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Cream Cheese Cookie Polar Bears Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 57 reviews
  • Author: Jessica
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 14 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours 4 minutes
  • Yield: 30 cookies
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Delightful Soft-Batch Cream Cheese Polar Bear Cookies featuring buttery, fluffy cookies topped with creamy vanilla buttercream and decorated with sanding sugar and chocolate chips for a charming polar bear design. These cookies are perfect for festive occasions and fun baking projects with a tender texture and easy-to-follow preparation.

Ingredients

Scale

Soft-Batch Cream Cheese Cookies

  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (170g)
  • 1/2 cup or 4 oz. full fat cream cheese, room temperature (113g)
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (300g)
  • 1 large egg, room temperature (56g)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (8g)
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour (375g)
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch (8g)
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder (2g)
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt (3g)

Buttercream Frosting for Cookies

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (226g)
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (12g)
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt (3g)
  • 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar (454g or 1 lb. box)
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature (60g)

Decorations

  • 1 cup coarse sanding sugar
  • 30 large chocolate chips (preferably Ghirardelli dark chocolate chips)
  • Round black sprinkles
  • Round red or pink sprinkles

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Cookie Dough: In a large bowl or stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat 3/4 cup unsalted butter and 1/2 cup cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Add 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar and mix on medium-high speed for a couple of minutes until the mixture lightens in color. Incorporate 1 large egg and 2 tsp vanilla extract by mixing on medium speed until combined.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 Tbsp cornstarch, 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp fine salt.
  3. Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in two batches, mixing on low speed just until incorporated. Scrape the bowl sides with a rubber spatula between additions. The dough will be sticky.
  4. Chill Dough: Divide the dough into two portions, flatten each into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 2 hours in the fridge or 30 minutes in the freezer. For overnight chilling, allow dough to sit 10 minutes at room temperature before rolling.
  5. Preheat Oven and Prepare Sheets: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) roughly 30 minutes before baking. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  6. Roll and Cut Cookies: Remove one dough portion, unwrap, and place plastic wrap flat on the counter. Lightly flour the dough and rolling pin. Roll dough to 1/3 inch thickness. Cut 2 1/2 inch circles using a cookie cutter or round glass. Brush off excess flour and place circles on baking sheets about 1 inch apart.
  7. Cut Ears: Use a 3/4-inch cutter or small bottle cap to cut out smaller circles from remaining dough for ears. Cut a small notch from each small circle to sit flush against larger cookies. Attach two ears to each large circle by gently pressing dough edges together.
  8. Chill Cut Cookies: Chill the assembled cookies for 15 minutes in the fridge or 5 minutes in the freezer to help retain shape during baking.
  9. Bake Cookies: Bake one sheet at a time for 12-14 minutes on the top rack, watching carefully to avoid browning edges. Remove before edges brown.
  10. Cool Cookies: Let baked cookies cool on the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  11. Recycle Dough Scraps: Knead leftover dough scraps, rewrap in plastic, and chill in the fridge while continuing to bake the next batch.
  12. Repeat for Remaining Dough: Repeat rolling, cutting, assembling ears, chilling, baking, and cooling for the second dough portion and scraps.
  13. Make Buttercream Frosting: Using a paddle attachment, beat 1 cup unsalted butter on medium for 30 seconds until smooth. Add 1 Tbsp vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp salt; mix on low.
  14. Add Sugar and Cream: Gradually mix in 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 1/4 cup heavy cream, scraping bowl sides as needed. Beat on low until smooth. Adjust consistency by adding cream or powdered sugar as needed.
  15. Prepare Piping Bag: Transfer frosting to a large piping bag fitted with a medium round tip or with a 1 cm opening cut in the bag’s end. Seal the top with a rubber band. Set aside.
  16. Decorate Cookies: Pour 1 cup white sanding sugar into a small bowl. Once cookies are cooled, pipe a thin frosting layer on one cookie, then gently press the cookie into the sanding sugar to cover the top evenly. Pipe a small oval near the bottom of the cookie for the muzzle. Press one large chocolate chip on top as the nose. Use black sprinkles for eyes and red or pink sprinkles for ears. Feel free to improvise with other decorations or fondant.
  17. Serving and Storage: Repeat decorating for all cookies, enjoy immediately or store as described in notes.

Notes

  • This recipe yields about 30 cookies, each approximately 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Baking time and yield may vary with different cutter sizes.
  • You can halve the recipe; to do so, use half of a scrambled egg for the dough. Avoid doubling unless equipped with a commercial-size mixer (8 qt.).
  • Store frosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, in the fridge up to 5 days, or freeze up to 1 month. Chill and separate with parchment to stack safely.
  • Cookie dough freezes well up to 1 month; thaw overnight in fridge before rolling and baking.
  • Baked but unfrosted cookies freeze well for up to a month in airtight containers. Decorate after thawing.
  • Chill dough thoroughly to prevent spreading and encourage soft, fluffy texture.
  • Do not overmix the dough to avoid tough, dense cookies.
  • Roll dough evenly to 1/3 inch thickness for uniform baking.
  • Underbake cookies slightly to maintain softness; they continue cooking a bit after removal from oven.
  • Use a light dusting of flour on the dough and rolling pin to prevent sticking.
  • Customize the polar bear decoration creatively with available sprinkles or fondant.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cookie
  • Calories: 180 kcal
  • Sugar: 20 g
  • Sodium: 80 mg
  • Fat: 9 g
  • Saturated Fat: 5.5 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 24 g
  • Fiber: 0.3 g
  • Protein: 2 g
  • Cholesterol: 35 mg

Find it online: https://jessicasrecipes.com/cream-cheese-cookie-polar-bears-recipe/