Hey all! Happy Spring!
So I have made these cookies a few times now and always mean to take some photos to share with you all. I finally made them again a few weeks ago and set aside some time to take a few snaps. I think part of the reason I neglected to photograph them in the past is because I got greedy and just wanted to eat them right off the cookie tray. Eating these cookies warm just out of the oven is an experience you need to have.
I’ll warn you all right now, these cookies are in no way good for your self control or your waistline. They are good however, for hoarding to yourself and drowning all the day’s problems away with each fantastic bite. Just don’t wear black when you eat them to be sure there isn’t an overwhelming amount of powdered sugar evidence left behind. 🙂 I’d also say they are good for sharing since they make more than enough to share, but let’s be real here–I’ve made them three times and only brought them to work once. 🙂
The pudding mix helps these cookies to keep a soft and chewy center, while the outside balances with a light crispiness. The lemon flavor is perfect. I always try to use meyer lemons in my baking but alas the grocery store hasn’t had them in stock.
The recipe is pretty simple, I found it originally from the seasidebaker.com . Yields quite a few cookies, I think around two dozen or more. Halve the recipe or freeze some of your dough to make later! Enjoy!
LEMON COOKIES
Ingredients
- 4 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 package Instant Lemon Pudding Mix (powder)
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 pound cream cheese
- 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 3 cups sugar
- 3 tablespoons lemon zest
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract (I used pure lemon extract from Penzeys)
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- powdered sugar for rolling
- In a bowl combine flour, lemon pudding mix, baking powder and salt. Mix together with a whisk.
- In your mixer or with a hand mixer, beat together cream cheese, butter, sugar, extract and zest. Make sure your butter and cream cheese is at room temperature to reduce lumps.
- Add eggs one at a time to creamed mixture.
- Add in lemon juice.
- Slowly add flour mixture to wet mixture, beating on slow until just combined.
- Cover and refrigerate dough for at least one hour. Your dough will be somewhat sticky. This is okay.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop out 1 in rounds and roll in a bowl of confectioner’s sugar. Be sure to heavily coat the dough with sugar to create the nice powdered sugar crackled top. If you skimp the sugar may end up dissolving by the heat.
- Place on cookie sheet leaving 2 inches between each cookie dough ball.
- Bake for 16-18 minutes or until edge a just barely browned. (The original recipe said 10-12 mins but I found they did not cook through in my oven, so I had to put them back in)
- Cool on cookie sheet for 10 minutes then cool completely on cooling rack.
Charlene Champion Photography 
Great Post 👍
Thank you! Glad you liked it!
Happy spring to you Charlene!
What a pretty plate of sky blue, & sunshine! I love the baked, powdered, & crackly texture.
I have had the delectable pleasure of eating some, well, more than some lemon cookies you baked for a family gathering.
Thank you so much for the recipe! Rich, lemony, melt in my mouth flavor will be on my cookie sheets instead of on my mind!