Description
These Lemon Cheesecake Cookies combine tangy lemon flavor with creamy cheesecake filling wrapped in a soft, buttery cookie dough. Perfect for a delightful dessert or snack, these cookies are easy to make and sure to impress with their moist texture and burst of citrus in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cheesecake Filling
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Prepare the Cookie Dough: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the granulated sugar and beat until fluffy. Incorporate the egg, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract, mixing until combined. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to make it easier to handle.
- Make the Cheesecake Filling: In a small bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Mix until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- Form the Cookies: Scoop a tablespoon of the chilled cookie dough and roll it into a ball. Using your thumb, make a small indentation in the center of each dough ball. Fill this indentation with approximately 1 teaspoon of the cheesecake filling. Gently fold the edges of the dough around the filling to enclose it completely, then roll the ball again to smooth the surface. Place the filled dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges turn lightly golden and the centers are set. Once baked, let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Chilling the dough is essential to make it easier to handle and to help maintain the shape of the cookies during baking.
- Use fresh lemon juice and zest for the best bright citrus flavor.
- Make sure the cream cheese is softened at room temperature to blend smoothly into both the dough and filling.
- Do not overbake; cookies will firm up as they cool, so remove them once edges are lightly golden.
- Store cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days to keep the cheesecake filling fresh.
