Lemon Cheesecake Cookies
Bright, zesty, and melt-in-your-mouth soft, lemon cheesecake cookies are like a little bite of sunshine! With a creamy cheesecake center and a burst of citrus flavor, these cookies are guaranteed to steal the show.
Summer always has me reaching for lemon desserts, and these lemon cheesecake cookies hit the spot! There’s just something so refreshing about that bright citrus flavor when the weather’s warm. And when you pair it with creamy cheesecake? Pure magic. Like my lemon blueberry cheesecake bars, these cookies bring the best of both worlds—tangy, sweet, and perfectly soft with a rich, luscious center that makes them so irresistible.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Zesty lemon flavor. These cookies pack a bright citrus punch that’s refreshing and perfectly balanced with just the right amount of sweetness.
- Cheesecake surprise. A creamy center that melts in your mouth.
- Perfectly soft texture. Tender on the inside with lightly golden edges, they hold their shape beautifully while still melting in your mouth.
- Great make-ahead treat. These cookies store well, making them an ideal dessert to prep ahead for summer gatherings, picnics, or a weekend treat.
Ingredient Notes
Cheesecake Filling:
- Cream cheese: Cold cream cheese is key for the best creamy filling.
- Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness to balance the tang of the cream cheese.
- Lemon zest: Fresh zest brings out a bright, citrusy aroma and flavor in the cheesecake filling.
Cookies:
- All-purpose flour: The base for the cookie dough, giving structure to the cookies.
- Baking soda: For a bit of lift and a slightly chewy texture.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness of the dough and enhances all the flavors.
- Granulated sugar: Adds just the right amount of sweetness.
- Lemon zest: Fresh zest adds a bright, aromatic kick to every bite.
- Unsalted butter: Melted butter ensures a soft, tender texture.
- Egg and egg yolk: These provide richness and help bind the dough together.
- Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice adds a tart note to complement the sweetness.
- Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and depth of flavor to the dough.
- Granulated sugar for rolling: Adds a little extra sweetness and a delicate crunch to the cookie surface.
Refer to the recipe card for the ingredient measurements and details.
Recipe Variations
Glaze drizzle. After baking, drizzle the cookies with a simple lemon glaze made from powdered sugar and lemon juice for extra zing. To make the glaze, mix together 1¼ cups powdered sugar with 1½ tablespoons of fresh lemon juice. Add more lemon juice as needed until you have a smooth glaze.
Lemon poppy seed cookies. Stir 2½ teaspoons of poppy seeds into the cookie dough for a classic bakery-style combo.
Without cream cheese. Skip the cream cheese filling and use my lemon sugar cookie recipe for a soft, chewy lemon sugar cookie bursting with citrus flavor.
How to Make Lemon Cheesecake Cookies
- In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar, and lemon zest.
- Scoop heaping teaspoons, roll into balls, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze until firm, making at least 18 balls.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine sugar and lemon zest, rubbing them together to boost the flavor.
- Add melted butter and mix until absorbed. Beat in the egg, yolk, lemon juice, and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined, scraping the bowl as needed. Cover and chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop 1½ tablespoons per cookie. Flatten each ball, place a frozen cheesecake center inside, and wrap the dough around it. Roll into a ball, coat in sugar, and place on the baking sheet. Work quickly to keep the dough cold.
- Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes or until edges are set and centers are soft. Let cookies cool on sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Expert Tips
Chill the filling. Make sure the cheesecake centers are fully frozen before wrapping them in dough. This helps prevent leaking during baking.
Rub the lemon zest into the sugar. This releases the oils from the zest, boosting the lemon flavor throughout the dough.
Seal the dough well. When wrapping the cheesecake filling, ensure there are no cracks so the filling stays tucked inside while baking.
Don’t over-mix. After adding the dry ingredients, mix just until combined to avoid tough cookies.
Keep dough chilled. If the dough gets too soft while assembling, pop it back in the fridge for a few minutes. Cold dough ensures the lemon cheesecake cookies turn out perfectly chewy.
Make Ahead & Storage Tips
Make ahead instructions. You can prepare the dough ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to 48 hours. Just let it sit at room temperature until soft enough to scoop before baking.
Storing leftovers. Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freezing dough. Freeze the dough for up to 3 months by shaping it into a log and wrapping it in plastic wrap. Keep it in the freezer, then defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Let it come to room temperature before scooping and baking.
Freezing baked cookies. For long-term storage, freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months. Wrap them in stacks of 4-5, then place in an airtight container or freezer bag to avoid freezer burn.
Recipe FAQs
Freshly squeezed lemon juice provides the best flavor, but bottled can work in a pinch. Just be sure it’s 100% lemon juice with no added sweeteners.
Be sure not to over-bake them. Pull them from the oven when the edges are just set and the centers still look slightly underdone. They’ll continue to set as they cool. Also, make sure to measure your flour correctly (spoon and level, don’t pack) and don’t skip the egg yolk—it adds richness and moisture!
Refrigerating the dough is highly recommended! At least 30 minutes of chill time helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven, giving them a better shape and texture. It also allows the flavors to develop and makes the dough easier to work with—especially when wrapping it around the cheesecake filling.
More Lemon Recipes
If you’re crazy for citrus, these other lemony favorites are a must-try!
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Get the Recipe: Lemon Cheesecake Cookies
Ingredients
Cheesecake Filling
- ¾ cup (6 oz or 170 g) block-style cream cheese, cold
- 3 Tablespoons (38 g) granulated white sugar
- ½ Tablespoon lemon zest
Cookies
- 2 cups + 2 Tablespoons (265 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Additional granulated sugar for rolling cookies in
Instructions
Cheesecake Filling
- In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, sugar and lemon zest.
- Use a teaspoon to scoop a heaping teaspoonful. Roll into a ball and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining cream cheese until there are at least 18 balls.
- Place cheesecake balls in the freezer until firm and frozen.
Cookies
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add sugar and lemon zest. Rub the sugar and zest between your fingers to increase the lemon flavor.
- Add melted butter to the bowl and use an electric mixer to mix until butter is absorbed. Add egg and egg yolk and mix until combined, then mix in the lemon juice and vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined.
- Cover the mixing bowl and refrigerate the dough for at 30 minutes. When ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and use a medium cookie scoop to scoop 1 ½ Tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. Slightly flatten the ball, place a frozen cheesecake ball in the center and wrap it inside the dough. Roll dough back into a ball. Work quickly so the dough stays relatively cold before baking.
- Roll each dough ball in granulated sugar and place on prepared cookie sheet about 3 inches apart.
- Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are set and the centers are soft. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
