Cream Cheese Lemon Cookies

Cream Cheese Lemon Cookies are a true delight for your tastebuds. Lemon zest, tangy cream cheese, and a sweet lemon glaze join forces to create these simple and lovely cookies.

Cream Cheese Lemon Cookies. These cookies are out of this world scrumptious.

But before we start getting into it, I want to check in.

How is everyone holding up out there? Good, healthy and happy I hope!

I know, it's tough. It's a weird time to be living in, but we'll get through it, and we'll be stronger on the other side of it.

But while we're waiting for things to get back to normal,  I baked you some cookies.  I hope these help. They're Cream Cheese Lemon Cookies.

Why add cream cheese to a cookie?

The more I make these cookies, the more I realize how great cream cheese would be in all cookies.  It's time for the butter to move over and share the spotlight.

I'm going to write a strongly worded letter to somebody!

But until then, here's why cream cheese rocks the cookie casbah:

1. The cream cheese compliments the flavor of the cookie without overpowering the citrus. To be honest, these cookies don't taste like cream cheese--not like eating a bagel--but you'd definitely notice if the cheese was not there.  
2. Since cream cheese has a little tang to it, the flavor works SO WELL with citrus. Also, the tang and salt help to cut the sweetness of the sugar in the cookie.
3. The cream cheese produces a moist cookie--sorry, I try to avoid that word, but it's unavoidable here. The cheese provides an additional source of fat and moisture, eliminating the need to add additional liquids like milk or cream to the recipe. This makes for a very soft and almost "fudgy cookie". The texture and chew of the cookie is slightly cakey, but your teeth really sink into it.  

Why do we love these Cream Cheese Lemon Cookies?

It's hard to avoid the alluring song of these bright, lemony, sirens.

They are legitimately a burst of sunshine in your mouth.  And after a long winter, that's what we're all looking for around here.

The number one reason I love these cookies so much is their lemony goodness. The lemon is seriously so refreshing and it reminds me of blue skies and warmer weather.

And the icing?

Goodness me, the tart icing not only looks really pretty, but it gives the cookie a little extra sweetness and a whole lot of extra lemony zip. 

The second reason I love these cookies is for their unique texture.  The cookie itself is soft and literally melts in your mouth the minute you eat it.

If I was to categorize these cookies, I would definitely say they're on the cakey side, but they have just enough chew and density to make them a little different.  I think the best way to describe the texture is to say they are similar to a fudgy brownie.

The last reason I love these guys so darn much is that they are surprisingly light.  You can totally eat two or three or nine...without feeling icky afterward.

Which has now become a problem in my household.

How am I supposed to emerge from this quarantine looking totally buff and toned with these cookies beckoning me every 5 minutes? 

Seriously. It's a problem.

How to make Cream Cheese Lemon Cookies

Makes 36 Cookies

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 2 ¾ cups of all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• Zest of 2 lemons (not jumbo lemons)
• 1 ½ cups of granulated sugar
• 6 oz (1 ½ sticks) of softened, but still cool butter
• 6 oz of cool cream cheese
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp of lemon juice

For the icing:

• 1 ½ cups of powdered sugar
• 5 tbsp lemon juice
• Zest of one lemon
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°.

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth.

Add in the sugar and beat on medium until fluffy. 

Turn the mixer down to low and stir in the eggs one at a time. Turn up the mixer to medium low and continue to beat for 30 seconds until everything is well incorporated.

Add in the lemon juice and mix for another 10 seconds.

Scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula.

With the mixer on low, add in the dry ingredients and the zest and mix until all ingredients are just combined.

Using a cookie scoop or a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon, drop balls of cookie dough onto a parchment lined sheet pan.  Keep them about 2" apart. 

Once the dough is scooped, pop the cookies in the fridge and let chill for 15 minutes.

After chilling, use two fingers to lightly press the center of the dough balls to flatten.  This will allow them to bake more evenly.

Bake at 350° for 11-12 minutes until you barely see any color around the edges of the bottom.

Let cool completely before icing.

To make the icing:

Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt into a small bowl.

Stir with a fork or whisk until smooth. The icing should be very thick, but still able to drip off a spoon.

Spread icing onto the cooled cookies and allow to set completely before eating or storing.

Variations

• Change up the citrus! Use lime or orange juice and zest in place of the lemon.
• Roll cookie dough in sweetened shredded coconut prior to baking.
• Omit the icing and roll in granulated sugar and lemon zest before baking.
• Omit the lemon zest, replace the lemon juice with heavy cream, and add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract for fabulous sugar cookies!

Storage

These guys can be stored at room temperature or in the fridge!

To store them on the counter, keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days.  After that, they start getting a little dry.

Another way you can store them is in the fridge! They'll stay fresher a little longer and they're just as delish chilled.

You may also like

Iced Oatmeal Cookies

Cookies and Cream Cheesecake

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Continue to Content

Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies

Yield: 36 Cookies

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Lemon zest, tangy cream cheese, and a sweet lemon glaze join forces to create these light and lovely cookies

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Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 2 ¾ cups of all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Zest of 2 lemons (not jumbo lemons)
• 1 ½ cups of granulated sugar
• 6 oz (1 ½ sticks) of softened, but still cool butter
• 6 oz of cream cheese, still cool
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice

For The Lemon Glaze

• 1 ½ cups of powdered sugar
• 5 tablespoon lemon juice
• Zest of one lemon
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
4. Add in the sugar and beat on medium speed until fluffy. 
5. Turn the mixer down to low and stir in the eggs one at a time. Turn up the mixer to medium low and continue to beat for 30 seconds until everything is well incorporated.
6. Add in the lemon juice, mix for another 10 seconds.
7. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula.
8. With the mixer on low, add in the dry ingredients and the zest and mix until all ingredients are just combined.
9. Using a cookie scoop or a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon, drop balls of cookie dough onto a parchment lined sheet pan.  Keep them about 2" apart. 
10. Once the dough is scooped, pop the cookies in the fridge and let chill for 15 minutes.
11. After chilling, use two fingers to lightly press the center of the dough balls to flatten.  This will allow them to bake more evenly
12. Bake at 350° for 11-12 minutes until you barely see any color around the edges of the bottom.
13. Let cool completely before icing.

To make the icing:

1. Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt into a small bowl.
2. Stir with a fork or whisk until smooth. The icing should be very thick, but still able to drip off a spoon.

Spread icing onto the cooled cookies and allow to set completely before eating or storing.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 36 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 111Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 54mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 0gSugar: 13gProtein: 2g

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