Ingredients
For the cookie dough:
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 1 large lemon)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the filling:
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
Optional for rolling:
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the filling: In a small bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar. Mix until completely smooth. Using a teaspoon or small cookie scoop, portion out small balls of the filling onto a parchment-lined plate or baking sheet. Freeze these for at least 30 minutes. This step is essential to make stuffing the cookies easier later on.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugars: In a large bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. This should take about 2-3 minutes. Creaming the butter and sugar properly adds air to the dough, which helps create a tender texture.
- Add wet ingredients: Beat in the egg, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Mix until everything is well incorporated.
- Combine dry and wet ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix just until the dough comes together. Do not overmix, as this can result in tough cookies.
- Chill the dough: Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Chilling the dough helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much and makes them easier to handle when stuffing.
- Preheat the oven: While the dough is chilling and the filling is freezing, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Assemble the cookies: Scoop out a generous tablespoon of dough and flatten it in your palm. Take a frozen cream cheese ball and place it in the center. Wrap the dough around the filling and seal it tightly so none of the filling is exposed. Roll the ball gently to smooth it out, then roll it in granulated sugar if using. Repeat until all the dough and filling are used up.
- Bake: Place the stuffed cookie dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-13 minutes or until the edges are set and lightly golden. The centers may look slightly underbaked—that’s okay. They’ll continue to set as they cool.
- Cool completely: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This resting period helps them firm up and allows the filling to settle.
Notes
Don’t rush the chilling steps for the dough or filling. Skipping them might make the cookies harder to handle and lead to the cream cheese leaking out during baking. If your dough becomes too soft while working, pop it back into the fridge for 10-15 minutes. Always use fresh lemon juice for the best flavor—bottled lemon juice tends to lack the same bright, aromatic quality. If you don’t have a zester, a fine grater works well for zesting lemons, but be careful not to scrape into the bitter white pith beneath the yellow peel. If your cream cheese filling seems too soft, add a bit more powdered sugar to stiffen it slightly. This helps ensure the filling holds its shape during assembly. For consistent cookie sizes, use a cookie scoop. This ensures even baking and gives your cookies a more uniform appearance.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes