Guys these Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies are so soft and delicious! They have a lovely lemon flavor without being overpowering. I love lemon cream cheese desserts and these cookies do not disappoint. In fact, I think they are the best lemon cookies! I think lemon treats are perfect for the Spring and Summer months, so I hop you enjoy them as much as we do.

Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies - I think these are the best lemon cookies - soft, moist, with a light lemon flavor. Grab the easy recipe.

The drizzle I put on top of these lemon cookies has lemon juice in it too, adding to that great lemon flavor.

Ingredients:

butter
cream cheese
sugar
egg
vanilla
lemon juice
lemon zest
flour
baking powder
baking soda
salt
powdered sugar
milk

Making Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies

You start by creaming together your butter and cream cheese. That alone should tell you these are going to be a great cookie dough.

Creaming the butter and cream cheese for the lemon cream cheese cookies.

Add the sugar and then you’ll let it go mixing away because creamy is always better.

Adding the lemon zest to the lemon cream cheese batter.

Once it’s creamy you’ll be adding the egg, vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest.

Dry ingredients for the lemon cream cheese cookies.

Time to prep the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. All purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. I whisk it all together.

Then it’s time to add the flour mixture to the wet until it’s just combined.

Now, comes the hardest part – waiting the 4 + hours so the dough can firm up.

Do I Need to Refrigerate My Cookie Dough

YES! It makes a HUGE difference in this recipe. The cream cheese and butter needs to firm up before it gets hit with the oven heat. This helps the cookie not to spread, and helps with the great texture this cookie has.

I have put the dough into the freezer for 2 hours in a pinch and it worked, but I still think it tastes best if you refrigerate this cookie recipe dough for at least 4 hours.

Once the lemon cookies are baked up you’ll let them cool at least 20 minutes on wire racks and then it’s time to drizzle with a lemon icing… so good! That lemon glaze with fresh lemon juice adds another layer of lemon flavor.

Adding the lemon drizzle to the top of the lemon cream cheese cookies.

Then I finish the cookies with a little more lemon zest. It looks so pretty plus it adds a great additional lemon flavor.

Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies

Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies are the best lemon cookie! They are soft and moist with a great light lemon flavor, perfect for summertime!

Print Recipe

Prep Time:10

Cook Time:12

Cooling:24

Total Time:46

Equipment

mixer
cookie sheet
parchment paper

Ingredients

Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies

½ cup butter softened
4 ounces cream cheese softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp lemon juice I got from 1 large lemon
1 tbsp lemon zest from 1 large lemon
2 ¼ flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt

Lemon Icing

½ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp milk

Instructions

Making Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies

Cream your softened butter, softened cream cheese, and sugar for 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Start at low speed with your mixer and gradually get to medium-high.
Add the egg, mix on low speed until combined.
Add the vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Mix on low until combined.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until smooth and combined.
Slowly add to the mixer on a low speed until the dry and wet mixtures are combined smoothly.
Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
When you're ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°. Place a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet.
Use a spoon or cookie scoop to scoop dough about golf ball size. Roll between your hands until it's a smooth ball. Place on the parchment paper at least 2 inches apart.
Bake in your preheated oven for 12-14 minutes until the edges are just starting to brown.
Cool for 20 minutes before icing.

Making Lemon Icing

In a small bowl mix together with a fork the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and milk until smooth.
Use the fork to drizzle the icing on top of the cooled lemon cream cheese cookies.
Finish with a sprinkle of the lemon zest.