Cookie Dough Dip Recipe

I made a Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip with cream cheese and chocolate chips, and people won’t stop asking how such a simple mix turns into this.

I made this once on a whim and now I get asked for it all the time. It’s cookie dough in dip form, smooth and a little rebellious, and I use cream cheese so it’s tangy instead of sickly sweet.

People call it Cookie Dough Dip With Cream Cheese but for me it’s more like a Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip studded with mini chocolate chips that get eaten before they even settle. Serve it with pretzels or graham crackers, or just a spoon, you wont judge me.

I promise its quick, messy and totally worth the snack raid you didnt plan.

Ingredients

• Cream cheese: tangy and creamy, gives protein and silky texture, can taste slightly tangy.
• Unsalted butter: adds rich fat and smooth mouthfeel, mostly calories not nutrients.
• Powdered sugar: dissolves quick for silkiness, pure carbs, makes dip sweet and light.
• Brown sugar: adds deep caramel notes from molasses, keeps dip moist and sweet.
• Vanilla extract: tiny bit gives warm flavor lift, no calories but big aroma boost.
• Milk or heavy cream: thins dip to scoopable texture, adds fat and creamy mouthfeel.
• Mini chocolate chips: little chocolate hits, add crunch and sweetness, mostly sugar and fat.

Ingredient Quantities

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened (about 1 package)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
• 1 cup powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 to 3 tbsp milk or heavy cream
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
• Pretzels, graham crackers or apple slices for serving (optional)

How to Make this

1. Take 8 oz cream cheese and 1/2 cup unsalted butter out of the fridge so they get soft, about 30 to 60 minutes, this matters for a super smooth dip.

2. In a mixing bowl beat the softened cream cheese and butter together on medium-high until totally creamy, 1 to 2 minutes, scrape the sides cause it likes to stick.

3. Add 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract and beat until combined, then add 1/4 tsp fine salt so the sweetness sings.

4. Gradually add 1 cup powdered sugar, a little at a time, beating on low so your kitchen doesn’t look like a snowstorm; stop and scrape the bowl between additions.

5. Pour in 2 to 3 tbsp milk or heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dip reaches a thick but scoopable consistency; use less milk for thicker, more for lighter.

6. Taste and adjust quickly, if it’s too sweet use a tiny pinch more salt, if too thick add another teaspoon of milk, don’t overmix or it’ll get too runny.

7. Fold in 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips with a spatula, reserve a tablespoon or two to sprinkle on top for looks.

8. Chill the dip in the fridge 20 to 30 minutes to firm up and let flavors meld, or serve right away if you can’t wait.

9. Serve with pretzels, graham crackers or apple slices like the recipe says, or anything you want to dunk really; salty crackers are my fave with this.

10. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days, let sit at room temp 10 minutes before serving if it gets too firm.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl, for beating the cream cheese and butter
2. Hand mixer or stand mixer, to get it totally creamy fast
3. Rubber spatula, to scrape the sides and fold in the mini chips
4. Measuring cups and spoons, include 1/2 cup, 1 cup, 1 tbsp and 1 tsp
5. Sifter or fine mesh sieve, optional but handy to keep powdered sugar lump free
6. Airtight container or small bowl with lid, for chilling and storing leftovers
7. Serving bowl and spoon plus your dippers (pretzels, graham crackers, apple slices)

FAQ

Cookie Dough Dip Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Cream cheese: swap with mascarpone or Neufchatel (use same 8 oz). Mascarpone is richer and less tangy, Neufchatel is lower fat but same texture. For a dairy-free option use full-fat canned coconut cream (chill and scoop the solid part) — it will taste faintly coconutty.
• Unsalted butter: use equal amounts of vegan butter or solid coconut oil. Vegan butter keeps the flavor closer to the original, coconut oil makes the dip a bit lighter and can be softer at room temp, so don’t leave it in a hot room.
• Powdered sugar: make your own by blitzing 1 cup granulated sugar with 1 tbsp cornstarch in a blender until fine, or swap for 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar for a deeper, caramel-like flavor; if you use brown sugar you might want a touch less milk cause it’s moister.
• Mini chocolate chips: swap with chopped chocolate bars, regular-size chips, white chocolate chips, or butterscotch chips. If you chop a bar the pieces can soften into streaks, so stir them in right before serving.

Pro Tips

1. If you forgot to set the cream cheese and butter out, put them in a sealed bag and submerge in warm water for 10 to 15 minutes or microwave in 5 second bursts, flipping often, until just soft but not melty. If it gets too warm the dip will be runny, so dont overdo it.

2. When you beat everything, start on medium so it gets really smooth, then drop to low while you add the powdered sugar so you dont get a floury cloud everywhere. Scrape the bowl once or twice, the mix likes to stick to the sides, and fold in the chips gently so they dont break up.

3. Balance the sweetness with texture and salt: reserve a tablespoon of chips for the top and sprinkle a tiny pinch of coarse sea salt or some crushed pretzels right before serving. The contrast makes it way less cloying and gives a better mouthfeel.

4. Chill to let flavors meld but dont let it get stone cold. About 20 to 30 minutes will firm it up, and if it gets too stiff let it sit 10 minutes at room temp before serving. Store in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed on the surface to stop a skin from forming and it should last 3 to 4 days.