat in the white chocolate chips until they're evenly distributed.
Add the Oreos: Add the roughly chopped Oreos and mix on low speed or gently fold them in with a silicone spatula until they're evenly mixed through the dough.
Chill the dough: Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 4 days. If the dough has chilled for more than a few hours, let it sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes before scooping. This makes it easier to work with.
Preheat and prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Scoop the dough: Use a medium cookie scoop to portion out heaping 1½ tablespoons of dough per cookie. Place them about 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets to give them room to spread.
Bake: Bake for 12 to 13 minutes, until the edges look lightly golden and set. The centers will still look very soft and slightly underdone when you pull them out. That's exactly right.
Cool on the pan: Leave the cookies on the hot baking sheet for 5 minutes. They'll continue setting up during this time and that rest is what gives them that thick, soft center.
Transfer and decorate: Move the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. While they're still warm, press a few extra white chocolate chips or Oreo pieces into the tops if you'd like a prettier finish.
Store: Keep the cooled Cookies and Cream Cookies covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Substitutions and Swaps
No cream cheese? You can leave it out, but the texture will change. The Cookies and Cream Cookies will be slightly less tender and won't stay soft quite as long. A dollop of full-fat sour cream (about ¼ cup) is the closest swap.
Salted butter instead of unsalted: That works fine. Just skip the added salt or reduce it to a small pinch.
Different sandwich cookies: Double Stuf Oreos, Golden Oreos, or mint Oreos all work well here. Just chop them roughly the same way.
No white chocolate chips? Regular milk or dark chocolate chips are a great alternative. They'll make the cookies taste more like a traditional Cookies and Cream Cookies flavor.
Brown sugar variations: Light brown sugar keeps the flavor mild and sweet. Dark brown sugar adds a slightly richer, deeper molasses note. Both are delicious.
Equipment For Cookies and Cream Cookies
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Large mixing bowl
- Hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment
- Silicone spatula or wooden spoon
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
- Medium cookie scoop
- Wire cooling rack
How to Store These Cookies and Cream Cookies
Room temperature: Store in an airtight container or zip-top bag for up to 1 week. They'll stay soft the whole time, which is one of the best things about the cream cheese in the dough.
Refrigerator: You can keep them in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Let them sit out for 15 to 20 minutes before eating so they soften back up.
Freezer - baked cookies: Cool completely, then freeze in a single layer before transferring to a freezer bag. They keep well for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Freezer - raw dough: Scoop the dough into balls, freeze on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake straight from frozen at 350°F, adding 2 to 3 extra minutes to the bake time.
Expert Tips
Don't skip the chill time. It's the biggest factor in getting thick, bakery-style Cookies and Cream Cookies that don't spread into flat discs. Two hours is the minimum, overnight is even better.
Softened, not melted. Both the cream cheese and butter need to be at room temperature, not melted or cold. Cold cream cheese will leave lumps in the dough. Melted butter will make the cookies spread too much.
Chop the Oreos roughly. Aim for a mix of larger chunks and smaller crumbles. Too fine and you lose the texture. Too uniform and every bite feels the same.
Press toppings in while warm. If you want extra Oreo pieces or white chocolate chips on top, press them in right when the cookies come out. They'll stick and stay put as the Cookies and Cream Cookies sets.
If you're in a baking mood after these, my Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake or a batch of Apple Oatmeal Muffins would be a great next bake.
FAQ
Can I make cookies and cream cookies without cream cheese?
Yes, you can, but the texture will be noticeably different. Cream cheese is what gives these Cookies and Cream Cookies their signature softness and slight tang. Without it, they'll still taste good but they'll be firmer and won't stay as soft over time. If you want to skip it, try adding an extra tablespoon of butter to compensate for some of the moisture and richness. Karla's tip: if you're out of cream cheese, a scoop of full-fat sour cream is the closest substitute.
Why do I need to chill the cookie dough?
Chilling does two things. First, it firms up the fat so the cookies don't spread too fast in the oven, which is how you get thick, tall cookies instead of flat ones. Second, the resting time lets the flour fully hydrate and the flavors deepen. It's the difference between a good cookie and a great one.
How do I keep Oreo cookies soft?
The cream cheese in this Cookies and Cream Cookies is the main reason they stay so soft, but storage matters too. Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature and they'll stay tender for up to a week. If you notice them starting to dry out, tuck a small piece of bread into the container. It sounds odd but the Cookies absorb the moisture from the bread and stay soft longer.
Can I freeze Cookies and Cream Cookies dough?
Absolutely. Scoop the chilled dough into individual balls, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and freeze until solid, usually about 1 to 2 hours. Transfer to a zip-top freezer bag and they'll keep for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen at 350°F and just add 2 to 3 extra minutes. It's so handy to have a stash in the freezer for last-minute baking.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Cookies and Cream Cookies
Cookies & Cream Cookies
Materials
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled for accuracy
- 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch helps create a softer texture
- 1 teaspoon baking soda for leavening
- ½ teaspoon salt balances sweetness
- 4 ounces cream cheese full-fat, softened
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar for sweetness
- ½ cup brown sugar lightly packed
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract pure vanilla preferred
- 1 cup white chocolate chips good-quality baking chips
- 1 ¼ cups Oreo cookies roughly chopped into bite-size pieces
Instructions
- Combine the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until evenly blended.
- Beat the softened cream cheese until smooth, then mix in the butter until fully incorporated. Add both sugars and continue beating until light and creamy. Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and mix just until no dry streaks remain. Stir in the white chocolate chips, then gently fold in the chopped Oreo pieces. mix
- Cover the dough tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours until firm enough to scoop. assemble
- Heat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. prep
- Portion the dough into heaping tablespoon-and-a-half scoops and arrange them several inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. assemble
- Bake the cookies until the edges are lightly golden while the centers remain soft, about 12-13 minutes. bake
- Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely. finish
Leave a Reply