These Apricot Cream Cheese Cookies start with a soft cream cheese dough that bakes into a tender cookie with a sweet apricot preserve filling. The combination of creamy, buttery dough and sweet apricot preserves makes these cookies a wonderful choice for holiday trays, afternoon coffee breaks, or anytime you want a cookie that looks as good as it tastes. If you enjoy baking with cream cheese, check out my Cream Cheese Cookie category for more favorites.
I always keep a jar of apricot preserves in the pantry because they work in so many cookies. Besides these Apricot Cream Cheese Cookies, I also use them in my Apricots with Almonds Rugelach and Apricot Pinwheel Cookies with Orange Glaze, making apricot preserves one of my favorite baking ingredients.
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A Quick Look: Apricot Cream Cheese Cookies
Recipe Name: Apricot Cream Cheese Cookies
Ready In: About 1 hour and 50 minutes (including chill time)
Yield: About 2 ½ dozen cookies
Texture: Soft and tender with a creamy, melt-in-your-mouth cookie base
Flavor Profile: Buttery cream cheese dough with a sweet apricot preserve filling
Difficulty: Easy - The dough is simple to make and work with, though creating the wells for the apricot preserves takes a little patience.
Why You'll Love This Cookie
- Soft cream cheese dough creates a tender cookie that stays moist.
- Apricot preserves add a sweet fruit filling without extra preparation.
- Perfect for holiday cookie trays, tea parties, and special occasions.
- The thumbprint design makes them look elegant while being easy to make.
- A great make-ahead cookie since the dough can be chilled before baking.
Ingredient For Cookies
- Kosher Salt: I bake with Diamond Crystal kosher salt because it blends easily into cookie dough and provides a more consistent flavor throughout the cookies. If using table salt, reduce the amount since it is finer and more concentrated than kosher salt.
- Apricot Preserves: A good-quality apricot preserve makes a big difference in these cookies. I like preserves instead of jam because the small pieces of apricot add a little surprise when you bite into the cookie and give the filling more fruit flavor.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Apricot Cream Cheese Cookies
Prep
Step 1: Lemon juice or zest just brightens up the taste of almost any cookie. For this cookie, we are using both juice and zest. Zest one lemon and only go over the same spot once or twice. If you go deeper into the underlying layer of white, you will give a bitter taste to your cookies. Then cut the lemon in half and juice.
Step 2: Weigh or measure the sugar into a bowl and set it aside.
Step 3: Weigh or measure the flour into a bowl. Add to the flour the baking powder and the salt. Whisk to blend them together.
Mixing the Dough
Step 4: Cube the butter into the mixer bowl, adding the cream cheese right on top.
Step 5: Mix on a medium mixer speed for about a minute. You just want to blend them together.
Step 6: Add the sugar and mix for 3 minutes on a medium mixer speed. Scrape down the bowl and add the egg. Mix to incorporate.
Step 7: Add the lemon juice and lemon zest and mix to blend.
Step 8: Add the flour mixture about a third at a time until all the flour is incorporated. This only takes about a minute. Try not to overmix the flour.
Chill
Step 9: Cover and put into the refrigerator for an hour.
Create Thumbprint Cookies
Step 10: Use a teaspoon, small cookie scoop, or medium cookie scoop to portion the dough into balls. A good size is about 1-½ to 2 inches in circumference, and place them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet pan. I used a medium cookie scooper and got 26 cookie balls. The smaller the balls the more cookies you will have.
Step 11: Take your thumb and go straight down from the top of the ball. Only go about ¾ of the way down; you don't want to hit bottom, or the apricot preserves will leak out.
Making the Indentation
Because the dough is soft from the cream cheese, it may start sticking to your thumb after making a few cookies. I keep a damp paper towel nearby and wipe my thumb between each cookie. It helps create a smooth indentation for the apricot preserves without pulling the dough.
Step 12: After making the indentations in all the cookie dough balls, I use my index finger to gently widen each well. This creates a little more room for the apricot preserves.
Step 13: Next, take a teaspoon and fill the wells with the apricot preserves.
Bake
Step 14: Bake at 350°F (175°C or 180°C) for 11-13 minutes. I check them by touching the cookie, and it should be slightly firm. The bottoms should be golden brown.
Step 15: Move them to a cooling rack to cool. When the cookies have completely cooled, you can dust the tops with confectioners' sugar.
One of the things I like most about these cookies is how easy they are to customize. While apricot preserves are my favorite filling, I've also made them with blackberry and strawberry preserves. They are all delicious, but for me, apricot is still hard to beat.
🫙🍪 Storage
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for several days. If your kitchen is especially warm, you can refrigerate them, but I find they keep well on the counter. For longer storage, freeze the cookies in an airtight container.
FAQs
Yes. You can prepare the dough up to 24 hours in advance and store it covered in the refrigerator. When ready to bake, let the dough sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes if it feels too firm to scoop and shape.
Yes. Apricot jam will work, but I prefer apricot preserves because they contain small pieces of fruit that add extra flavor and texture. If using preserves with larger fruit pieces, give them a quick stir before filling the cookies.
Still Have Questions?
Need help with ingredient swaps or wondering if these cookies freeze well? I've added a few extra baking helpers below for common home baker questions.
More Apricot Cookies
If you tried this Apricot Cream Cheese Cookies recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a ⭐ star rating and share your thoughts in the comments. Thanks!
Recipe
Apricot Cream Cheese Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113.5 g) Unsalted butter room temperature
- 4 ounces Cream cheese room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 g) Granulated sugar
- 1 Egg
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Lemon zest
- 2 ½ cups (312.5 g) All-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ cup (118.29 g) Apricot preserves
- Confectioners sugar Enough to sprinkle on top
Instructions
- Zest and juice the lemon. Set both aside.
- Weigh or measure the sugar into a bowl. Set aside.
- Weigh or measure the flour into a bowl. Add the baking powder and salt, then whisk to combine.
- Add the cream cheese and cubed butter to a mixer bowl and mix on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add the sugar and continue mixing for 3 minutes.
- Add the egg and mix until incorporated. Blend in the lemon juice and lemon zest.
- Add the flour mixture about a third at a time, mixing just until incorporated.
- Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Line 2 cookie sheet pans with parchment paper. Using a medium cookie scoop, form dough balls about 1-½ to 2 inches in circumference.
- Using your thumb, press about ¾ of the way into each dough ball. Fill the wells with apricot preserves.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C or 180°C) for 11-13 minutes. The cookies are done when the tops feel slightly firm to the touch and the bottoms are light golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.
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Notes
- Apricot preserves provide more fruit flavor and texture than apricot jam.
- The dough may be made up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated.
- If the dough sticks while making the wells, wipe your thumb with a damp paper towel between cookies.
NUTRITION DISCLAIMER
I am not a certified Dietitian or Nutritionist. The nutrition amounts given below are provided through a program and are only a guideline.
Tj says
Just made these and they're pretty good! I feel like the salt is missing from the recipe, however...
Barbara says
Hi TJ, Thank you. You are probably correct that I should add a comment that if you like, you can add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the recipe. I try to cut down on salt, but I do understand that salt enhances the flavor. - Barbara
Alice says
Look great, I am going to make them. I lost my bourbon ball receipe, do you by chance have the receipe??? I sure would appreciate it.🙏
Barbara says
Hi Alice, I have not made that cookie yet, but what a great idea! It will be on my list.