There’s just something so satisfying about a lemon-flavored treat! These Chewy Lemon Drop Cookies have a subtle lemon flavor throughout and are topped with a tart and refreshing lemon glaze. A combination that will keep you reaching for just one more.
These delicious lemon cookies never last long when I make them for my family. We are all suckers for lemon goodies. Some of our other favorites are:
- Lemon Swig Cookie Bars
- Tart Lemon Bars
- Best Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake
- Dreamy Lemon Cookies
- Strawberry Lemonade Pie
- Fresh Raspberry Lemon Tart Bars
Anywho, back to the cookies! These cookies are made more delicious with the addition of a special little ingredient that gives cookies a slightly richer, softer and chewier texture. You guessed it, cream cheese. This recipe uses four ounces and gives them a unique and not overly sweet flavor which pairs perfectly with the sweet and tart glaze they are topped with.
Do I have to do anything special when I use cream cheese in a recipe?
When using cream cheese in cookie recipes, you want to make sure it is completely softened so that it will incorporate well with the other ingredients. You should always cream it together with the butter first and then add the sugar. This just helps to insure that it will incorporate evenly.
I have never been one for patience so if I realize I forgot to set my cream cheese out and I really want to make these cookies, or these super yummy Soft Batch Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Bars, I microwave it carefully until it is nicely softened. This can be tricky because you don’t want to soften it too much. I find that for 4 ounces it generally takes about 25-30 seconds to soften. I usually start with 20 seconds and then do 5 second increments until it feels just right.
This recipe calls for a large amount of lemon zest. You will most likely need to zest 2 fairly large lemons to get the 2 tablespoons of zest. Of course, you could do less if you don’t get that much zest from your lemons, but the more zest the more yummy lemon flavor. If you are worried that you won’t get as much lemon flavor as you want from the amount of zest you have you could add a fourth of a teaspoon of lemon extract when creaming the butter, cream cheese, sugar and eggs together.
Tip: Since you will be most likely need the zest of two lemons but only the juice from one, save the zested lemon in a baggie or airtight container in the fridge and use it later for a delicious dinner like one of these:
- Easy Baked Lemon Pepper Tilapia
- Baked Butter Garlic Shrimp
- Parmesan Pasta with Chicken and Asparagus
- Sauteed Zucchini and Yellow Squash with Garlic and Parmesan
We love all of these dinners! I love the magic that happens to a dish when you add a splash of fresh lemon juice!
Back to the Cookies
When these cookies are finished baking, be careful not to over bake the edges should be barely turning a golden tan when they are ready to come out, remove the from the cookie sheet and place on a cooling rack. Let them cool on the cooling rack for 2-5 minutes and then brush them with the glaze. If you do not have a basting brush, no worries, use a spoon to place some on the top of each cookie and then spread it around.
Chewy, delicious cookies with a sweet, tart glaze. What’s not to love.
Tools you might need for this recipe:
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 4 tbsp cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2-3 tbsp lemon zest
- 2 eggs
- 4 cups flour
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- For the Glaze
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tbsp lemon juice (approx. the juice of one lemon)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Prepare two cookie sheets with silicone mats, parchment paper or cooking spray and set aside.
- In a medium-large bowl or in your mixer bowl, cream together the softened butter and softened cream cheese.
- Add brown sugar and granulated sugar and cream for 1 minute
- Add eggs and lemon zest and continue mixing until eggs are fully incorporated.
- Next, add flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Mix until fully incorporated.
- Using a cookie scoop or large spoon, drop 2 tbsp size cookie balls 2 inches apart on cookie sheet and bake in 350 degree oven for 9-10 minutes or until edges are just turning a light tan. Remove from oven and allow to sit on cookie sheet for 1-2 minutes before removing and placing cookies on cooling rack.
- Let cookies cool for a few minutes and then top with lemon glaze. You can do this by brushing it on with a basting brush or dropping a small amount on top of each cookie and spreading it with a spoon. It is also okay to wait for cookies to be totally cool to do this step so don't worry if you don't get it on before they cool.
- To mix the glaze, simply, add lemon juice to the powdered sugar and stir until smooth.
- Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Cookies can also be frozen.
Can’t wait to try these! Lemon is definitely one my favorite flavors for dessert 🙂
They are yummy, hope you like them!
#julygivaway