Lemon Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Published 12/15/2024
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Lemon and cream cheese… what could be better? These Lemon Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting fuse a refreshing citrus flavor with a rich, creamy texture. They are light and bright and have fresh lemon zest and lemon juice in both the cookies AND the frosting.
I cannot get ENOUGH of lemon-flavored anything. Much like these Lemon Blueberry Crumble Bars and Gluten Free Lemon Bars, this lemon cookie recipe is light, fresh, and just screams dessert. That’s why I knew I had to create lemon cookies with cream cheese frosting — a combination that is sure to make your taste buds dance with joy.
Making this lemon cookie recipe is easy. You just have to be patient and let the cookies chill for a couple of hours. Other than that, you make it like any cookie recipe, plus make a homemade cream cheese frosting that is simply delightful.
Lemon Cookie Recipe – What You Need
- All-purpose flour: This is the base of the cookie dough. Make sure to spoon and level your flour for accurate measurements.
- Brown sugar: Brown sugar adds a richer flavor to the cookie dough that is oh so good!
- Butter: Use unsalted butter and let it come to room temperature for easy mixing.
- Egg: All you need is one egg to help bind the dough together.
- Vanilla extract: A hint of vanilla in both the cookie dough and the frosting gives these lemon cookies a more complex flavor profile.
- Lemon: This recipe uses both lemon zest and lemon juice for the ultimate citrus flavor.
- Cream cheese: The base of the cream cheese frosting, make sure to use full-fat cream cheese for a richer texture.
- Powdered sugar: Also known as confectioners’ sugar, this adds sweetness and helps thicken the frosting.
- Stand mixer: A stand mixer makes the cookie dough and frosting come together easily, but you can also use a handheld mixer.
Hearth and Hand
Standing Mixer
This Hearth and Hand standing mixer is our favorite!
What can I substitute for vanilla extract?
If you don’t have vanilla extract, almond extract is a great second option. You can also use a vanilla bean, which will give the cookies a more intense vanilla flavor.
Delicious Additions for These Lemon Cookies
White chocolate chips: Add a little extra sweetness and creaminess by adding white chocolate chips to the cookie dough.
Dried cranberries: For a tangy twist, add dried cranberries to the cookie dough for a delicious flavor combination.
Chopped nuts: Pecans or walnuts are a great addition to the cookie dough for some added crunch and nutty flavor.
Lemon glaze: Instead of cream cheese frosting, you can also drizzle a lemon glaze over the cookies for a lighter and tangier option. You can learn how to make it by checking out these Almond Flour Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins or Lemon Poppy Seed Bread!
Why cream the butter?
Creaming the butter and sugar for 5 minutes is a step that seems unnecessary, but when done, the result is a light and airy cookie with a crispy crust. The creaming process incorporates air into the dough, which helps the cookies rise and become fluffy while baking. It also helps distribute the ingredients evenly for a more consistent texture.
Most important tip
Don’t skip refrigerating the dough!
Refrigerating the dough helps firm it up so it is easier to roll in the powdered sugar. If you skip this step, the dough will be super sticky and hard to roll.
It may also take more time to bake, or it will fall apart. Refrigerating the dough also allows the flavors to meld together, resulting in a more delicious cookie!
Storage Directions
These lemon cookies will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. After that, they may start to dry out and lose their freshness.
Can you freeze the dough?
Yes, you can freeze the dough for later use. Simply shape the dough into balls and place on a lined baking sheet. Freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. The frozen dough balls can be baked directly from frozen — just add an extra minute or two to the baking time.
Lemon Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Dry
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Wet
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup butter, ~1 stick room temperature
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Frosting
- 4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter, ~1 stick room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest ~1 small lemon
- 1.25 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Place all of the dry ingredients into a bowl. Mix to combine and set aside.
- Add the butter and brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat together on low/medium speed for 5 minutes. It should be light and fluffy when done. Be sure to scrape the sides throughout the beat time.
- Next, add the egg, vanilla, and lemon zest to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix until combined.
- Add the lemon juice and mix until combined.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Be sure there are no flour clumps at the bottom of the mixing bowl.
- Transfer the cookie dough to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop the cookies with a 2-tablespoon scoop and roll them into a ball. Because these cookies spread a bit more than others, we prefer to bake 6 to a baking sheet.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes.
- Let rest for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling wrack. Let the cookies cool completely.
- Prepare the frosting. Place the cream cheese and butter into the bowl of a stand mixer. Whip together until well blended and fluffy. If the cream cheese and butter are not warm enough there might be lumps when whipping together. If that is the case whip for another minute.
- Next, add the vanilla, lemon juice, lemon zest, and powdered sugar to the bowl. Starting on low, mix together until well blended. The speed can be increased once the sugar has been incorporated.
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Frost each cookie and garnish with lemon zest.
Tips & Notes
- Refrigerating the dough is to help firm it up so it is easier to roll in the powdered sugar. If you skip this step the dough will be super sticky and hard to roll. They may also take more time to bake or they will fall apart.
- Almond extract can be used in place of the vanilla extract.
- Creaming the butter and sugar for 5 minutes is a step that seems unnecessary, but when done the result is a light and airy cookie with a crispy crust.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Photography: photos taken in this post are by Erin from The Wooden Skillet.
