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Italian Cream Cake Cookies

If you’re a fan of Italian cream cake but you’re in the mood for a cookie, this is the post for you! This original recipe is soft, pillowy, and loaded with all of those Italian Cream Cake flavors you’ve come to love, only in cookie form! 

Italian Cream Cake is Divine!

And it happens to be my personal favorite. If you’ve read my recipe post for Italian Cream Cake, you know there’s a family joke. I’ve always told my kids that after I die, when they’re gazing into my casket, they should whisper the words “Italian cream cake!” Just to see if I come springing back up again. 

Just kidding, of course. I wouldn’t trade the bliss of heaven for anything. But you have to admit, Italian Cream Cake is pretty blissful, too! 

Today I had a hankering for cookies.

And I had this random idea: What if I could take my Italian Cream cake recipe and turn it into a cookie somehow? I searched online and found a few recipes but none of them caught my eye. I pored over my own recipes and that’s when it hit me: Take my Golden Girls cheesecake cookie and use it as a base. 

The Golden Girls Cheesecake cookie is one of my most request recipes. And it’s definitely one of my more popular posts. . .for a reason. These little cookies are soft and dreamy, sweet and creamy. And they’re so, so easy to make. Best of all, they incorporate cream cheese, a key ingredient in Italian cream cake. 

A Terrific Idea!

Why not take that soft cookie and add pecans and coconut—both inside and out? And why not add a dollop o cream cheese frosting on top? (I happened to have some made from a recent cupcake bake.) 

And so, that’s what I did. I whipped up a batch o cheesecake cookies, stirred in the good stuff, and rolled ‘em in more coconut and pecans. Then I topped ‘em off with frosting. 

And y’all. . .well, let’s just say I have a new personal favorite. And I’m incredibly proud to offer this recipe to you today. 

So what are we waiting for? Let’s bake some cookies!

Italian Cream Cake Cookie Ingredients

Italian Cream Cake Cookies from Out of the Box Baking

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. These are simple ingredients you might already have on hand in your pantry or fridge. 

FOR THE COOKIES

  • 1 stick room temperature butter (salted or unsalted, your choice)
  • 1 block (1 cup) room temperature cream cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 ½ cups flour
  • 2 teaspoon Baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt (if you use unsalted butter)
  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • 1 cup finely chopped pecans

FOR THE FROSTING

  • 1 block cream cheese
  • 1 stick butter
  • 3 - 4 cups powdered sugar

How to Make Italian Cream Cake Cookies

These come together so quickly and easily! 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Make sure cream cheese and butter are room temperature. 

Italian Cream Cake Cookies from Out of the Box Baking

Beat cream cheese and butter together for 2 - 3 minutes until light and fluffy. 

Italian Cream Cake Cookies from Out of the Box Baking

Add eggs, vanilla, and sugar. Continue to mix.

Italian Cream Cake Cookies from Out of the Box Baking

Now it’s time to add the flour, salt, and baking powder. Beat until it comes together but don’t over mix. 

Italian Cream Cake Cookies from Out of the Box Baking

Add half of the coconut and chopped pecans, holding back half for rolling. 

Italian Cream Cake Cookies from Out of the Box Baking

Place dough into refrigerator for half an hour. 

Scoop into balls using a cookie scoop (about 1”) and roll in the remaining pecan/coconut mixture. 

Place balls on parchment paper lined baking sheet. 

Italian Cream Cake Cookies from Out of the Box Baking

Press down the centers with your thumb. 

Italian Cream Cake Cookies from Out of the Box Baking

Bake for 12 - 13 minutes. Do not over bake. 

Remove and place on wire rack to cool. 

Italian Cream Cake Cookies from Out of the Box Baking

Make the Frosting

While the cookies are baking, make your frosting. 

Beat the cream cheese and butter until light in color and fluffy. 

Add powdered sugar and mix until it comes together. 

(You can add more or less powdered sugar to adjust the consistency, if you like. You can also add a dash or two of milk or cream.) 

Italian Cream Cake Cookies from Out of the Box Baking

Once cookies have cooled, spoon a teaspoon of cream cheese frosting.

Italian Cream Cake Cookies from Out of the Box Baking

Sprinkle on remaining nuts and coconut.

Italian Cream Cake Cookies from Out of the Box Baking

Serve and enjoy!

Italian Cream Cake Cookies from Out of the Box Baking

Store at room temperature in an airtight container. They should stay fresh 2 - 3 days. 

Italian Cream Cake Cookies from Out of the Box Baking

These are delicious, y'all! They're soft, but loaded with texture from the coconut and pecans. This one's going to be a new favorite, I promise!

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 to your Pinterest boards!

See this recipe at  

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Italian Cream Cake Cookies

Italian Cream Cake Cookies

Yield: 24
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes
Total Time: 23 minutes

If you’re a fan of Italian cream cake but you’re in the mood for a cookie, this is the post for you! This original recipe is soft, pillowy, and loaded with all of those Italian Cream Cake flavors you’ve come to love, only in cookie form!

Ingredients

  • FOR THE COOKIES
  • 1 stick room temperature butter (salted or unsalted, your choice)
  • 1 block (1 cup) room temperature cream cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 ½ cups flour
  • 2 teaspoon Baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt (if you use unsalted butter)
  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • 1 cup finely chopped pecans
  • FOR THE FROSTING
  • 1 block cream cheese
  • 1 stick butter
  • 3 - 4 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Make sure cream cheese and butter are room temperature.
  3. Beat cream cheese and butter together for 2 - 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
  4. Add eggs, vanilla, and sugar. Continue to mix.
  5. Now it’s time to add the flour, salt, and baking powder. Beat until it comes together but don’t over mix.
  6. Add half of the coconut and chopped pecans, holding back half for rolling.
    Place dough into refrigerator for half an hour.
  7. Scoop into balls using a cookie scoop (about 1”) and roll in the remaining pecan/coconut mixture.
  8. Place balls on parchment paper lined baking sheet.
  9. Press down the centers with your thumb.
  10. Bake for 12 - 13 minutes. Do not over bake.
  11. Remove and place on wire rack to cool.
  12. Make the Frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter until light in color and fluffy.
  13. Add powdered sugar and mix until it comes together.
  14. (You can add more or less powdered sugar to adjust the consistency, if you like. You can also add a dash or two of milk or cream.)
  15. Once cookies have cooled, spoon a teaspoon of cream cheese frosting.
  16. Serve and enjoy!
  17. Store at room temperature in an airtight container. They should stay fresh 2 - 3 days.

Becky

Tuesday 3rd of December 2024

Why are the directions not included on the recipe card?

Becky

Wednesday 4th of December 2024

@booksbyjanice, Thanks! These are on my cookie list for this year.

booksbyjanice

Tuesday 3rd of December 2024

Thank you for catching that! I'm not sure how it happened but I've corrected it now.

Janetta

Sunday 27th of October 2024

These look and sound amazing! Thank you!

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