Soft Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies are delicious. They are like a little slice of heaven baked into a soft cookie that can be savored. It’s one of my favorite flavors to experiential with and when you try these cookies, you’ll understand why. If you’re a lemon fan, this cookie recipe is for you. If you love soft and chewy cookies, this recipe is for you and finally, if you enjoy simple recipes, this is the one for you!
Icebox cookies are a must in my household. I can bake cupcakes, pies, dessert bars and cake but nothing compares to the cookies we go through here. For years, my cookies turned out flat, crispy and crunchy but after learning to tweak the recipes, I have finally mastered the art of cookie baking.
Using Cream Cheese in Lemon Cookie Dough
Adding cream cheese to cookies is nothing new. Many bakers much like myself enjoy cookies that use a mixture of cream cheese and butter. Using real butter adds an incredible amount of flavor to cookies and that is something that remains in this soft dough recipe. Using cream cheese helps to thicken the cookie dough. It results in a more intense soft, chewy and pillowy cookie with the same richness and flavor that many crave.
It’s important to thaw the cream cheese and butter to room temperature before continuing to make the dough.
TIP: To quickly soften, cut butter or cream cheese by the tablespoon and place in the microwave for 30 seconds. Be sure that it doesn’t melt, though. Cream together the butter and cream cheese for about a minute or two. This step ensures the dough bakes up thick and soft. Continue mixing on medium speed and slowly add in the sugar, egg and vanilla extract and then return the mixer to beat the dough ingredients.
Cookie dough batter should be light and fluffy. Meanwhile, zest 1-2 lemons and reserve 2-3 tbsp lemon zest then chop the zest. Squeeze fresh lemons and reserve 3 tbsp of lemon juice.
Mixing the Cookie Dough
This recipe is adapted from my Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe I posted a few weeks ago. The dessert cookies are super easy to make but do require a chill time in the refrigerator so the cream cheese and butter have a chance to become more solid. It also works by allowing the oil in the lemon zest to relax and leads the dough to have more of that lemon flavor.
After 5-7 minutes of beating batter, add half the flour mixture to the batter. Next, measure and add all of the baking soda, cornstarch, salt, and chopped lemon zest. Pour in lemon juice and continue beating on medium speed. Add the remainder of the flour to the dough and mix.
TIP: The dough should start to form a ball if mixed right. If no ball is forming, add a little more flour until ball forms. If the dough is too dry, add just a little lemon juice. Next, chill cookie dough in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
Cookies Baking Tips
- CHILL DOUGH: Once the dough is chilled, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
- PERFECT SIZE COOKIES: Use a cookie scoop to scoop about 1 1/2 tablespoons dough. Roll dough between hands to form a nice ball and place on a prepared cookie sheet.
- BAKING TIP: Place in the oven and bake for 9-15 minutes. This recipe is incredibly popular and has been made by thousands. While this recipe works for 90 percent of readers, another 10% it appears raw. If the cookies appear raw after baking and undercooked, continue to cook an extra 5-15 minutes. Every oven is different so use your best judgment on this recipe. NOTE that different size cookies will require more or less baking time to cook them.
- COOKIES WILL CONTINUE TO HARDEN AFTER BAKING: Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool completely before transferring. Cookies will harden within a few hours to overnight.
- MAKING THE GLAZE: To make the glaze, combine powdered sugar and water in a small bowl and whisk until icing is smooth. Dunk cookies in upside down or drizzle icing over cookies. Zest extra lemon for the icing if desired.
For more COOKIE RECIPES, try these Lemon Sugar Cookies. Thousands have made this recipe and just love it! Another classic, Chocolate Crinkle Cookies. A must for Christmas cookie baking, everyone loves the soft rich texture of these cookies along with classic Snickerdoodles. For an easy summer flavor, these Strawberry Cookies are quick and delicious. For a twist, try these Strawberry Lemonade Cookies. An all-time favorite, these Mexican Wedding Cookies are to die for delicious!
Soft Cream Cheese Lemon Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ¼ cup cream cheese softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp to 3 tbsp lemon zest
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 2½ cup to 2¾ cup all-purpose flour if the dough is super soft, add more flour
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
Lemon Icing
- 1½ tbsp lemon juice or water use any extra lemon zest, too
- ¾ cup to 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Combine butter and cream cheese in a bowl fit with a paddle attachment of a mixer. Cream together for about 1 minute.
- Add granulated sugar and continue to mix. Add egg and vanilla extract and continue to beat on medium to high speed until light and fluffy, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add half the flour, all the baking soda, salt, cornstarch and lemon zest. Add lemon juice and the remaining flour.
- Mix to combine until the dough starts to form like a ball. Add a little more flour until slight ball starts to form.
- Cover and refrigerate dough at least 2-3 hours or up to a few days.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare baking sheet and spray with cooking spray or parchment paper.
- Using a cookie scoop, scoop about 1½ tablespoon cookie dough. Roll cookie dough between hands to get a nice round ball and place on prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake for 8-15 minutes.
- TIP: This recipe is incredibly popular and has been made by thousands. While this recipe works for 90 percent of readers, another 10% it appears raw. If the cookies appear raw after baking and undercooked, continue to cook an extra 5-15 minutes. Every oven is different so use your best judgment on this recipe.
- Removed from oven and while still hot, slightly press down if desired.
- Allow cookies to cool down completely before transferring. Cookies will slightly harden overnight a little more so don't bake them much longer.
- To make the glaze, combine powdered sugar and water together in a small bowl. Whisk fast until ingredients are combined with no lumps.
- Dip cookies upside down into icing or drizzle icing over the top and allow to harden.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate and it’s accuracy is not guaranteed to be exact.
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updated 2021
90 Responses
I’ve made these several times! They are always delicious and scarfed up by lemon lovers! After finding this recipe I feel like I have a lemon cookie recipe for life and I’ll never need to look elsewhere!
Thank you so much for that kind comment. It made my day!
So yummy! But puffy? Mine don’t look like these at all, but I’m writing them down in my family recipe book to make again. So light, delicate, and flavourful! Thank you!
Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the cookies enough to add them to your family recipe book—what a compliment! 😊
The puffiness could be due to the dough being slightly over-chilled or an oven temperature variance, but it sounds like they turned out deliciously light and delicate, which is exactly what we hope for! If you ever want them to spread more, you can try pressing them down slightly before baking or ensuring the butter and cream cheese are fully softened during mixing.
Thanks again for your feedback, and happy baking! 💛
These are the best!! Wonder how you could make them pumpkin spice instead of lemon…
Thanks, Carissa! I’m so glad you love them! 😍 I love your idea of using pumpkin spice—sounds perfect for the season! I’ll definitely add that to my experiment list, and who knows, maybe it’ll be the next big hit!
My favorite lemon cookie! These melt in your mouth. If you’re a lemon lover like me, opt for the lemon juice in the icing and don’t skimp on any of the zest. For those who have had trouble with baking them, I use a slotted spatula to scoop the cookie up on and look underneath to see if the bottoms are a light brown – then you know it’s done. They do look under done when they come out but if you allow them to set they are the softest texture!
Wonderful tips! I am so glad you enjoyed them.
Could you substitute Neufchâtel cheese for the cream cheese in this recipe?
Yes, Annemarie, you can definitely substitute Neufchâtel cheese for the cream cheese in this recipe. Neufchâtel has a similar texture and slightly lower fat content, which shouldn’t significantly alter the taste or consistency of the cookies. Enjoy your baking!
I’m a true lemon lover, so for me it’s always a struggle to have that elusive lemon flavor come through in baked goods. This recipe did a pretty good job of bringing the flavor out. I still wish it could be a bit more lemony, but maybe I’ll try adding even more lemon zest if I ever make these again. I DO have to say though, this recipe’s photo is what made me want to make these because the picture just makes these cookies look to die for and as if they have a creamy center, but they don’t actually look like the recipe’s picture. They’re just regular cookies that are soft/chewy due to the cream cheese, so I was definitely disappointed in that part of the outcome. But overall still an okay cookie in my opinion.
Thank you for your comments. I am sorry if they did not turn out the way you were expecting them.
I intend on making these in next few days to add to my cookie gifts. How should they be stored as in do they have to be refrigerated or can they be kept in an air tight container? Thank you!
For the Soft Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies, storing them in an airtight container at room temperature is usually sufficient for short-term storage (a few days to a week). However, due to the cream cheese in the dough, if you plan to keep them longer or if you’re in a very warm climate, refrigerating them can help maintain their freshness. In the fridge, they should last up to two weeks. If you’re making them well in advance for gifts, you can also freeze the cookies. Just ensure they’re well-wrapped or in a sealed container to prevent freezer burn. Thaw them at room temperature before serving or gifting.
Do you let them cool on the cookie sheet when they come out of the oven?
Yes, Cathi, it’s generally a good practice to let the Soft Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes after they come out of the oven. This allows them to set and firm up slightly, making them easier to transfer to a cooling rack without breaking. After a few minutes on the cookie sheet, you can then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool down completely. This process ensures that your cookies maintain their shape and texture.
I just made these. I’ve had the recipe saved for so long on Pinterest and I finally did it! These are so good!!! I think the only thing I did differently was add cream cheese to the icing and did a little bit less powdered sugar. Otherwise, fantastic recipe! I baked the cookies for ten minutes, then pressed them down with a fork a bit and let them cool. They are the perfect soft, gooey I was hoping to get! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
I am so glad you were able to enjoy these. Thank you for you comment.
I haven’t actually made these yet, but definitely plan to. Wondering if I can freeze them. We have planned our girls baking day quite early this year, lol
Yes, you can freeze these Soft Cream Cheese Lemon Cookies as dough and baked cookies. Freezing is a great way to prepare for your baking day well in advance. Enjoy your baking and your cookies!
Swanky recipes what do you mean when you say 7.5 cup to 2/34 cup of flour or 2.25 cup to 1 cup of powder sugar please
The recipe gives a range for flour (2½ to 2¾ cups) and powdered sugar (¾ to 1 cup) to allow for adjustments. Start with the lower amount; if the dough is too sticky, add more flour up to 2¾ cups. For the sugar, use more or less based on desired sweetness.
How would the recipe yield a yellow lemony color without food coloring? The photo appears to be misleading.
The yellow lemony color in the Soft Cream Cheese Lemon Cookies comes from the natural ingredients used, such as the lemon zest and the egg yolk. Lemon zest, which contains the lemon peel’s essential oils, can give the dough a natural pale-yellow hue. The egg yolk also contributes to the color, albeit subtly.
I should mention that even though many online images of food are enhanced, I can capture a naturally vibrant yellow color in my cookies with proper lighting and by using ingredients that are rich in color, like fresh lemon zest. If I aim to get that same vivid color in my cookies, I make sure to use a generous amount of fresh lemon zest and consider the natural color variations of the ingredients I’m using.
Thank you for your question and happy baking =)
I had these at a recent party and I would describe them as a soft shortbread with lemon icing. Has anyone tried this recipe with Vegan Cream Cheese product (like Toffuti) ? Dairy intolerant person in our family, but loves lemon.
They taste fine but do not look like the photos at all! I was expecting them to be creamy but they were cake like.
amazing recipe! thanks for sharing
These turn out well. I just thought they would spread more in baking. I actually had to press them down a bit. I ended up making a cream cheese lemon icing which was yummy! I would definitely add more lemon next time. I like a strong lemon flavor.
When you say paddle attachment do you mean the dough hook to mix everything?
No. I mean the standard paddle attachment. That is what it is called.
You can use a wire whisk in place of mixer for the butter and cream cheese. Whisk until fluffy.
Love lemon! These turned out perfect! The freshly squeezed lemon juice along with zest (I went with 3 tbsp for full lemon flavor) gave it the lemon tang combined with melt in the mouth buttery goodness. Thank you for sharing!