Zesty Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies

Lemon, an incredibly versatile and beloved ingredient, works wonders in desserts. It brings a bright, zesty quality that prevents sweets from becoming overly sugary. This is exactly why we chose lemon as the star of our cookies. But wait, there’s more – the addition of cream cheese is a delightful surprise, adding a subtle tang that perfectly balances the cookie’s flavor profile. Even if the combination of lemon and cream cheese doesn’t immediately intrigue you, just wait until you see how charming these cookies look! Bake a batch, and watch them vanish before your eyes – they’re simply irresistible!

Ingredients

For the Cookies:Ingredients

For the Cookies:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 large egg, room temperature

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon zest

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Icing:

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tablespoon milk

1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

Preparation

In a large bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth, then mix in sugar until creamy.

Add the egg and vanilla extract, beating until fluffy, about 5-6 minutes.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour, lemon zest, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.

Alternately add the flour mixture and lemon juice to the cream cheese mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients.

Form a dough, adding more flour if sticky. Wrap in plastic and chill for 1-2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350º F and line baking sheets with parchment.

Scoop dough, roll into balls, and place on the baking sheets.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges brown slightly.

Let cookies cool completely.

For the icing, whisk powdered sugar, milk, and lemon juice until smooth. Adjust thickness as desired. Drizzle over cooled cookies and let set before serving.