Soft, cakey cookies with pop of lemon. These Lemon Butter Cookies are the perfect combination of cake and cookie!
12 Days of Holiday Treats: Day 7
Welcome to day 7 of SugarSpicesLife’s 12 Days of Holiday Treats. A 12 day series of holiday candies, cookies and other treats.
In case you’ve missed any, so far this year I have shared:
Day 1: Hot Chocolate Cookies
Day 2: Orange Shortbread Cookies
Day 3: Homemade Peanut Butter Cups
Day 4: Candy Cane Puppy Chow
Day 5: Sugar Cookie Truffles
Day 6: Holiday Meringue Cookies
To see more holiday recipes, you can check out the 2020 series here.
Lemon Butter Cookies
Several years ago a friend of mine gave me a bag of lemon crinkle cake cookies. She had used a box of lemon cake mix to bake cookies, and they were DELICIOUS. I later made her recipe myself, and loved them. But, as I love to make things from scratch and wanted a challenge, I decided to try and create my own version of her cookies.
I wanted a cookie that was soft and cakey, and had a lemony taste, but without the lemon being overpowering. Well friends, today I will share with you my recipe for just that cookie!
Step One: Creaming
First, use an electric mixer fit with the paddle attachment to beat together the following:
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Cream cheese, room temperature
- Zest from 2 large lemons
You want to mix these ingredients until they’re completely smooth.
Step Two: Sugar and Eggs
Next, add in the sugar, and mix until lightened and fluffy. This will be about 3 to 4 minutes.
Once the mixture is fluffy, you’ll then beat in the vanilla extract, followed by the eggs, one at a time. Make sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally as you’re mixing in the eggs.
Step Three: Dry Ingredients
In a small bowl, whisk together:
- All purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Kosher salt
Then, gradually beat it into the butter mixture until it has been well incorporated.
Step Four: Baking
Finally, roll the dough into balls that are about 1 1/2 tablespoons in size. Roll the ball through powdered sugar, place it on a lined baking sheet, and slightly flatten the ball into a disc shape that is about 2 inches in diameter.
Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes, or until they are no longer shiny and doughy; they should not brown.
If you want, you can sift a little more powdered sugar on the tops of the cookies after they have completely cooled.
These Lemon Butter Cookies are a fast and easy way to have a citrus pop on your next cookie tray!
Lemon Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 8-ounce package cream cheese softened
- 2 large lemons zest of
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar plus a few tablespoons for additional topping if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Use electric mixer fit with paddle attachment to cream together, butter, cream cheese and lemon zest until smooth.
- Add in sugar and beat until lightened and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
- Mix in vanilla extract. Then add in eggs, one at a time, scraping down sides as needed.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powdered and kosher salt. Gradually beat into butter mixture until well incorporated.
- Form dough into balls about 1 1/2 tablespoons in size. Roll balls through powdered sugar and place on prepared baking sheet.
- Slightly press down dough so that it forms a disc about 2 inches in diameter.
- Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until cookies are set (meaning they no longer look wet or dough, they should not brown).
- After cookies have cooled completely, sift powdered sugar over tops of cookies if desired.
Disclaimer: All nutritional information provided on this website is an estimate only and is not guaranteed.
If you enjoyed these Lemon Butter Cookies, you might also enjoy these other SugarSpicesLife recipes:
Blueberry Lemon Cake
Homemade Lemon Curd
Cookie Press Lemon Cookies
Lemon Butter Bars
Lemon Cranberry Cake
