Description
Delight in these tangy and creamy Stuffed Lemon Cookies, featuring a soft lemon-flavored dough filled with a luscious cream cheese lemon filling. Perfectly dusted with powdered sugar for a sweet finish, these cookies offer a refreshing citrus twist ideal for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients and Dough
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (for rolling)
Filling
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix dry ingredients: Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl, then set aside for later use in the dough.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together until you achieve a light and fluffy texture, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add wet ingredients: Beat in the egg, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract into the butter-sugar mixture until well combined, ensuring a bright and fragrant dough base.
- Combine dry and wet ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing gently until just combined to keep the dough tender without overworking it.
- Prepare filling: In a separate bowl, blend the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest together until smooth and creamy, forming the tangy filling.
- Shape cookies: Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and flatten them slightly with your hands. Place a small spoonful of the cream cheese filling in the center, then fold the edges of the dough over to fully seal the filling inside.
- Coat with powdered sugar: Roll each filled dough ball generously in powdered sugar to create a sweet coating and place them spaced apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges turn a light golden color. This ensures a delicate crispness while keeping the interior soft.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, maintaining their shape and texture.
Notes
- Ensure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature for easy mixing and smooth filling.
- Handle the dough gently when sealing the filling to prevent it from leaking during baking.
- For extra zest, you can add more lemon zest to the dough or filling according to taste preference.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- These cookies freeze well; freeze baked and cooled cookies in a sealed container for up to 2 months.
