Golden Girls Cheesecake Cookies

If you love a luscious, pillowy sugar cookie but you’re also a fan of cream cheese, this is the cookie for you. In this post I’m going to show you how to make these delicious Golden Girls Cheesecake Cookies.

Who are the Golden Girls? 

Golden Girls is an iconic TV show that ran for years, featuring four of the funniest ladies in the history of television, including the indomitable Betty White.

According to Wikipedia:

The Golden Girls is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris that aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes, spanning seven seasons. With an ensemble cast starring Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty, the show is about four older women who share a home in Miami, Florida.

The charm of the show, of course, is the personality of the four women and their crazy antics. In some ways, this show was like the I Love Lucy show, in that it featured a small cast (a primary ensemble of four, just like I Love Lucy), and focused on (sometimes) unbelievable stories and funny bits.

Still, we laughed!

One thing about the Golden Girls that also made them endearing was their love of food. There were so many episodes where the ladies were gathered around the kitchen table, laughing and eating.

Have you seen the Cheesecake episode? That’s likely where this recipe for Golden Girls Cheesecake Cookies came from.

Golden Girls fans are going to love this simple and delicious recipe, based on their adventures in the kitchen.

What is Cheesecake?

Cheesecake is technically a cake, I suppose, though it’s more pie-like in consistency. A good cheesecake is made with ample parts good quality cream cheese.

Some cheesecakes (like my Classic Homemade Cheesecake) are baked; others (like my No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Pie) are of the no-bake variety.

You’ll find cheesecake flavors in many of my bars, as well, so this definitely won’t be the first time I’ve taken cream cheese and used it in a unique way. I was tickled pink at how my Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars turned out. And I’ve got a simple Cheesecake Mousse that will blow you away!

Cream Cheese Cookies are Delicious

And they’re so simple to make! (You’re going to be blown away at just how easy these are.)

This recipe takes those same creamy cheesecake flavors and puts them into a cookie. And trust me when I say this is a cookie you’re going to want to share with friends and family. The recipe is that good!

So, what are you waiting on? Let’s make some cheesecake cookies. (If Sophia were still alive, I would call this Sophia’s Guide to Cheesecake Cookies!)

Cheesecake Cookie Ingredients

You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post but here’s a quick peek at what you’ll need to make these cookies. These are simple ingredients you probably already have on hand in your pantry and refrigerator. 

• room temperature butter (salted or unsalted butter, your choice)
• room temperature cream cheese
• whole eggs
• vanilla
• granulated sugar
• all-purpose flour
• baking powder
• salt
• powdered sugar (to sprinkle)

How to Make Golden Girls Cookies

You’re not going to believe how simple this recipe is! These came together in no time! 

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees. 

Put the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and set aside. 

Place parchment paper on two baking sheets and set aside. 

It’s important that your ingredients are room temperature before you begin. I set my butter and cream cheese out a couple of hours before starting. 

Place the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment. 

Beat for at least 2 – 3 minutes until light and fluffy. 

Add the sugar and continue to mix on medium speed. 

Now add the eggs. Slowly work them in on low speed. 

Work in the dry ingredients, half at a time, pausing in-between to scrape the edges of the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula. 

Don’t overmix but do make sure the flour is fully incorporated. 

Use a cookie scoop or spoon to place dough balls on the cookie sheet. 

Place in preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 12-13 minutes or until cookies start to turn golden brown. You don’t want to over cook these. 

Remove and place cookie sheet on wire rack to cool. 

Transfer cookies directly to cooling rack. 

Once they’ve cooled for a few minutes, sprinkle with powdered sugar. 

Serve and enjoy! 

Store leftover cookies at room temperature in an airtight container. They should stay fresh up to 2 – 3 days. If you prefer to refrigerate, make sure they’re in a ziplock or other airtight bag. 

What to Expect from this Cheesecake Cookies Recipe

These are light, pillowy, and sweet and they’re served to you with a dash of Florida sunshine, thanks to those wonderful Golden Girls! And you don’t need to wait for National Cheesecake Day to serve them. I call them my “baby cakes” and with good reason!

I was amazed at how they still maintained the creamy cheesecake flavor and feel while remaining to light and airy, but somehow they did! I see now why these cookies are such a hit! And I’m really sure Blanche, Rose, Dorothy, and Sophia would adore them!

I was so impressed with the ease of the recipe. To be honest, I baked these at the end of a very long day when I was already wiped out, so it really came as a relief to see them come together so easily and quickly. 

The bottoms have a light crisp but the interior is just lovely. This is one of those golden girls-approved cheesecake recipes, y’all!

I’m so grateful for the recommendation for this one! I just love simple, easy, and delicious! It’s like a dash of Florida sunshine in cookie form, and all based one of my favorite iconic tv shows.

Variations on this New Dessert Recipe

This delicious sweet treat is simple and perfect but I’m already thinking of other things to add. Here are some ideas: 

Cream Cheese Frosting: Why didn’t I think of this? Instead of powdered sugar, spoon on some of my delicious homemade cream cheese frosting!

Lemon: Next time I’m going to add the zest and the juice of one lemon. I think it would take these over the top!

Almond: These are just begging for a half teaspoon of almond extract. 

Cinnamon: You could roll these in a cinnamon sugar mixture and get a pillowy version of the traditional Snickerdoodle. 

Chocolate Cheesecake Cookies: Add a quarter cup of dutch cocoa powder to turn these into chocolate cheesecake cookies. (Delicious!)

Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Cookies: Add some rich dulche de leche to the batter or drizzle them with it after-the fact.

Drizzle with chocolate: If you want to make these Golden-Girls-friendly you’re going to want to drizzle chocolate on top! 

Caramel drizzle: I happen to have some caramel on hand so I drizzled one with caramel instead of using powdered sugar. 

Sour cream: I think this recipe would be delicious with a few tablespoons of sour cream added. Yum!

Other Sugar Cookies from Out of the Box Baking

Golden Girls for the win! Fans of the show have probably taken note of the fact that the ladies are often dieting. (I am too, at this very moment.) So, you might want to skip the following luscious cookies if you’re counting calories. Otherwise, dive in!

Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies: I hate to brag but my Old-Fashioned sugar cookies are simply the best. I can say that because I make them using my mama’s recipe.

Cut Out Sugar Cookies: This recipe is used more than any other in my house. If you’ve seen my hand-painted cookies, you know that I start with a soft cookie that bakes up perfectly flat and ready for painting with royal icing.

The Perfect Sugar Crinkle Cookies: Crinkle cookies are just that. . .deliberately crinkly on top! I just love this easy recipe.

Brown Sugar Pecan Cookies: If you prefer brown sugar to white you’re going to flip over this brown sugar pecan cookie recipe. It’s rich and delicious.

I can’t wait to try these Whipped Shortbread Cookies from my friend Julie at Back to my Souther Roots! They look delicious!

Other Cheesecake Inspired Desserts from Out of the Box Baking

The Ultimate Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars: These are creamy and delicious, loaded with crunchy pecans!

Strawberry Cheesecake Bars with Crescent Rolls: You’re going to flip over this easy and delicious dessert!

Orange Cranberry Cheesecake Bars: Just in time for the holidays, y’all! These cheesecake bars are loaded with cranberry and oranges. They’re delicious!

Easy Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars: This is where my journey with cheesecake bars began. These are simple and delicious. . .and start with crescent rolls!

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What is Your Favorite Golden Girls episode?

Leave a note in the comments and let’s talk about it! (I’m guessing there are going to be a lot of them!)

That’s it for this post, friends! I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe. 

If you make this recipe and love it, don’t forget to leave a review and a comment below. And while you’re at it, go ahead and pin some photos on this page to your Pinterest boards!

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See this recipe at

• Full Plate Thursday 
• Weekend Potluck
• The Lazy Gastronome
• Busy Monday

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About the Author

Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 150 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.