Soft lemon sugar cookies with a surprise creamy lemon filling inside. Bursting with citrus flavor, tender centers, and a melt-in-your-mouth texture — these cookies look impressive but are easy to make.
🧈 Ingredients
Lemon Cookie Dough
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¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
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¾ cup granulated sugar
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1 large egg
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1 tbsp lemon zest
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2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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1¾ cups all-purpose flour
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½ tsp baking powder
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¼ tsp salt
Lemon Cream Filling
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½ cup cream cheese, softened
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¼ cup powdered sugar
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1 tsp lemon juice
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½ tsp lemon zest
For Rolling (Optional)
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Powdered sugar or granulated sugar
🔪 Instructions
1️⃣ Make the Filling
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Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon juice, and zest until smooth.
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Scoop small teaspoon-sized dollops onto parchment paper.
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Freeze for 20–30 minutes until firm.
2️⃣ Make the Cookie Dough
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Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
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Beat in egg, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla.
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Mix flour, baking powder, and salt; add to wet ingredients.
3️⃣ Stuff the Cookies
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Scoop dough and flatten slightly.
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Place frozen lemon filling in center.
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Wrap dough around filling and roll into a ball.
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Roll in sugar if desired.
4️⃣ Bake
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Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
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Bake for 11–13 minutes, until bottoms are set and tops are soft.
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Cool on pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to rack.
🍽️ Serving & Storage
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Best served slightly warm or chilled
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Store in fridge up to 4 days
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Freeze baked cookies up to 2 months
❓ Q & A
Q: Can I use lemon curd instead of cream cheese filling?
Yes! Freeze the lemon curd first so it doesn’t leak.
Q: How do I keep the filling from leaking out?
Make sure filling is frozen and fully sealed in dough.
Q: Can I make them extra lemony?
Add extra zest or drizzle with lemon glaze.
