Description
Lemon stuffed cookies deliver a zesty surprise with creamy centers nestled in buttery dough. Sweet-tart flavors dance on palates, inviting you to savor each delightful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 large egg
- 2 ¼ cups (270 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) brown sugar
- ¼ cup (30 g) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar (for coating)
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsps fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- A few drops of yellow food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Creaming: Vigorously blend butter and sugar until achieving a light, pale, and airy consistency that transforms the mixture into a silky texture.
- Wet Ingredients Integration: Incorporate eggs individually, ensuring complete absorption, then mix in fresh lemon juice, zest, and vanilla extract to infuse vibrant citrus notes.
- Dry Mixture Preparation: Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together, creating a uniform, fine dry ingredient blend that will ensure smooth cookie texture.
- Dough Formation: Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, blending minimally to maintain a tender, delicate cookie structure without overworking the dough.
- Filling Creation: Whip cream cheese and butter until completely smooth, eliminating any potential lumps for a velvety cream cheese base.
- Flavor Enhancement: Introduce lemon zest, juice, and vanilla into the cream cheese mixture, developing a bright, tangy filling with complex citrus undertones.
- Filling Refinement: Gradually incorporate powdered sugar, whisking until the mixture reaches a luxurious, spreadable consistency with a silky, glossy finish.
- Oven Preparation: Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper to ensure optimal cookie baking conditions.
- Cookie Assembly: Form uniform dough balls, flatten into discs, and carefully place a precise dollop of lemon cream cheese filling at the center of each.
- Sandwich Formation: Delicately cover filled discs with additional dough, gently sealing edges to create perfectly formed sandwich cookies.
- Baking Process: Arrange stuffed cookies on prepared sheets with adequate spacing, then bake until edges turn a subtle golden brown, approximately 12-15 minutes.
- Cooling Stage: Allow cookies to rest briefly on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack for complete cooling and optimal texture development.
Notes
- Optimize Creaming Technique: Ensure butter and sugar are at room temperature for maximum air incorporation, creating a lighter, fluffier cookie texture.
- Prevent Overmixing: Stop mixing dry and wet ingredients the moment they combine to maintain a tender, soft cookie crumb without developing tough gluten.
- Master Filling Consistency: Achieve a thick, spreadable cream cheese filling by thoroughly draining excess moisture and chilling briefly before using to prevent runny centers.
- Temperature Control: Let baked cookies cool completely on the rack to allow filling to set and develop a stable, creamy texture that won’t ooze when handled.
- Prep Time: 12 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 25
- Calories: 157
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 18 mg