These chocolate chip cut-out cookies are classic sugar cookies studded with sweet mini chocolate chips. Perfect for the holiday season, Valentine's Day, or any special occasion, these cookies are soft, chewy, and easy to shape with your favorite cookie cutters.
My family makes cream cheese cut-out cookies every year for Christmas, and they're my absolute favorite cookies. I turned them into red velvet cut-out cookies earlier this month and wanted to do another fun twist. So these chocolate chip cut-out cookies were born!
These are soft cookies made with butter and cream cheese for richness and a subtle tang. Unlike a classic chocolate chip cookie, they don't have any brown sugar. White sugar lets the chocolate flavor really shine!
You can cut the dough into so many unique shapes, making this recipe perfect for any holiday or occasion. It's fun to make with family and kids.
I grew up making this recipe with my mom, so I know it well and have included lots of tips to help you make them in this blog post.
For more chocolate chip cookie recipes, try these chocolate chip sugar cookies, milk chocolate chip cookies, chocolate chip marshmallow cookies, or brown butter chocolate chip cookie pie.
Key Ingredient Notes
For quantities and full instructions, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Unsalted butter- Provides richness and ensures a tender crumb. Use it at room temperature for smooth mixing to get evenly blended cookie dough.
- Cream cheese- Cream cheese adds tangy flavor and keeps the dough soft and easy to handle. Opt for full-fat cream cheese at room temperature. Take it out of the refrigerator with the butter 1-2 hours before you start baking.
- Egg yolk- Enhances richness and chewiness of the cookies, acting as a binder without making the dough overly soft.
- Vanilla extract- Choose pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste for the best flavor!
- All purpose flour- Provides structure, helping the cookies hold their shape while baking. Weigh it in grams with a kitchen scale for accuracy, or fluff and spoon it into your measuring cup to avoid overpacking. Too much flour leads to dry cookies!
- Baking powder-ย Gives a slight lift for a soft yet stable texture. Be sure it's fresh because old baking powder can affect the cookies' rise and texture. It should be less than 6 months old!
- Mini chocolate chips- I used semi-sweet mini chocolate chips, but you can also use milk, white, or dark chocolate. Regular sized chocolate chips work too, but they make the dough a little harder to cut with cookie cutters.
Cream Cheese Substitute
You can substitute the cream cheese with mascarpone cheese, but make sure the mascarpone is COLD. It's much softer than cream cheese and will be more stable straight out of the fridge. You can also leave out the cheese completely and use an equal amount of butter, but the cookies won't be as thick.
Additions and Variations
- Dip in chocolate- Dip half of the cookies into melted chocolate and place on a cooling rack until the chocolate hardens. You can also drizzle chocolate on top!
- Add frosting- Decorate the cookies with royal icing or a simple icing made with heavy cream and powdered sugar.
- Cookie sandwiches- Pipe milk chocolate ganache, mascarpone frosting, or almond buttercream on one cookie and place the same cutout shape on top!
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: In the bowl of an electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy.
Step 2: Add the granulated sugar and beat on medium speed until fully incorporated. Reduce the speed to low and mix in the egg yolk and vanilla extract.
Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl to make sure everything is evenly combined.
Step 3: Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix into the wet ingredients on low speed until mostly combined. There should still be a few dry streaks of flour.
Step 4: Mix in the chocolate chips on low speed until the dry streaks of flour disappear. Try not to overmix since it can make the cookies tough.
Cover the bowl of chocolate chip cookie dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
While it chills, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 5: Dust a work surface or silicone mat with extra flour. Use a rolling pin to roll the cookie dough to โ inch thickness.
Cut with desired cookie cutters and place on the prepared cookie sheet. You can use Christmas shapes, heart cookie cutters, or any fun shapes you like.
Step 6: Bake until the cookies are a little puffy but the edges look set. They might be light golden brown.
Step 7: Remove from the oven and let them cool on the hot baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to fully cool.
Add icing, sprinkles, or other decorations, and enjoy!
Expert Baking Tips
- Chill the dough. After mixing the dough, chill it in the fridge for at least 2 hours. This important step helps firm the dough, making it easier to roll out and less likely to spread during baking.
- Use room temperature ingredients. Use room temperature butter, cream cheese, and eggs so they combine together seamlessly for an even bake.
- Roll dough between parchment paper. For easy clean up, roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper. This method also keeps the dough from sticking to the rolling pin.
- Roll the dough to an even thickness. This is so the cookies bake evenly. If the dough is too thick, the cookies will take longer to bake; if it's too thin, they'll burn or break easily.
Storage Tips
Store leftover chocolate chip cut out cookies in an airtight container. If you added icing, separate the layers with parchment or sheets of wax paper so they don't stick together.
They'll stay fresh at room temperature for 3-4 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Freezing Instructions
Freezing baked chocolate chip sugar cookies- Allow the cut-out cookies to cool completely, then layer them in an airtight container, placing parchment or wax paper between layers to prevent sticking. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Freezing cookie dough- Roll out the dough, cut into shapes, and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze for 1-2 hours until firm, then transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag, separating the layers with parchment paper. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can make the dough up to 3 days ahead of time. Store it in a covered bowl in the fridge. Before rolling it out and baking, let the dough warm on the counter for 20 minutes or until it's easy to handle.
Yes! You have to chill the dough for at least 2 hours. This helps the dough firm up, making it easier to roll out and cut into shapes without it becoming too sticky. It also keeps the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
The dough might be too cold, or it could be overworked. Try letting the dough warm up a little before rolling and be sure to roll it out gently.
More Cookie Recipes to Try
๐ Recipe
Chocolate Chip Cut-Out Cookies (with Mini Chocolate Chips)
Equipment
- 1 Electric hand mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment
- 2 baking sheets
- 1 Rolling Pin
- Cookie cutters
Need Metric or US Customary Measurements?
Use the buttons below to toggle between grams and cups!
Ingredients
- 113 grams unsalted butter room temperature
- 113 grams full-fat cream cheese room temperature
- 150 grams granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 240 grams all purpose flour
- ยฝ teaspoon baking powder
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- 100 grams mini chocolate chips semi-sweet
Instructions
- Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed until combined.113 grams unsalted butter, 113 grams full-fat cream cheese
- Add granulated sugar and beat on medium speed until smooth and fully incorporated.150 grams granulated sugar
- Reduce to low and mix in the egg yolk and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.1 egg yolk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add all purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed until mostly combined. There should still be a few white streaks left.240 grams all purpose flour, ยฝ teaspoon baking powder, ยฝ teaspoon salt
- Mix in the chocolate chips on low speed until the dry streaks of flour disappear. Do not overmix.100 grams mini chocolate chips
- Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. While it chills, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius) and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Dust a work surface or silicone mat with flour. Use a rolling pin to roll the cookie dough to โ inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters and place on the prepared cookie sheets.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes until the cookies are puffy but the edges look set and light golden brown.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool on the hot baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Add icing, sprinkles, and other decorations and enjoy!
Megan Weimer
I love how tender these cookies are. The cream cheese adds so much! And chocolate chips are the perfect addition.