The cookies in the photo look like soft, buttery slice-and-bake cookies packed with small pieces of dried apricot, finished with a light dusting of powdered sugar. A cream-cheese dough is a particularly good match for this texture: it produces a tender, slightly tangy cookie, while dried apricots provide little bursts of chewy sweetness. Similar cream-cheese/apricot cookies use chilled dough and bake around 350°F.
M
My Cookie Journey
+1
Yield: about 30–36 cookies
Prep: 25 minutes
Chill: 2 hours
Bake: 12–15 minutes per tray
Total: ~3 hours
Ingredients
Cookie dough
1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, softened
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp almond extract — optional; see nut information
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
2¼ cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
Apricot filling
1 cup (150 g) dried apricots, finely chopped
1 tbsp orange juice or lemon juice
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp granulated sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
Finish
½ cup (60 g) powdered/confectioners’ sugar
Optional: extra finely chopped dried apricots for decoration
Detailed Instructions
1. Prepare the apricots
Dried apricots can be quite firm, so soften them slightly before adding them.
Place the chopped apricots, orange juice, water and sugar in a small saucepan.
Heat over low-medium heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently.
You don’t want to cook them into jam—the goal is simply to make them soft, plump and easy to bite through.
Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla.
Let cool completely.
Important: Pat off any excess moisture before adding them to the dough. Wet fruit can make the dough difficult to slice.
2. Cream the butter and cream cheese
Place softened butter and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl.
Beat for approximately 1–2 minutes, until completely smooth.
Add the sugar and beat for another 2 minutes.
The mixture should become pale and fluffy.
Cream-cheese cookie dough benefits from thoroughly combining the cream cheese and butter before adding sugar.
S
Sally’s Baking
3. Add the flavorings
Beat in:
egg yolk
vanilla
optional almond extract
lemon zest
Mix just until incorporated.
The lemon zest is subtle but helps balance the sweetness of the dried apricots.
4. Combine the dry ingredients
In another bowl, whisk together:
flour
baking powder
salt
Gradually add the dry mixture to the butter mixture.
Mix on low speed only until a soft dough forms.
Do not overmix.
5. Add the apricots
Fold the cooled chopped apricots into the dough using a spatula.
Try to distribute them evenly.
You want small pieces throughout the dough rather than large clumps.
6. Form the cookie logs
This is the key step for achieving the round sliced appearance shown in the photo.
Divide the dough into 2 portions.
Place each portion on a sheet of parchment paper.
Shape into a log approximately:
2 inches / 5 cm in diameter
and about 8–9 inches / 20–23 cm long.
Roll the parchment around the dough while gently pressing and smoothing it.
Twist the ends of the parchment like a wrapped candy.
For especially round cookies, gently roll the wrapped log on the counter several times.
7. Chill thoroughly
Refrigerate the logs for at least 2 hours.
For the cleanest slices, chilling 3–4 hours or overnight is even better.
Cream-cheese cookie dough generally needs chilling because it is soft and can become difficult to shape when warm.
C
Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
+1
8. Slice
Preheat the oven to:
350°F / 175°C
Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Unwrap one chilled dough log.
Using a sharp knife, cut into slices approximately:
⅓–½ inch (8–12 mm) thick.
If you want cookies like the photograph, keep the slices fairly thick.
If the dough cracks while slicing, allow it to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes.
If it becomes soft or squishy, put it back into the refrigerator.
9. Bake
Arrange the slices about 1½ inches apart on the baking sheet.
Bake for approximately 12–15 minutes.
You’re looking for:
pale golden tops
lightly golden edges
firm centers
visible pieces of orange apricot
Don’t wait for the entire cookie to become dark golden brown—the cookies in the photo are relatively pale.
Similar apricot cream-cheese cookies are commonly baked at around 350°F, with baking times around 11–15 minutes depending on size.
M
My Cookie Journey
+1
10. Cool
Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack.
Cool completely.
They will become firmer as they cool.
11. Add powdered sugar
Once completely cool, sift powdered sugar lightly over the tops.
For the appearance in the photograph, use only a very light dusting.
You can also skip the powdered sugar if you prefer a more rustic cookie.
How to Get the Exact Look
For cookies closest to the photograph:
Use dried apricots, not fresh.
Chop the apricots into tiny pieces.
Make a thick cylindrical log.
Chill the log very firmly.
Cut slices about ½ inch thick.
Don’t overbake.
Use parchment rather than heavily greasing the pan.
Dust with powdered sugar only after cooling.
The little orange apricot pieces should remain visible throughout the pale, tender dough.
Nut Information
This recipe can be completely nut-free.
There are no nuts required.
However, almond extract is included as an optional ingredient. Pure almond extract is derived from almond flavor compounds and should not automatically be considered safe for someone with an almond/tree-nut allergy.
For a nut-free version, simply use:
1 tsp vanilla extract total and omit the almond extract.
Some traditional apricot cream-cheese cookie recipes do use sliced almonds, and others use almond extract, so checking the particular recipe/product is important.
S
Sally’s Baking
+1
If cooking for someone with a tree-nut allergy
Check labels on:
dried apricots
vanilla/extracts
chocolate, if added
powdered sugar
packaged ingredients
Look for manufacturer allergen statements and cross-contact warnings.
For a severe allergy, use ingredients specifically appropriate for the individual’s allergy requirements and avoid shared utensils/surfaces.
Other allergens
This recipe contains:
wheat/gluten — flour
milk — butter and cream cheese
egg — egg yolk
It is not vegan.
Delicious Variations
Apricot Orange
Replace lemon zest with 1 tsp orange zest and use orange juice to soften the apricots.
Apricot Chocolate
Fold in ½ cup mini white-chocolate chips.
Apricot Coconut
Add ½ cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut.
Lemon-Apricot
Add another ½ tsp lemon zest and replace 1 tbsp flour with 1 tbsp finely ground freeze-dried lemon powder.
Apricot Pistachio
For a non-nut-free version, add ⅓ cup finely chopped pistachios.
Apricot-Cranberry
Use:
½ cup dried apricots
½ cup dried cranberries
for a more festive cookie.
Make-Ahead & Storage
Refrigerator
The wrapped dough logs can be refrigerated for approximately 2–3 days.
Freezer
Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and place inside a freezer bag.
Freeze for up to 2 months for best quality.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before slicing.
You can also freeze the baked cookies in an airtight container.
Room temperature
Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container for several days. Similar apricot cream-cheese cookies are suitable for room-temperature storage, provided they’re protected from moisture.
M
My Cookie Journey
Recipe Q&A
Q: Why are my cookies spreading?
The dough was probably too warm.
Solution: Chill the logs until very firm before slicing and baking.
Q: Why did my cookies crack when I sliced them?
Very cold dough can crack, especially around pieces of dried fruit.
Let the log sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes, then slice with a sharp knife.
Q: Can I use fresh apricots?
Yes, but dried apricots are much better for this particular cookie because they provide concentrated flavor without introducing too much water.
Q: Can I use apricot jam?
Yes, but don’t simply mix a large amount of jam into the dough—it can make the dough too wet.
For a jam-filled version, make thumbprints instead. Apricot preserves are commonly used in cream-cheese thumbprint cookies.
M
My Cookie Journey
+1
Q: Can I skip the cream cheese?
You can, but the texture will change significantly.
Cream cheese contributes tenderness and a subtle tang. If you want the closest texture to the photograph, keep it.
Q: Can I use salted butter?
Yes.
If using salted butter, reduce the added salt to just a small pinch.
Q: Do I have to use baking powder?
A small amount helps prevent the cookies from being excessively dense while still maintaining their slice-and-bake shape.
Don’t use too much or the cookies may puff and lose their neat cylindrical appearance.
Q: Why are my apricots sinking?
The pieces may be too large or too moist.
Chop them finely, cool them completely and pat away excess moisture before folding them into the dough.
Q: Can I make the cookies less sweet?
Yes. Reduce granulated sugar to ½ cup (100 g) and use a very light dusting of powdered sugar—or omit it.
Q: Can I make them gluten-free?
Use a good 1:1 gluten-free baking flour designed to replace wheat flour. The texture may be slightly different, so chill the dough thoroughly before slicing.
Q: Can I make them dairy-free?
Use plant-based butter and a suitable dairy-free cream-cheese alternative. Choose products that behave similarly to regular butter/cream cheese when chilled.
Q: What should the finished cookie texture be?
The ideal cookie is:
tender + buttery + slightly tangy + soft/crumbly + chewy little pieces of apricot.
It shouldn’t be crunchy like a biscotti.
Quick Recipe Card
Mix: butter + cream cheese + sugar
Add: egg yolk + vanilla + lemon zest
Combine: flour + baking powder + salt
Fold in: finely chopped dried apricots
Shape: 2-inch-diameter logs
Chill: 2–3 hours
Slice: ⅓–½ inch thick
Bake: 350°F / 175°C for 12–15 min
Cool: completely
Finish: powdered sugar