Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/8/23
Tested by
Noah Velush-Rogers
Noah Velush-Rogers
Tested by Noah Velush-Rogers
Noah Velush-Rogers works on food prep for several area caterers. He has worked with a team of prep chefs for a private school group. He was an assistant cooking teacher for children and teen group cooking classes. Noah was hired as an intern and was then trained as a recipe tester for Fine Cooking Magazine. 
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 11 mins
Total: 26 mins
Servings: 36 servings

These bright and refreshing lemon cookies are tender and soft and finished with a vibrant citrus icing. Cream cheese gives these cookies amazing flavor and texture, and the lemon zest, juice, and extract add a nice lemon zing. Bake up a batch anytime you're craving a sweet treat with a little tang—they're incredibly easy to prepare and will disappear in a flash.

Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

“These cookies are absolutely incredible! The fresh, bright lemony taste is perfectly matched with the sweet creaminess. I cannot recommend these enough, definitely a must bake!” —Noah Velush-Rogers

Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies/Tester Image
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Ingredients

For the Cookies:

  • 2 cups (9-ounces) all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 8 tablespoons (4-ounces) salted butter, softened

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, more as needed

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

For the Icing:

  • 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

  • 2 to 3 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest, more for garnish

  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Steps to Make It

Make the Cookies

  1. Gather the cookie ingredients.

    Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Position a rack in the upper and lower third of the oven and heat to 350 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

    parchment paper lined baking sheets

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Set aside.

    flour and baking powder in a bowl

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until light, about 1 minute. Alternatively, use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

    butter and cream cheese in a bowl

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

    sugar added to the cream cheese mixture in the bowl, hand mixer

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Beat in the egg and the lemon zest.

    egg and lemon zest added to the mixture in the bowl

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Stir in the flour mixture, the lemon juice, and lemon extract. Beat until well blended.

    cookie batter in a bowl, hand mixer

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  8. Using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets about 1 1/2-inches apart.

    cookie batter on baking sheets

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  9. Coat the bottom of a glass with sugar and flatten each cookie mound slightly.

    raw cookies on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  10. Bake until lightly golden around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes.

    cookies on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Make the Icing

  1. Gather the icing ingredients.

    icing ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. While the cookies are baking, make the icing. In a medium bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, lemon zest to taste, and lemon juice. Stir until well blended.

    icing in a bowl

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Finish the Cookies

  1. Place the cookies on racks over rimmed baking sheets to cool slightly. Drizzle each cookie with a scant teaspoon of icing. Garnish with additional lemon zest, if desired. Serve once the icing hardens.

    Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies on a cooling rack

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

How to Store

Although they contain cream cheese, these cookies can be kept at room temperature. When stored in an airtight container they will stay fresh tasting for up to five days. For longer storage, you can place in the freezer, well wrapped, where the cookies will last one month.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
107 Calories
4g Fat
17g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 36
Amount per serving
Calories 107
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g 5%
Saturated Fat 2g 12%
Cholesterol 15mg 5%
Sodium 46mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 12g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 1mg 5%
Calcium 14mg 1%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 18mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)