Description
These Christmas Soft Lemon Cookies are delightfully tender and packed with a bright lemon flavor, enhanced by cream cheese for extra softness. Rolled in powdered sugar and optionally glazed with a tangy lemon icing decorated with festive sprinkles, they make the perfect holiday treat to share or gift.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar, for rolling
Optional Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons lemon juice
- Christmas sprinkles or colored sugar, for decoration
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: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set this mixture aside for later use.
- Cream Butter, Cream Cheese and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter, cream cheese, and granulated sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, which helps achieve a tender cookie texture.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until everything is well incorporated and smooth.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing gently until a soft dough forms without overmixing.
- Form Cookies: Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of the dough and roll each into a ball. Then roll each dough ball in powdered sugar thoroughly for a sweet, snowy coating.
- Arrange and Bake: Place the coated dough balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the bottoms are lightly golden and the tops are just set.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely to maintain their soft texture.
- Prepare Optional Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle this glaze over the cooled cookies and decorate with Christmas sprinkles before the glaze sets for an extra festive touch.
Notes
- These cookies stay soft and fresh for several days if stored in an airtight container.
- They freeze well, so you can make a batch ahead of the holidays.
- Add a drop of yellow food coloring to the dough or use holiday-themed sprinkles for a festive appearance.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
