Delicious Lemon Cheesecake Cookies Recipe

Here’s my favorite lemon cheesecake cookies recipe, with a soft cream cheese base, fresh lemon zest, and a simple powdered sugar dusting that makes them look like little snowballs.

These cookies are always the first to disappear at bake sales and family gatherings. I usually double the batch because my kids can’t keep their hands off them while they’re cooling. And let’s be honest – who can resist a cookie that tastes like cheesecake?

What Kind of Cream Cheese Should I Use?

For these cookies, regular full-fat block cream cheese is your best bet – skip the whipped or spreadable varieties in tubs. The block-style cream cheese has less water content and will give you the right texture in your cookies. Make sure to use cold cream cheese straight from the fridge, as it’s easier to work with and helps create that perfect cheesecake-like center. If you’re shopping for cream cheese, Philadelphia is a reliable choice that most bakers swear by, but any quality block cream cheese will work well. Just remember to avoid low-fat versions, as they contain more water and can make your cookies spread too much while baking.

Options for Substitutions

While some ingredients are key for these cookies, here are some helpful substitutions you can try:

• Cream cheese: This is a must-have ingredient that gives these cookies their signature taste and texture. However, if needed, you can use Neufchâtel cheese for a lighter version.
• Butter: While unsalted butter works best, you can use salted butter – just reduce the added salt by 1/4 teaspoon. Plant-based butter can work too, but the texture might be slightly different.
• All-purpose flour: For a gluten-free version, try a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum. Regular cake flour works too, but the cookies will be more delicate.
• Brown sugar: No light brown sugar? Mix 3/4 cup white sugar with 1 tablespoon molasses. Dark brown sugar works too, but will give a stronger molasses flavor.
• Lemon zest: Fresh zest is best, but in a pinch, you can use 1 teaspoon of lemon extract for every tablespoon of zest. The flavor won’t be quite the same, but it’ll work.
• Egg yolks: For each egg yolk, you can substitute 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise or 1 tablespoon of plain Greek yogurt, though the texture might be slightly different.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest challenge when making lemon cheesecake cookies is temperature control – using cream cheese that’s too warm will make your filling too soft and messy, while butter that’s too cold won’t cream properly with the sugar. For perfect results, keep your cream cheese cold but let your butter sit at room temperature for exactly 1 hour before starting. Another common mistake is not measuring the flour precisely – too much flour leads to dry, crumbly cookies, so make sure to use the spoon-and-level method or better yet, weigh your ingredients. When it comes to the lemon zest, avoid the white pith beneath the yellow part of the peel, as it can make your cookies bitter – stick to the yellow outer layer only, and grate it right before using for the strongest lemon flavor. Finally, don’t overbake these cookies – they should look slightly underdone when you take them out, as they’ll continue to set while cooling on the baking sheet.

What to Serve With Lemon Cheesecake Cookies?

These sweet and tangy cookies are perfect for afternoon tea or coffee breaks! Try serving them alongside a hot cup of Earl Grey tea, which has subtle citrus notes that complement the lemon flavor beautifully. For a refreshing summer treat, pair them with a cold glass of iced tea or homemade lemonade. If you’re putting together a dessert platter, these cookies work really well next to fresh berries like strawberries or raspberries, which add a nice pop of color and fresh flavor to balance out the richness of the cheesecake element.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: These lemon cheesecake cookies stay fresh and yummy when kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Pop a piece of bread in the container to help keep them soft and prevent them from drying out. For longer storage, keep them in the fridge for up to a week.

Freeze: Good news – these cookies freeze really well! Place them in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. They’ll keep their flavor for up to 3 months. It’s super handy to make a double batch and save some for later!

Make Ahead: Want to prep ahead? You can make the cookie dough and keep it in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking. Just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. You can also form the dough balls and freeze them on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag – perfect for fresh-baked cookies whenever you want them!

Preparation Time	30-45 minutes
Cooking Time	11-12 minutes per batch
Total Time	50-70 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3200-3500
• Protein: 30-40 g
• Fat: 220-250 g
• Carbohydrates: 400-420 g

Ingredients

• 170 g cream cheese, kept cold (6 oz)
• 38 g white sugar (3 tbsp)
• 5 g lemon zest (1/2 tbsp)
• 100 g white sugar (1/2 cup)
• 5 g lemon zest (1/2 tbsp)
• 218 g all-purpose flour, measured precisely (1 3/4 cups)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 168 g unsalted butter, at room temperature (3/4 cup)
• 165 g packed light brown sugar (3/4 cup)
• 50 g white sugar (1/4 cup)
• 2 egg yolks, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 25 g lemon zest (2 1/2 tbsp)

Step 1: Prepare the Cheesecake Filling

Line a small cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, add the cream cheese and sugar.

Use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to mix them until fluffy and the sugar has dissolved, which should take about 2 minutes.

Mix in the lemon zest.

Scoop the cheesecake filling into 16, 2 teaspoon portions onto the baking sheet.

Place the cheesecake balls into the freezer until they are frozen and very firm.

Step 2: Make Lemon Sugar

Add sugar and lemon zest to a separate small bowl.

Rub them together with your fingers to extract the lemon oil in the zest.

Set this lemon sugar mixture aside for later use.

Step 3: Prepare Dry and Wet Ingredients

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Set this flour mixture aside.

In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer to cream the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on high speed for about 2 minutes until fluffy.

Add the egg yolks and vanilla to the butter mixture, mixing for one minute on medium speed until pale and fluffy.

Add in the lemon zest and combine on medium speed.

Finally, add the dry ingredients and combine on low speed until integrated.

Step 4: Chill Dough and Preheat Oven

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Chill the dough in the fridge for 10-15 minutes while waiting for the oven to preheat.

Chilling the dough will make it easier to roll into balls.

Step 5: Assemble Cookies

Using a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the dough into 16 portions and roll into balls.

Slightly flatten each ball and place a frozen cheesecake ball in the center.

Wrap the cheesecake ball completely with the cookie dough and roll it back into a ball, ensuring the cheesecake filling is fully covered.

Roll these cookie dough balls in the lemon sugar prepared earlier.

Keep the cheesecake balls in the freezer until ready to use for each batch of cookies.

Step 6: Bake and Cool

Transfer the cookie dough balls to a prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper, baking 6 cookies at a time.

Bake them in the preheated oven for 11-12 minutes.

Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for about 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once cooled, serve these delicious cheesecake-filled lemon sugar cookies!