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Soft and tangy Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies with lemon zest, perfect for holidays and decorating with buttercream frosting.

  • Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes (including chilling)
  • Yield: 20 large cookies 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4 ounces full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar, plus zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together sifted flour, baking powder, and kosher salt until well combined.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and vanilla extract until blended.
  3. In a food processor bowl, combine granulated sugar and fresh lemon zest from 1 lemon; pulse until zest is evenly distributed and aromatic.
  4. Add room temperature unsalted butter and cream cheese to the sugar and lemon zest mixture in the food processor; pulse until smooth and creamy.
  5. Turn the food processor on and slowly pour in the beaten egg and vanilla mixture through the feed tube, blending into the dough.
  6. Add all the whisked dry ingredients to the food processor at once; pulse until the dough begins to form a ball but is still slightly sticky.
  7. Dust your work surface and hands with flour, then turn the dough out and split into two equal portions.
  8. Wrap each dough portion tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to firm up.
  9. When ready, lightly flour your surface and roll out one portion of dough to about 1/4-inch thickness.
  10. Cut dough into desired festive shapes using cookie cutters or a sharp knife; gather scraps, reroll, and cut more shapes until dough is used.
  11. Arrange cutout cookies evenly spaced on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
  12. Bake cookies in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10-12 minutes, or just until the bottoms turn a light golden color around the edges.
  13. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet for a few minutes.
  14. Transfer cooled cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating with buttercream frosting or icing.

Notes

Dough is slightly sticky; flour your surface and hands for easier rolling and cutting., For rolling and cutting, dough should be chilled at least 2 hours; can be chilled longer if needed., Use full-fat cream cheese for best flavor and texture., Rolling the dough to 1/4 inch thickness gives a soft yet sturdy cookie that holds shape well., Cookies can be frosted with the provided Vanilla Buttercream, which complements the tangy cream cheese and lemon flavors., Plain cookies store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days., Cookie dough freezes well for up to 1 month; thaw and roll as usual before baking., Frosted cookies keep fresh at room temperature for up to 3 days in an airtight container.

  • Author: mapps6841@gmail.com
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes (plus chilling time)
  • Cook Time: 10-12 minutes per batch
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cookie
  • Calories: Approximately 150 calories per cookie
  • Fat: 7g per cookie
  • Carbohydrates: 20g per cookie
  • Protein: 2g per cookie