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 🙂 .
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 (⅖ cup) cream cheese, creamy and full fat
- 130 grams (¾ cup) sugar
- 3 drops food coloring, yellow, optional
- 1 egg, medium
- 230 grams (1 ⅘ 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 (⅓ cups) sugar
Instructions
- Beat the softened butter, sugar, and cream cheese until creamy. Add a little yellow food coloring if desired, then stir in the egg.
- Combine all dry ingredients, then gently fold them into the mixture along with the lemon juice.
- Cover and chill the sticky dough for at least 2 hours, or overnight for best results.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two cold baking sheets with parchment paper. Take half of the dough from the refrigerator. Roll small portions into balls with your hands, coat them in sugar, and place them on the baking sheet with plenty of space between.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies are soft but set. Repeat with the second half of the dough.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet, then carefully remove them with a mini spatula if needed.
Notes
- The dough is quite sticky due to the cream cheese, resulting in wonderfully soft cookies that spread slightly in the oven. To prevent excessive spreading, make sure the dough is well-chilled before baking.
- For the best results, bake the dough in two batches so one half stays chilled while the other is baking. To make rolling easier, you can dust your hands lightly with sugar to reduce sticking.
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.
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