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Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookies

These cream cheese thumbprint cookies actually started with a store-bought boxed cake mix. I made them in time for Christmas so all the art you’ll see has a holiday theme. But you could easily make this cookie recipe year round.

Three cookies with chocolate centers on a red plate, surrounded by holiday decorations and a plaid gift.
Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookies

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One of the reasons I love making cookies with cake mix is how much easier and faster the process is. Rather than measuring out different ingredients, I’m just opening a package. And then adding very few ingredients after that, so it’s easy to manage.

I’ve had great luck doing this when making banana bread and also a trifle dessert. And now I know that I can use this method for absolutely unbelievably delicious cookies.

Close-up of a delicious cream cheese thumbprint cookie featuring a chocolate drop center on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Text overlay: "Effortless Recipe for Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookies.

Ingredients Overview

Ingredients laid out on a table: cake mix, cream cheese, Hershey Kisses, vanilla extract, butter, and an egg.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Before you start this cookie recipe, take the cream cheese and butter out of the refrigerator and let them get to room temperature. Because the softer they are, the easier it will be to make the cookie dough. I let them sit out for about an hour and that was good enough.

Preheat the oven to 350 F or whatever temperature the boxed cake mix recommends.

Add the butter and cream cheese to a bowl and blend until mixed. I used my immersion blender to get the job done. I should have used the Ankarsrum mixer instead as I ended up using a lot of “elbow grease” to get the immersion blender to work.

Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Add the egg and mix together.

Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Add cake mix and mix together. Blend well until you have a sticky dough.

Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

I used a melon baller to scoop out the cookies.

Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

After scooping, I place the dough on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper. Then I used my thumb to make an imprint in the center of the dough ball

A hand presses a small dough ball on parchment paper, next to a chocolate drop.
Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Place a single Hershey kiss chocolate candy in the center of that imprint. Repeat until all cookies are done.

Three thumbprint cookies with chocolate kisses on parchment paper.
Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown on the edges. Cool and serve.

Three thumbprint cookies with chocolate centers on a red plate, surrounded by pine cones, a wrapped gift, and Christmas greenery.
Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Notes

Be careful not to overbake or the tip of the Hershey’s kiss will start to burn.

Because of the butter and cream cheese, you’ll notice that these cookies have a buttery flavor. So they’re like butter cookies on steroids.

Favorite Cake Mix Recipes

Here are other recipes on this blog that start with boxed cake mix.

Two Ingredient Lemon Bars with Angel Food Cake Mix

Yellow Cake Mix Banana Bread

Honey Bun Recipe with Yellow Cake Mix

Cookie dough balls and cookies with chocolate kisses on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookies

One of the reasons I love making these cream cheese thumbprint cookies is how much easier and faster the process is because I started with boxed cake mix. Rather than measuring out different ingredients, I'm just opening a package and then adding very few ingredients after that. It's so easy to manage you may never go back to make cookies from scratch again.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 24
Calories 140 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 package cake mix
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 slab cream cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 24 Hershey kisses

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F or whatever temperature the boxed cake mix recommends.
  • Add the butter and cream cheese to a bowl and blend until mixed.
  • Add the egg and mix together.
  • Add cake mix and mix together. Blend well until you have a sticky dough.
  • I used a melon baller to scoop out the cookies.
  • After rolling the balls of dough in my hands, transfer them to a baking sheet covered in parchment paper.
  • Press your thumb into the center of the dough ball.
  • Place one chocolate Hershey kiss in the indentation your thumb made.
  • Bake for about 15 minutes or until the cookies are a golden color.
  • Remove from oven. Take cookies on parchment paper off the hot pan and place it on a cool rack.

Notes

The box cake mix instructions said to bake for 9-11 minutes. However, when I followed those instructions, the cookies were significantly underdone. That’s why the cook time is 15 minutes.
Don’t overcook or the Hershey kiss will start to burn.

Nutrition

Calories: 140kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 186mgPotassium: 17mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 128IUCalcium: 58mgIron: 0.5mg

Disclaimer

Please note that nutrient values, if included with the recipe, are estimates only. Variations can occur due to product availability/substitution and manner of food preparation. Nutrition may vary based on methods of origin, preparation, freshness of ingredients, and other factors.

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