Description
These Lemon Poppy Seed Cheesecake Cookies combine zesty lemon-flavored cookies with creamy cheesecake frosting, creating a perfect balance of tangy and sweet. The cookies have a light, buttery texture enhanced by poppy seeds, and the luscious cheesecake frosting adds a rich, smooth finish. Ideal for a delightful treat or elegant dessert, these cookies are as beautiful as they are delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookies
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 110 g butter
- 1 large egg (59–60 g with shell)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 210 g all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds
- 1/2 tsp salt
Cheesecake Frosting
- 200 g cream cheese (cold)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 75 g powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp agave or honey
- 120 g heavy cream
Decoration (Optional)
- Poppy seeds for sprinkling on top
- Lemon slices for decoration
Instructions
- Melt Butter: Melt the butter gently in the microwave or small saucepan over low-medium heat without letting it bubble. Pour the melted butter into a large mixing bowl and chill in the fridge until it reaches room temperature, approximately 20 minutes.
- Prepare Lemon Sugar: In a separate bowl, combine granulated sugar and lemon zest. Rub them together to release the lemon oils until the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Add the lemon sugar to the cooled butter and whisk together for 1 minute by hand or use a stand mixer with paddle attachment until well combined.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Incorporate the egg and vanilla extract into the butter mixture and mix until fully blended.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, poppy seeds, and salt.
- Form Dough: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold with a rubber spatula until just combined to form the cookie dough.
- Scoop and Chill Cookies: Using a 2 tbsp (1.3 ounce/53 g) cookie scoop, portion out 11 cookies. Roll each portion into a ball and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 180ºC (355ºF) and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
- Bake Cookies: Arrange 6 cookies on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10-11 minutes. Leave the remaining 5 cookies refrigerated until after the first batch finishes baking to ensure dough stays chilled.
- Cool Baked Cookies: Let the baked cookies cool on the baking tray for 3 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Make Cheesecake Frosting: In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer or stand mixer with whisk attachment, whip the cold cream cheese, vanilla extract, powdered sugar, agave or honey, and heavy cream until stiff peaks form and the frosting holds its shape. Refrigerate if not assembling immediately.
- Decorate Cookies: Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip (such as Wilton 2A). Pipe a swirl of cheesecake frosting on top of each cooled cookie, starting from the center and swirling outward. Sprinkle with extra poppy seeds and garnish with lemon slices or additional lemon zest if desired.
Notes
- Do not overheat butter to preserve its moisture and flavor.
- Chilling the dough before baking helps the cookies retain shape and enhances texture.
- Use cold cream cheese for best frosting consistency.
- Adjust baking time slightly if cookies are larger or smaller than specified.
- Optional garnishes like poppy seeds and lemon slices add visual appeal and a flavor boost.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: lemon poppy seed cookies, cheesecake frosting, lemon cookies, poppy seed cookies, dessert cookies, creamy frosting cookies
