If you have known me for any length of time, you have probably had one of these. I originally posted Pan Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies back in September of ’08, when I first started blogging. I love sugar cookies. What makes a great sugar cookie? Soft, sweet, tender, great frosting.
 
 
 
 

Pan Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

5 from 1 vote
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Author: Si Foster
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
cooling time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 24
The best sugar cookie ever! Pan Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies are baked in a sheet pan instead of rolling and cutting out induvidually. Perfect dessert for a crowd and for make ahead.

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 8 oz cream cheese (only regular, no low or no-fat), softened
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract, (optional but recommended)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla, (optional, or you may use 1 1/2 teaspons vanilla and omit almond extract)* see recipe notes
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 ½ cups All Purpose flour

Frosting:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 oz cream cheese – only regular (full fat) , softened (see recipe notes)
  • 3 ½-4 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • dash of salt
  • milk or half and half, to thin icing
  • food coloring, if desired

Instructions

  • Set rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees while making cookie dough. Generously grease a jelly roll pan with cooking spray or butter. Set aside.
  • Cream 1 cup unsalted butter and 8 oz cream cheese together for about 1 minute in a stand mixer. Add granulated sugar. Mix for an additional minute on medium speed.
  • Add egg, almond and vanilla extract, blend until smooth.
  • Mix in all of the dry ingredients at once. Do not over mix. Mix just until wet and dry ingredients are incorporated on low speed.
  • Spread the dough into the pan with a long knife or spatula. I usually sprinkle some flour on the dough, so it is easier to spread. You can also use a mini rolling pin (floured) to spread the dough. Try not to press the dough too much, just spread into the pan evenly.
  • Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Cook just until the top is light golden brown. Let cool completely. While cookie is cooling, make sugar cookie icing.

Sugar Cookie Icing

  • Cream 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 4 oz softened cream cheese and powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer.
  • Add vanilla and salt. Beat until smooth.
  • Add milk a little at a time, until the frosting is spreading consistency.
  • When the pan of cookies are cooled completely, top with sugar cookie icing. Refrigerate, covered until ready to serve.

Notes

  • When making this or any other recipe, make sure to follow directions and ingredients precisely for best results. Make sure to use regular and not low fat or no fat cream cheese in this recipe. The texture of the cookies and icing depends on using regular cream cheese! 
  • As with traditional sugar cookies, this dough is best when handled as little as possible. After making the dough, remove from bowl and spread into the sheet pan using a large knife or spatula. You may spray the spreader with a bit of cooking spray or LIGHTLY sprinkle the top of dough with a little flour to help with ease of evenly spreading the dough into the sheet pan. Do not press the dough too much. The more the dough is pressed into the pan, the tougher the dough becomes. Spread and then bake!
  • The dough should be baked just until the top is light golden in color or a toothpick inserted in the center of the pan of dough comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached!
  • The sugar cookie dough calls for 1 teaspoon almond flavoring and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. If you dislike almond flavoring, you may leave it out. The flavor is very subtle and most people who love this cookie love the almond flavoring. If omitting almond, you may use vanilla in its place.  I use pure vanilla extract, but always have a large container of imitation almond extract on hand and have had great results with imitation almond for this recipe. 
  • Make sure to GENEROUSLY grease the pan to prevent sticking of the dough. You may also use a sheet of parchment. 

Equipment

  • stand mixer
  • sheet pan

Did you make this recipe?

Be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. I’d love to see a photo, tag @abountifulkitchen on Instagram!