Description
Zesty lemon cheesecake cookies blend tangy citrus with creamy cheesecake notes in a delightful treat. Crumbly, rich cookies offer a perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors that will delight dessert enthusiasts.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 oz (113g) cream cheese, softened
- ¾ cup (150g) + ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp + ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Powdered sugar for dusting
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Preparation of Cheesecake Core: Whisk cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice until silky smooth. Freeze the mixture for 15 minutes to solidify, creating a manageable filling.
- Dough Composition: Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Blend in egg, vanilla, and lemon zest until perfectly integrated. Simultaneously sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, then gently fold into the wet ingredients to form a cohesive dough.
- Oven Configuration: Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide dough into portions, creating a small indentation in each to accommodate the chilled cheesecake filling.
- Filling and Shaping: Carefully place a dollop of frozen cheesecake mixture into the center of each dough portion. Enclose the filling completely, rolling each cookie into a smooth, sealed sphere.
- Baking Process: Arrange cookie spheres on prepared baking sheet, spacing them approximately 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, watching for lightly golden edges and subtle surface elevation. Remove before over-browning to maintain a delicate texture.
- Finishing Touches: Rest cookies on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Optionally dust with powdered sugar for an elegant presentation.
Notes
Manage Cream Cheese Consistency: Ensure cream cheese is at room temperature for smooth blending, preventing lumps and creating a velvety cheesecake filling.
Control Dough Handling: Chill dough between batches to prevent spreading and maintain cookie shape, using cold hands or lightly floured surfaces when shaping.
Prevent Filling Leakage: Seal cookie dough completely around cheesecake center, using pinching technique to avoid filling escaping during baking.
Optimize Baking Timing: Watch cookies closely during last few minutes of baking, removing when edges are just golden to preserve soft, tender texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 157
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 53 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 21 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 22 mg