These are soft, tender, melt-in-your-mouth bakery cream cheese cookies with a pocket of raspberry jam in every center. The secret is cream cheese in the dough — it makes them impossibly soft with a gentle tang that balances the sweet jam, like a cross between a thumbprint cookie and cheesecake. They stay soft for days, look gorgeous on a tray, and the dough comes together in one bowl.
Fun fact: cream cheese is an American invention from 1872, created by a New York dairyman trying to replicate French Neufchâtel. In baking, its acidity tenderizes gluten and its fat keeps cookies soft — the same reason it makes cheesecake so silky.
Why this recipe works
CREAM CHEESE keeps them soft. Its fat and moisture give a tender, cakey crumb that doesn’t go hard the next day.
CHILL the dough. 30 minutes in the fridge stops the cookies from spreading into flat puddles and keeps the jam well neat.
MAKE the well twice. Press a thumbprint before baking, then press again halfway through — it stops the jam from sliding off.
Ingredients
Serves 24 cookies.
Dough:
1/2 cup (115 g) butter, softened
4 oz (115 g) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract (optional, lovely with raspberry)
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Filling and finish:
1/2 cup good raspberry jam (seedless if you prefer)
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
Step 1: Cream the base
Beat softened butter, cream cheese and sugar 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Step 2: Add wet
Beat in the egg yolk, vanilla and almond extract until smooth.
Step 3: Add dry
Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl, then mix into the wet just until a soft dough forms. Don’t overmix.
Step 4: Chill
Cover and chill the dough at least 30 minutes (up to 2 days). Cold dough = thick, soft cookies.
Step 5: Shape
Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll dough into 1-inch balls, place 2 inches apart on lined trays, and press a deep well in each center with your thumb or a teaspoon.
Step 6: Fill
Spoon about 1/2 tsp raspberry jam into each well — don’t overfill or it bubbles over.
Step 7: Bake
Bake 11-13 minutes until set but still pale (they shouldn’t brown much). If wells puffed up, gently press them again right out of the oven and add a touch more jam.
Step 8: Cool and dust
Cool 5 minutes on the tray, then transfer to a rack. Dust with powdered sugar once fully cool.
Nutrition information
Calories: 130 kcal per cookie
Protein: 2 g
Carbohydrates: 18 g
Fat: 6 g
Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
Sugar: 10 g
Pro tips for the best raspberry cream cheese cookies
Use any jam. Strawberry, apricot, blackberry or fig all work beautifully — match the season.
Add a glaze. A simple powdered-sugar-and-milk drizzle makes them extra special instead of a dusting.
Don’t overbake. Pull them while pale for the softest texture; they firm as they cool.
Room-temp ingredients. Soft butter and cream cheese cream together smoothly — cold lumps won’t.
Frequently asked questions
Why did my jam run out of the cookies?
Usually too much jam or wells that puffed shut. Use about 1/2 tsp, and re-press the wells halfway through baking.
Can I freeze the dough?
Yes — freeze the rolled balls (un-filled) on a tray, then bag. Thaw, make the wells, fill and bake.
Can I make them ahead?
Definitely. Baked cookies keep soft in an airtight container 4-5 days, or freeze up to 2 months.
Do I need almond extract?
No, but a little pairs gorgeously with raspberry. Leave it out or swap in lemon zest.
Why only the egg yolk?
The yolk adds richness and softness without the extra liquid of the white, which would make the dough spread.
