Deliciously refreshing: these soft and fluffy lemon cookies with cream cheese are a great alternative to regular cookies.
Cookie fans take note: These moist lemon cookies are a delicious alternative to regular cookies. And one that tastes great all year round - especially in summer! That's because the cookies are deliciously refreshing. They really do melt in your mouth 🙂 .
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Taste and Occasion
The recipe may seem a little strange initially, as the dough differs from regular cookie recipes. They are kind of cream cheese cookies. Also, a stirred shortbread dough that is admittedly very soft and sticky. The result is really the reward for the effort 😉 : Incredibly smooth, soft lemon cookies. A heavenly little treat! For the recipe's success, you must follow my tips. Don't get me wrong: The lemon cookie recipe is not complicated or elaborate. On the contrary, you just have to follow a few points. Then nothing will keep you away from your summer enjoyment!
Ingredients
You will definitely get the best taste if you prepare the lemon cookies recipe with freshly squeezed lemon juice. (This is the case in general, so also for the lemon sheet cake, for example.) The dough must be well chilled before you roll it into mini balls. Take only half of the dough out of the fridge and bake the lemon cookies in two stages.
Also, place the dough balls on the baking sheet or paper with enough space between them. They will melt in the oven. During baking, the creamy, soft cookies get a brilliant sugar crust.
How to make the Lemon Cookies
Let's start with these soft and delicious lemon cookies: Firstly, beat the soft butter with sugar and cream cheese until creamy. In the second step, add a little yellow food coloring if desired, and stir in the egg. Mix all the dry ingredients and gently stir in as well, together with the lemon juice.
Now it's time for chilling the very sticky dough, covered, for at least 2 hours but overnight is also perfect.
After the cooling time, preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C and line two cold baking sheets with baking paper. Take half of the dough out of the refrigerator. Take small portions at a time and roll them into balls with your hands. Next, roll in sugar and spread me on the baking sheet with plenty of space between them. It's time to bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. They may still be soft. Do the same with the second half of the dough.
In the end, let the cookies cool on the baking sheet and then remove them carefully, e.g. with a mini cake palette.
Top Tip
Even if it's hard: The finished lemon cream cheese cookies should be allowed to cool on the baking sheet before you carefully remove them and snack on them. Well, get a craving?
Recipe Card
Lemon Cookies
Ingredients
For the dough
- 110 grams (½ cup) butter, soft
- 100 grams (â…– cup) cream cheese, creamy and full fat
- 130 grams (¾ cup) sugar
- 3 drops food coloring, yellow, optional
- 1 egg, medium
- 230 grams (1 â…˜ cups) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, up to 2 teaspoons
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
For rolling
- 50 grams (â…“ cups) sugar
Instructions
- Beat the soft butter with sugar and cream cheese until creamy. Add a little yellow food coloring if desired. Stir in the egg. Mix all the dry ingredients and gently stir in as well, together with the lemon juice.
- Chill the very sticky dough, covered, for at least 2 hours (overnight works too).
- Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Line two cold baking sheets with baking paper. Take half of the dough out of the refrigerator. Take small portions at a time and roll them into balls with your hands. Roll in sugar and spread me on the baking sheet with plenty of space between them.
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. They may still be soft. Do the same with the second half of the dough.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet and then remove them carefully, e.g. with a mini cake palette.
Notes
- The cookie dough is very sticky due to the cream cheese. This results in wonderfully soft cookies. They do melt a bit in the oven. To prevent extreme spreading, the dough must be absolutely cool.
- I recommend you roll and bake the dough in two stages so that one half is still chilled while the other is already in the oven.
- When rolling the dough balls quickly, you can also dust your hands with sugar so that the dough doesn't stick as much.
Ingredient substitutions
Variations
Do you know my cookie category on the blog? No? Then check out all my delicious cookie recipes. For example, the sugar yogurt cookies, grandma's easy shortbread biscuits, or my savory cheese cookies.
Nutrition
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About Kathrin & Jan
It's like a little miracle to me every time. Seemingly simple ingredients are made into something that can brighten up your life. Butter, sugar, eggs, and flour melt into an airy biscuit, a fine tart, a juicy cake, or a crispy biscuit. Baking simply makes you happy. Welcome and enjoy our blog!
Kathrin & Jan
Bake at 175 degrees? Is that a typo?
Hi Steve, thanks for spotting this - it is 175°C / 350°F. I corrected it in the recipe.
Cheers
Jan