Cookies with cream cheese filling are a delicious treat that combines the richness of cream cheese with the crunchy texture of cookies. However, the addition of the soft cream cheese filling brings up an important question – should these cookies be refrigerated?
The Ingredients in Cream Cheese Cookies
To understand whether refrigeration is necessary, it’s helpful to look at the main ingredients in cream cheese cookies:
- Flour – The cookie dough contains wheat flour, which does not require refrigeration.
- Butter – Cookies are typically made with butter, which can be left out at room temperature for a few days.
- Sugar – Granulated white sugar does not need to be refrigerated.
- Eggs – Raw eggs should be refrigerated, but baked cookies contain cooked eggs.
- Cream cheese – Cream cheese on its own requires refrigeration.
- Flavorings – Vanilla, lemon zest, etc. do not require refrigeration.
The ingredients that raise questions are the cream cheese filling and the eggs. So should the cream cheese be chilled and do the eggs need to remain refrigerated after baking?
Does Cream Cheese Need to be Refrigerated?
Cream cheese on its own is a dairy product that requires refrigeration. According to food safety recommendations, opened packages of cream cheese should be kept refrigerated at temperatures below 40°F. However, does the cream cheese in baked cookies still need to be refrigerated after mixing and baking?
The food safety experts at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) provide some guidance on this issue. According to the USDA, baked goods containing cream cheese, sour cream, and cream can be safely stored at room temperature for up to 2 hours. After sitting out for more than 2 hours, the USDA recommends refrigerating any remaining baked goods.
Here are some of the USDA’s key pointers for storing cream cheese cookies:
- Bring the cookies to room temperature before serving.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator within 2 hours after baking.
- Discard any cookies left out more than 2 hours after baking.
- Consume refrigerated cookies within 5 days.
So while the unbaked cream cheese requires refrigeration, cookies made with cream cheese are safe at room temperature for up to 2 hours when following food safety guidelines.
Are Eggs Still a Food Safety Concern?
Raw eggs can harbor bacteria such as Salmonella, so recipes containing raw eggs should only use refrigerated eggs. But eggs that have been thoroughly cooked to the proper internal temperature are generally safe from food-borne pathogens. According to the FDA Food Code, whole eggs should be cooked to 160°F to control Salmonella.
During the baking process, cream cheese cookie dough goes through the extended high heat of the oven, which brings the internal temperature far above 160°F. For example, a typical cream cheese cookie recipe bakes at temperatures between 350°F to 375°F for 10-12 minutes per batch. This time and temperature is sufficient to cook the eggs throughout the cookies, destroying any potential bacteria.
So while refrigeration is important for raw eggs, the baked cookies contain thoroughly cooked eggs that no longer pose a food safety risk without refrigeration. Storing the cookies in the refrigerator can help extend their shelf life by minimizing mold growth, but refrigeration is not mandatory for food safety once the eggs are thoroughly baked.
Other Food Safety Tips
In addition to monitoring refrigeration time, there are some other important food safety practices to follow when making and handling cream cheese cookies:
- Use pasteurized eggs when making unbaked dough.
- Refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours before baking.
- Bake dough immediately until it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F.
- Cool baked cookies completely before filling or icing.
- Use clean utensils and containers for filling and storing.
- Refrigerate any dough that won’t be baked right away.
Following these steps prevents the growth of bacteria and molds in the unbaked dough. Storing the baked cookies properly is also key to food safety.
How Long Do Refrigerated Cookies Last?
While refrigeration is not strictly required for food safety of thoroughly baked cream cheese cookies, chilling the cookies can extend their shelf life. So how long do the cookies last when stored in the refrigerator?
According to the USDA, cream cheese cookies can be refrigerated for 5 to 7 days. They recommend storing the cookies in an airtight container to prevent them from absorbing fridge odors.
Here is a table summarizing USDA guidelines for cream cheese cookie storage:
| Storage Method | Shelf Life |
|---|---|
| Room Temperature | 2 hours |
| Refrigerator (40°F or below) | 5 to 7 days |
| Freezer (0°F or below) | 3 to 6 months |
Freezing the cookies extends the shelf life even longer – up to 6 months frozen according to the USDA recommendations. Again, proper storage containers are important to prevent freezer burn.
Signs that Cookies Have Gone Bad
How can you tell if refrigerated cookies have gone bad and need to be discarded? Here are some signs that cream cheese cookies are no longer safe to eat and should be thrown away:
- Mold growth – Fuzzy mold spots indicate the cookies have expired and should be discarded.
- Off odors – An unpleasant or sour smell means the cookies have spoiled.
- Texture changes – Cookies that become crumbly, dried out, or hard have expired.
- Discoloration – Grayish, dull, or unnatural coloring is a sign of spoilage.
Trust your senses – if the cookies look or smell bad, err on the side of caution and throw them out. Don’t eat cookies that show signs of spoilage, even if they are still within the USDA recommended storage times.
Conclusion
While cream cheese itself requires constant refrigeration, cream cheese cookies can safely be left at room temperature for up to 2 hours after baking. Following this storage guideline along with other food safety practices can help prevent foodborne illness from cream cheese cookies. Refrigerating the cookies can extend their shelf life to 5-7 days. Observing signs of spoilage and adhering to expiration dates is important, even for refrigerated items. With proper handling and storage, cream cheese stuffed cookies can be enjoyed safely without needing constant refrigeration.