Cream Cheese Shortbread Cookies
Relive Your Memories with Delicious Cream Cheese Shortbread Cookies!
After spending some time focusing on baking bread, I’ve finally returned to baking cookies! I’ve always wanted to recreate the taste of the ‘Calorie Bar’ I loved in my school days, and this cream cheese shortbread cookie recipe seemed like the perfect opportunity. It’s surprisingly easy to make at home, so I decided to give it a try! The result was incredibly satisfying – a crispy yet tender texture with a subtle, delightful cream cheese flavor. Enjoy these cookies for a sweet moment with loved ones.
Cookie Dough Ingredients- 55g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 60g cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 45g granulated sugar
- 120g cake flour (low-gluten flour)
- 80g almond flour
- 1g salt
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Before you begin, make sure to take your butter and cream cheese out of the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature until they are soft and creamy. This will make it much easier to cream them together. In a mixing bowl, combine the softened butter and cream cheese. Use a whisk or spatula to blend them until smooth and well combined.
Step 2
Add the 45g of sugar to the creamed butter and cream cheese mixture. Continue to mix until the sugar is fully dissolved and incorporated into the mixture. At this stage, add the 1g of salt to balance the flavors and enhance the overall taste of the cookies.
Step 3
Sift together the 120g of cake flour and 80g of almond flour. Sifting helps to prevent lumps and incorporates air into the dry ingredients, contributing to a lighter, more tender cookie texture. Add these sifted flours to the butter and cream cheese mixture.
Step 4
Gently mix the ingredients with a spatula or your hands until just combined and no dry flour streaks remain. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough cookies. The dough should come together into a cohesive ball. It should look smooth once formed.
Step 5
Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap, shaping it into a log or a flat disc. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. This chilling period allows the fats to firm up, making the dough easier to handle and cut, and contributes to a crispier final texture.
Step 6
After chilling, the dough should be firm to the touch. Remove it from the refrigerator and cut it into pieces, approximately 2cm thick. Try to make the slices as uniform in size as possible for even baking.
Step 7
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Place the sliced cookie dough pieces onto the prepared baking sheet, ensuring they have enough space between them as they will spread slightly during baking. Avoid pressing them down too flat; keep them slightly thick.
Step 8
To create a decorative pattern and help with even baking, gently prick the top of each cookie dough slice with the tines of a fork or a chopstick. This classic shortbread look adds visual appeal and aids in heat distribution.
Step 9
Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C (340°F) for about 20 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown. Keep an eye on them as oven temperatures can vary. Once baked, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy your delicious homemade cream cheese shortbread cookies!
