These are the best lemon cookies ever! If you love bright, citrusy treats, you’ll adore these lemon cream cheese cookies. They are soft, tender, and practically melt in your mouth.
Spring always brings lemon desserts to the forefront, and these cookies are a perfect example. Made with cream cheese, butter and powdered sugar, they deliver a soft, cakey texture and a bright lemon flavor thanks to the zest of two lemons and a touch of lemon extract.
When Kendra invited me to join her spring blog hop I knew I wanted to share a lemon recipe. Last year’s lovely lemon cake was a hit, and these lemon cream cheese cookies are just as delightful — cream cheese in the cookie dough yields a rich, tender crumb that pairs perfectly with a lemony cream cheese icing.
What’s in lemon cream cheese cookies?
I tested this recipe recently and the batch made around two dozen cookies. They were popular — I gave most away and the preschool crowd loved them. The cookies are soft and slightly cakey, with a creamy richness from the cream cheese. Key ingredients include:
- Full-fat cream cheese (block style) for best texture
- Unsalted butter
- Powdered sugar in the dough for a tender crumb
- Fresh lemon zest (zest of two lemons) and lemon juice
- Egg, vanilla and a touch of lemon extract
Using full-fat cream cheese is recommended to ensure the cookies stay soft and flavorful.
Do you have to chill the dough?
Yes — chilling the dough is important. I recommend at least 2 hours in the refrigerator. Chilling helps the cookies keep their shape so they bake into fluffy little mounds instead of spreading into flat discs. If the dough has chilled longer than a few hours, let it rest at room temperature for about 20 minutes before scooping and baking.
What kind of icing is on these lemon cream cheese cookies?
The cookies are finished with a lemon cream cheese icing that echoes the cream cheese in the cookie itself. The icing combines softened cream cheese and butter with powdered sugar, a little heavy cream to reach the desired consistency, lemon extract and lemon zest. The result is a thick, spreadable frosting that adds extra tang and creaminess. Add sprinkles if you like for a festive look.
These cookies are a lovely spring baking project and a great choice for a weekend bake. They store well at room temperature in an airtight container for 2–3 days or up to a week refrigerated. Un-iced cookies freeze well for up to two months.
Here are the recipe details and instructions:
Lovely Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies
5 from 9 reviews
- Author: Katherine
- Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
- Yield: 2 dozen cookies
Description
Soft, creamy lemon cookies topped with a tangy lemon cream cheese icing. Bright, tender and perfect for spring gatherings.
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 8 oz cream cheese (1 package), softened
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 2 lemons (zest of 2, juice of 1)
- 1/2 tsp lemon extract
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Icing
- 4 oz cream cheese (1/2 package), softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1–2 tsp heavy cream
- 1 tsp lemon extract
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the cookie dough. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, powdered sugar and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a handheld mixer), beat the cream cheese and butter on high speed for about 2 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add the egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, lemon extract and vanilla extract and mix until combined. With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Cover the dough and chill for at least 2 hours, up to 2 days.
- Bake the cookies. Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. If the dough has chilled more than a few hours, let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes. Use a medium cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons) to portion dough a few inches apart. Press down lightly with the back of a spoon to flatten slightly. Bake for 8–10 minutes. Cookies will look puffy and slightly underbaked; let them rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the icing. Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. With the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar and a little heavy cream until you reach a thick but spreadable consistency. Stir in lemon extract and lemon zest. Adjust thickness with more powdered sugar or cream as needed. Spread about 2 teaspoons of icing on each cooled cookie and top with sprinkles if desired.
Storage: Keep cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for 2–3 days or refrigerate up to one week. Freeze un-iced cookies for up to 2 months.
Notes
- For best results use full-fat block cream cheese, not the spreadable tub variety.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: cookies
- Method: oven bake
- Cuisine: American
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