Name: Lemon Cheesecake Cookies (Soft-Baked) from the Pot
Yield: 24

Lemon Cheesecake Cookies are thick, soft, and chewy with a cheesecake-like texture and a simple lemon glaze.

Lemon Cheesecake Cookies

These Lemon Cheesecake Cookies could be your new favorite dessert! They taste like a mini cheesecake with lemon and a soft, chewy texture—totally different from Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies or Peanut Butter Cookies.

They take more time than usual, but it’s worth it. Let the cream cheese and butter warm up to room temp before starting, and chill the dough before baking. The whole process takes about three hours, but most of it is waiting time.

Creaming butter and sugar, beating in cream cheese, adding vanilla, zest, and egg, mixing until smooth, combining dry ingredients, adding to wet ingredients, and measuring out the dough with a tablespoon.

Lemon Cheesecake Cookies Ingredients

Sugar & Butter: Cream the sugar and butter until fluffy to get a light texture.
Cream Cheese: Use full-fat cream cheese for the best texture and flavor.
Egg: Holds everything together and helps the cookies hold their shape.
Vanilla & Lemon Extract: A little goes a long way, so don’t use too much.
Lemon (Zest & Juice): Only zest the yellow part, avoiding the bitter white part.
Flour: Spoon and level the flour when measuring to avoid using too much.
Baking Powder & Cornstarch: Helps the cookies rise and become fluffy.
Salt: Just a pinch helps bring everything together.
Lemon Pudding Mix (Instant): Use the dry pudding mix, not the prepared pudding.
Lemon Glaze: Just whisk together lemon juice and powdered sugar.

Adding cookie dough balls to a baking tray, baking them, mixing glaze, and drizzling it over cooled lemon cheesecake cookies.

How To Make Lemon Cheesecake Cookies

Prep: Let the butter, cream cheese, and egg sit out to get to room temp.
Mix sugar and butter: Use an electric mixer to get a light, smooth texture.
Add rest of wet ingredients: Make sure it’s fully blended for a smooth dough.
Dry ingredients: Stir them together well before adding to the wet ingredients.
Combine: Mix until just combined to keep the cookies light.
Chill: Chilling helps the dough keep its shape while baking.
Roll the dough: Use a spoon to make the dough balls the same size.
Bake: Don’t bake too long to keep them soft.
Glaze: Add lemon juice slowly to get the right glaze thickness.

Quick Tip

When zesting the lemon, be careful to avoid the bitter white pith directly under the yellow peel. We’re after only the yellow part in these Lemon Cheesecake Cookies.