These easy lemon bar cookies are made with soft cream cheese cookie dough, filled with sweet and tart lemon curd, and dusted with powdered sugar. They taste just like classic lemon bars!
If you love my lemon bar cake, you will love these cookies because they taste just like a classic lemon bar but in cookie form! They are made with a cream cheese cookie base that is soft and melts in your mouth. It pairs perfectly with the tart and citrusy homemade lemon curd.
Inspired by Butternut Bakery’s lemon butter cookies; I love this recipe because it’s an easy-to-make recipe that turns out perfect every time. It’s perfect for summer or any time of year like holiday cookie exchanges!
Table of Contents
Why We Love Lemon Bar Cookies
- Easy lemon sugar cookies: These cookies are a mix of lemon sugar cookies and lemon bars! This recipe is very easy to make with minimal equipment required.
- Homemade lemon curd: The curd gives them a tart and citrusy flavor that pairs perfectly with the sweet cream cheese cookie.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Fresh lemons: Like in my lemon and poppy seed cake, I recommend fresh lemons for the best and freshest flavor. You can use bottled lemon juice in a pinch but I highly recommend fresh!
Egg yolk: You will need egg yolks for both the dough and the lemon curd.
Cream cheese: This recipe has the best results with full-fat cream cheese.
Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card below!
Recipe Instructions
Here is how to make these homemade lemon curd cookies! Although a mixer makes it easier, you do not need one to make the dough. You will need a large bowl, a small pot, and two large baking trays lined with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C before you start.
Step 1: Make the lemon curd. In a small pot, combine the egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
Cook the curd over medium-low heat, stirring constantly for 12 minutes.
You will know when the curd is thick enough when the spatula or whisk leaves tracks on the bottom of the pot and it coats the back of a spoon.
Step 2: Stir in the butter. Transfer the curd to a bowl and stir in the butter. Set aside to cool completely in the fridge.
Step 3: Cream the butter and sugar. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and cream cheese until combined.
Then add the granulated sugar and cream until combined and fluffy. Mix in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until combined.
Step 4: Fold in the dry ingredients. Fold in the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined.
Step 5: Scoop the dough. Use a standard (roughly two tablespoons) cookie scoop to scoop the dough directly into a bowl of powdered sugar.
Step 6: Roll them in powdered sugar. Roll the dough to completely coat it in the powdered sugar. Place each one on the prepped baking tray.
Step 7: Make a well in each ball. Use the back of a tablespoon to make a well in the center of each dough ball.
Step 8: Fill with lemon curd. Spoon one teaspoon of the cooled lemon curd into the well. Space the cookies at least 2-3 inches apart so they have room to spread.
Freeze for 1-2 hours until frozen solid before baking. Let the tray cool completely on a wire cooling rack for at least 15-20 minutes!
Expert Baking Tips
Use a kitchen scale. Baking with a scale is much more accurate than cup measurements. To convert this recipe, click the “metric” button next to the ingredients title on the recipe card. If you do not have a scale, use a spoon to fluff the flour first, then spoon it into your measuring cup.
The best tip for making lemon curd is to make sure you stir it constantly when it’s on the heat. This will keep the eggs from scrambling.
Do not let the lemon curd boil! You should cook it over low heat.
Let the lemon curd cool completely before using. You can place the bowl in the fridge to chill it quickly or leave it out at room temperature for 1 hour before using it.
Drop each dough ball directly into the powdered sugar to keep it from sticking to your hands.
Storage and Freezing
Store the baked cookies at room temperature in an airtight container or on a baking tray wrapped in plastic wrap. They will stay soft and fresh for 3-4 days.
I don’t recommend freezing the baked cookies, but you can freeze the dough balls! Place the tray of assembled cookie dough in the freezer until frozen solid, then transfer them to an airtight container.
Place a sheet of parchment paper in between layers to keep them from sticking. The powdered sugar melts a little in the freezer so it may need to be dusted before baking.
FAQs
Unfortunately no, the juice is needed for the curd to have the proper texture.
I have not tried them with store-bought curd, but I would love to hear how they turn out!
I recommend chilling the dough until they are completely frozen solid, this may take 1-2 hours!
You can add extra lemon zest to the cookie dough for more lemon flavor.
Lemon Bar Cookies
Ingredients
Lemon Curd
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
Cream Cheese Dough
- 7 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3.5 ounces full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 whole large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- powdered sugar, for rolling
Instructions
- In a small pot, combine the sugar, lemon juice, yolk, and lemon juice.1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 1 tbsp lemon zest, 3 (54 g) egg yolks, 1/4 cup (48 g) fresh lemon juice
- Cook over medium-low heat for 12 minutes, stirring constantly until the curd looks vibrant yellow and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Pour the curd into a bowl and stir in the butter.4 tbsp (56 g) unsalted butter
- Set aside to cool completely before using. Place it in the fridge to chill quickly!
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese until combined.7 tbsp (100 g) unsalted butter, 3.5 ounces (100 g) full-fat cream cheese
- Pour in the sugar and mix until fully combined and fluffy.1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- Mix in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla.1 (54 g) whole large egg, 1 (18 g) large egg yolk, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Fold in the flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined.1 3/4 cup (210 g) all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp salt
- Scoop with a standard cookie scoop (roughly two tablespoons) and drop each one into a bowl of powdered sugar.powdered sugar
- Toss the ball in the powdered sugar until fully coated.
- Transfer them to a parchment-lined baking tray.
- Use the bottom of a tablespoon to press down the top of the dough to create a well, then fill it with one teaspoon of the lemon curd.
- Freeze the cookies for 1-2 hours or until frozen solid. Then bake them 2-3 inches apart on a parchment lined tray at 350 F/180 C for 12-13 minutes.
- Let them cool completely on a wire cooling rack then dust with more powdered sugar and enjoy!
Notes
- Use a kitchen scale for the best results. Baking by weight is much more accurate than cup measurements!
- The best tip for making lemon curd is to make sure you stir it constantly when it’s on the heat. This will keep the eggs from scrambling.
- Do not let the lemon curd boil! You should cook it over low heat.
- Let the lemon curd cool completely before using. You can place the bowl in the fridge to chill it quickly or leave it out at room temperature for 1 hour before using it.
- Drop each dough ball directly into the powdered sugar to keep it from sticking to your hands.
- Fresh lemons: I recommend fresh lemons for the best and freshest flavor. You can use bottled lemon juice in a pinch but I highly recommend fresh!
- Egg yolk: You will need egg yolks for the dough and the lemon curd.
- Cream cheese: This recipe has the best results with full-fat cream cheese.
- Room temperature: Store the baked cookies at room temperature in an airtight container or on a baking tray wrapped in plastic wrap. They will stay soft and fresh for 3-4 days.
- Freezing the baked cookies: I don’t recommend freezing the baked cookies.
- Freezing the dough: You can freeze them before baking! Place the tray of assembled cookie dough in the freezer until frozen solid, then transfer them to an airtight container. Place a sheet of parchment paper in between layers to keep them from sticking. The powdered sugar melts a little in the freezer so it may need to be dusted before baking.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below & tag @cambreabakes on social!The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.
Can I make the curd 1 day prior to the cookies as long as I keep it refrigerated?
Yes! Absolutely
Could I substitute the lemon curd for lemon pie filling?
Hi Brook! I’m not sure it would work because it needs the eggs to thicken it in the oven and keep it from spilling out. If you give it a try I’d be curious to hear how they turn out though!
It worked!! None of it leaked out. Added some extra lemon zest to make up the flavor of it and they came out delicious! Thank you!!!
Yay! I’m so glad to hear the results. Thanks for coming back to let me know!
Made these tonight for teacher gifts tomorrow. I doubled the recipe and they turned out great (possibly a little big because I didn’t measure the balls). They are delicious!!! I will definitely make these again.
This is one of our favorite lemon cookie recipes. I have made the lemon curd per the recipe and have used Stonewall Kitchen lemon curd both work well
I’ve made these cookies twice now and they are sooo incredibly tasty but both times they spread almost completely flat after baking (and I made sure they were frozen solid before baking). Do you have any tips to prevent this happening in the future? I do live in high altitude so I’m wondering if that plays a role?
Hi Rebecca! High altitude definitely plays a role. I would check out this post (https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking) for some tips. I would also check to make sure your butter is a cool room temperature (between 64F-68F), anything warmer than this will cause the cookies to spread even if they are chilled properly. Hope that’s helpful!
Hi Rebecca, I had this issue as well and I had some success with using a mini muffin pan and spraying the pan with butter flavored cooking spray first. It made bite sized cookies which were delicious. I think I remember that I was able to bake them without freezing them first, by using this type of setup. The curd boiled up and over the cookie so there was kind of a hole left in the cookie but they were delicious.
Pam