Ooey Gooey Lemon Cookies are going to be THE cookie of summer! These from-scratch Ooey Gooey Lemon Cookies were inspired by my Ooey Gooey Butter Cookies. They are sweet and satisfying and super fun to make! Don’t miss my 50 Best Cookie Recipes if you want more great cookie options! If you love lemon desserts, try my easy Lemon Mousse!
Oh, and here is the super popular Orange Creamsicle version!
Ooey Gooey Lemon Cookies
If you are looking for a delicious cookie that has the most wonderful hint of lemon, these are the cookies for you. I am a huge fan of my Ooey Gooey Butter Cookies and thought that if I made a few simple changes to the recipe it would convert well to a lemon cookie. Well, (oddly) I was right! These cookies are soft, sweet, a little tart from the lemon zest, and easy to make! Once you try them I can’t help but think you will agree! Along the same lines, I also went for an Orange Creamsicle Cookie following the same butter cookies recipe!
What Are Ooey Gooey Lemon Cookies?
Basically one of the sweetest cookies known to man! When my husband tried one his response was, “Now that’s a good cookie.” The kids were just as pleased, asking if they could do chores to earn another sweet cookie! They are addicting, which is tough because they are so sweet you know you shouldn’t eat two!
Extract vs. Real Lemon Juice
I use lemon extract in these cookies. If you don’t have lemon extract, you can use fresh lemon juice. Here is a simple equivalency:
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice = 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest = 1 teaspoon lemon extract
There is lemon zest and lemon extract in this dough, so swapping out for fresh lemon juice should be ok. (I have not tested it, we thought this cookie was amazing as-is.) For this recipe specifically, you would use 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice instead of lemon extract, which is about 1 medium lemon.
Should You Refrigerate Cookie Dough?
Now, you may have noticed that I did not refrigerate the dough. Most recipes call for this so I, of course, tested that. What exactly does refrigerating do for cookies? Well, when you chill cookie dough, it solidifies the fat. Then, when you are ready to bake the cookies, the chilled dough takes longer to melt and remains solid longer, meaning the cookies spread less. For this recipe specifically, that meant the cookies were much more puffed up and tall, which also meant I had to bake them a bit longer to make sure they were actually baked through. The edges browned and didn’t look as pretty as I would like.
Those cookies actually tasted less ooey gooey when the dough was chilled, so I opted to delete that instruction and use the dough immediately after preparing. The cookies are a bit flatter, but they are still just as ooey gooey and delicious!
How to Freeze Lemon Cookies
The very best way to freeze these cookies is to freeze the dough. I like to scoop out my individual cookies, place them on a baking sheet, and then place in the freezer for about 30 minutes. Once they are chilled through, I place them in an airtight bag and then label it with the cookie name and date.
How to Store Ooey Gooey Lemon Cookies
If you want to store baked cookies, grab a large flat plastic container and place a layer of parchment or wax paper on the bottom. Set cookies down, place another layer of wax or parchment, then another layer of cookies. Set a slice of bread (it will get very dry but the cookies will remain moist) in the container and close. Be eaten within 3 days.
Ooey Gooey Lemon Cookies
Ingredients
Lemon Cookie Recipe
- ½ cup (113g) salted butter, softened
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
- 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 2 ¼ cups (282g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (63g) confectioners sugar
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
Topping
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar, for rolling cookie dough in
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer, beat butter, cream cheese, lemon zest, and granulated sugar until blended.
- Add in egg, vanilla, and lemon extract.
- Add in flour, baking powder, and ½ cup confectioners sugar. With the mixer on low, gradually beat into creamed mixture.
- Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop dough and then roll in the remaining ½ cup of confectioners’ sugar. Place approximately 6 dough balls on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. (Cookies will spread.)
- Bake until they no longer appear wet on top, 8-11 minutes. After about 5 minutes cooling on the pan (they will be soft!), place on cooling racks to cool completely.
Video
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
Looking for More Great Cookie Recipes?
Chocolate Chip Cookies (rated 500+ times!)
I’m sorry I literally just read the entire recipe. Oooops! Remember I’m new :-/ You already answered the question I had – OY! I looked to see if I could delete but I can’t. Hopefully you can. Thanks for anticipating that question. Shows you’re a great baker! I can’t wait to make these!!
Anxious to make these lemon cookies
I made these twice, they do not last long. Will make them again, many times.
So for lemon cookie recipe it says baking powder but then on the butter cookie recipe it says baking soda…so which is which?
Follow the written recipe above. It’s a different recipe in the video, which I have stated several times.
Like your recipes
HI- I hope to explain to you Amanda, why so many have questioned the use of baking powder/soda… I believe the reason is that you state just under the video -“The video is for my Ooey Gooey Butter Cookies. The only changes I made were adding lemon zest and lemon extract!” So if the only change made was the addition of lemon- it would make sense to be a bit confused as to which was the right one. 🙂 I’m new to your site and hope I have not offended anyone. Just hoping to clarify. 🙂
Ah! I understand the confusion now. The written recipe in this post is correct. If you follow the written recipe you will have the perfect cookie.
Hi I’ve just made up the dough and it’s far to wet and sloppy, any ideas please.
I made your cookies. They are soo good.I would love to print out the recipe but I’m having a hard time doing so. What am I doing wrong?
OMG! So easy and soooo good! May need an extra pill for my diabetes though (lol).
At the beginning of your post it shows a list of ingredients, which did not include flour – so I thought this was a flourless cookie, meaning it was gluten free. The texture actually looks like a flourless cookie. How to Make Ooey Gooey Lemon Cookies
The ingredients for these cookies are all items you probably already have in your pantry!
salted butter (you can use unsalted, but add a pinch of salt to the dough)
cream cheese
granulated sugar
egg
vanilla
lemon extract
flour
baking powder
confectioners sugar
If you don’t have lemon extract, you can use fresh lemon juice. Here is a simple equivalency: So I went about printing to keep this recipe on hand, only to find a more complete list of ingredients that includes flour. listed at the bottom. So please clarify which recipe is correct. Thank you. I am always looking for yummy gluten free items to bake, so I am hopeful that this is a flourless / gluten free cookie.