Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies are a soft cookie and so delicious! Poppy seeds are mixed into the batter, making these sweet cookies look like lemon poppy seed muffin tops.
I love using cream cheese to make cookies; these lemon cream cheese cookies are a new favorite. They’re soft and moist little bites with a subtle tanginess from the cream cheese and a bright lemon flavor. They’ve become a new family favorite cookie recipe at our house!
Recently, I made blueberry cream cheese cookies and they were such a hit I just had to make another version. This time I made lemon poppy seed cream cheese cookies and, like the blueberry version, they turned out beautifully.
The timing was great because I needed a celebratory treat for my son, Madden. He just finished a successful track season so I made him a batch of these cookies. He loves lemon desserts – especially lemon poppy seed cake – so I knew lemon cookies would be a winner with him.
These lemon cream cheese cookies are soft and rich and taste like a lemon muffin top. I use lemon extract instead of lemon juice in the cookie dough for the best lemon flavor and the cream cheese adds richness, moisture, and a kick of tangy flavor. I couldn’t wait for him to try them! It was all I could do to keep from eating half the batch before he got home.
Once he did and had a first taste of these lemony cookies they were gone in 20 minutes! He did have some help from his dad and a few friends – there wasn’t a crumb left.
When I think of lemon, I think of summer and we’ll be making these lemon poppy seed cookies are summer long.
Ingredients
- Softened butter
- Softened cream cheese
- Granulated sugar
- Large egg
- Fresh lemon zest
- Lemon extract
- All-purpose flour
- Poppy seeds
- Baking powder
- Salt
How to Make the Cookies
Using an electric mixer or stand mixer beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Mix in the sugar until and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until combined. Add the lemon extract and lemon zest and mix until combined.
In a medium bowl whisk the flour, poppy seeds, salt, and baking powder.
Add flour mixture to the wet ingredients and beat at low speed until the dough is just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then mix again.
Cover the bowl with parchment paper and chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for an hour.
Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Use a cookie scoop to scoop the cookie dough balls and place them two inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake the cookies for 10 minutes or until the edges are set and lightly golden. Cool them on a wire rack before serving or storing them.
How to Store Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies
Once the cookies are cooled, you can keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for several days.
Or, you can freeze them! Keep them in a freezer bag or container and they will freeze well for several months.
This lemon cookie recipe with cream cheese and poppy seeds is a must make for the summer. If you have lemon fans in your family as I do, they will be a hit – Enjoy! XOXO San
More Cookie Recipes
- Chewy Chocolate Cookies
- Italian Cookies with Lemon Icing
- Key Lime Sugar Cookie Recipe
- Soft Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
Don’t forget to pin this for later to your favorite Pinterest Board!
Lemon Poppyseed Cream Cheese Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp. fresh lemon zest
- 2 tsp lemon extract
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 2 tsp poppyseeds
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Using an electric or stand mixer beat together the butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Mix in the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until combined, then add lemon extract and lemon zest.
- In a small bowl whisk together the flour, poppy seeds, salt, and baking powder.
- Add flour to the mixer and beat on low until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then mix together again. Cover the dough with parchment paper and chill in the refrigerator for an hour.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper/
- Using a cookie dough scooper, place cookie dough batter onto the lined cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes or until the edges are set and the edges are slightly golden.
These sound delicious! I’m a big fan of poppyseed in any baked good, so I can’t wait to try these.
These look divine! I’m a huge fan of the muffins so I’m super excited to give these a try!
These cookies look so soft and flavorful. My kids and I will be making them very soon!
Looks irresistibly delicious! I’d love to make a batch of this!
These remind me of my favorite muffins. Super easy to make too.
What a great idea to use poppy seeds. I am sure that my family would love them!
My brothers would surely love this! Thanks for sharing!