diff --git a/builder/vmware/common/hw_config.go b/builder/vmware/common/hw_config.go
index d740025c2..588d295f1 100644
--- a/builder/vmware/common/hw_config.go
+++ b/builder/vmware/common/hw_config.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ type HWConfig struct {
 	// cpu information
 	CpuCount   int `mapstructure:"cpus"`
 	MemorySize int `mapstructure:"memory"`
+	CoreCount  int `mapstructure:"cores"`
 
 	// network type and adapter
 	Network            string `mapstructure:"network"`
@@ -40,6 +41,11 @@ func (c *HWConfig) Prepare(ctx *interpolate.Context) []error {
 		errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("An invalid amount of memory was specified (memory < 0): %d", c.MemorySize))
 	}
 
+	// Hardware and cpu options
+	if c.CoreCount < 0 {
+		errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("An invalid number of cores was specified (cores < 0): %d", c.CoreCount))
+	}
+
 	// Peripherals
 	if !c.Sound {
 		c.Sound = false
diff --git a/builder/vmware/common/hw_config_test.go b/builder/vmware/common/hw_config_test.go
index be884b144..3532dc1b9 100644
--- a/builder/vmware/common/hw_config_test.go
+++ b/builder/vmware/common/hw_config_test.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 func testHWConfig() *HWConfig {
 	return &HWConfig{
 		CpuCount:   1,
+		CoreCount:  1,
 		MemorySize: 512,
 
 		Sound: true,
@@ -26,6 +27,10 @@ func TestHWConfigPrepare(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("bad cpu count: %d", c.CpuCount)
 	}
 
+	if c.CoreCount < 0 {
+		t.Errorf("bad core count: %d", c.CoreCount)
+	}
+
 	if c.MemorySize < 0 {
 		t.Errorf("bad memory size: %d", c.MemorySize)
 	}
diff --git a/builder/vmware/iso/step_create_vmx.go b/builder/vmware/iso/step_create_vmx.go
index ba9c273b6..3e95a13e8 100644
--- a/builder/vmware/iso/step_create_vmx.go
+++ b/builder/vmware/iso/step_create_vmx.go
@@ -423,12 +423,19 @@ func (s *stepCreateVMX) Run(_ context.Context, state multistep.StateBag) multist
 		s.tempDir = vmxDir
 	}
 
-	/// Now to handle options that will modify the template
+	/// Now to handle options that will modify the template without using "vmxTemplateData"
 	vmxData := vmwcommon.ParseVMX(vmxContents)
+
+	// If no cpus were specified, then remove the entry to use the default
 	if vmxData["numvcpus"] == "" {
 		delete(vmxData, "numvcpus")
 	}
 
+	// If some number of cores were specified, then update "cpuid.coresPerSocket" with the requested value
+	if config.HWConfig.CoreCount > 0 {
+		vmxData["cpuid.corespersocket"] = strconv.Itoa(config.HWConfig.CoreCount)
+	}
+
 	/// Write the vmxData to the vmxPath
 	vmxPath := filepath.Join(vmxDir, config.VMName+".vmx")
 	if err := vmwcommon.WriteVMX(vmxPath, vmxData); err != nil {
diff --git a/website/source/docs/builders/vmware-iso.html.md.erb b/website/source/docs/builders/vmware-iso.html.md.erb
index 12d0d77cc..0a2411d79 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/builders/vmware-iso.html.md.erb
+++ b/website/source/docs/builders/vmware-iso.html.md.erb
@@ -100,6 +100,9 @@ builder.
 
 -   `cpus` (number) - The number of cpus to use when building the VM.
 
+-   `cores` (number) - The number of cores per socket to use when building the VM.
+    This corresponds to the `cpuid.coresPerSocket` option in the .vmx file.
+
 -   `cdrom_adapter_type` (string) - The adapter type (or bus) that will be used
     by the cdrom device. This is chosen by default based on the disk adapter
     type. VMware tends to lean towards `ide` for the cdrom device unless