These Super Soft Lemon Cookies are simple, lemony and incredibly tender. The secret? Cream cheese! Once baked top with a dusting of powdered sugar and prepare to fall in love. This recipe yields 27 cookies.
This one goes out to all my lemon dessert lovers.
How is it that I’m just now sharing this lemon cookie recipe? Well, it’s been twelve years that I’ve been blogging and only recently did I discover what would happen if you substituted cream cheese instead of butter in a cookie recipe. What started as a whim (because I only had 1 stick of unsalted butter on hand) turned into a now favorite tender, super soft – I’m talking quite literally melt-in-your-mouth lemony cookie.
Basically, these citrusy gems are loosely adapted from my snickerdoodle cookie recipe, (swapping half the butter for cream cheese) but with lemon zest, juice and extract. Because can you ever have too much lemon?
No. No you can’t.
To Make These Super Soft Lemon Cookies You Will Need:
- lemon zest
- sugar
- unbleached all-purpose flour
- cream of tartar
- baking powder
- fine sea salt
- unsalted butter (softened)
- cream cheese (softened)
- egg plus egg yolk
- pure vanilla extract
- lemon extract
- lemon juice
- powdered sugar
In a medium bowl, measure and add; 1-3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt (sea salt or Himalayan).
Whisk to combine and set off to the side.
Next grate the zest from 1 medium sized lemon and add it to 1 cup granulated sugar. Use your impeccably clean fingers to massage the sugar and the zest together until the sugar resembles wet sand.
In a large bowl, add 1/2 cup (1 stick) softened unsalted butter, 1/2 cup (4 ounces) softened cream cheese and the lemon sugar.
Blend until light and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go.
Next, add in 1 egg plus an egg yolk, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract, the juice of 1/2 the lemon (about 2 tablespoons).
Blend until thoroughly combined.
Gradually add a little of the flour mixture and mix until just incorporated.
Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
preheat your oven to 375℉ (190℃)
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or a silicon baking mat. Scoop and place 12 cookies roughly 2-inches apart.
Keep unused dough refrigerated between batches, otherwise they will spread more while baking.
Bake on the middle rack of your preheated oven for 9 to 10 minutes. Rotating halfway through to ensure even baking.
Allow the cookies to rest for at least 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Repeat with remaining chilled cookie dough.
Once cooled, dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!
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Enjoy! And if you give this recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies
Ingredients
- 1¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, (1 stick) softened
- 1/2 cup cream cheese, (4 ounces) softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1/2 lemon, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
- powdered sugar, for dusting
Equipment
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder and cream of tartar. Set aside.
- Combine lemon zest with granulated sugar. Use your fingers to massage the sugar into the zest. Stop once the sugar resembles wet sand.
- In a larger bowl, add softened cream cheese, unsalted butter and lemon sugar. Mix until light and fluffy.
- Next add in the whole egg plus an egg yolk, vanilla, lemon extract and juice of 1/2 a lemon. Mix until incorporated.
- Gradually add in the flour mixture. Mix until the flour is just combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as you go.
- Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Once chilled, preheat your oven to 375℉ (190℃)
- Use a metal scoop to measure out the cookie dough. Place 12 scoops of cookie dough 2-inches or so apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat.Keep unused dough refrigerated between batches, otherwise the cookies will spread more while baking.
- Bake for 10 minutes, rotate the pan halfway through baking.
- Remove and let cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completley.
- Once cooled, dust with powdered sugar.
Notes
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THANK YOU in advance for your support!
lemon is my favorite cookie flavor, and love the idea of using cream cheese to make them soft, really like that, so thank you!