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    Flouring Kitchen Β» Cookies and Bars

    Lemon Curd Cookies

    Published: Apr 16, 2022 Β· Modified: Nov 6, 2022 by Mary Β· This post may contain affiliate links Β· 11 Comments

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These lemon curd cookies are thick, soft, tangy, and filled with loads of lemon curd. They have all the tangy, zesty, lemon flavour. The cookies are rolled in powdered sugar between baking which forms the perfect, sweet crisp crust. There’s cream cheese and lemon juice in the cookie dough making these cookies extra tangy and soft. 

    Purchasing the items in this post supports this blog, at no additional cost to you. As an Affiliate Product marketer and Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Why you will LOVE this recipe:

    • Thick and soft: These bakery style cookies are large, thick, and soft with a bit of a chew in the center.
    • Lemon curd filling: They’re filled with loads of smooth and creamy lemon curd packed with even more lemon flavour.
    • Tangy: Both the cookie and filling are tangy. The cookie has cream cheese in the dough which gives it a beautiful texture and makes it extra tangy. 
    • Minimal chill: You only need to chill the cookie dough in the freezer for 10 minutes so you don’t have to wait long.
    Jump to:
    • Why you will LOVE this recipe:
    • How to get a thick layer of powdered sugar on the outside
    • Why there's cream cheese in the cookie dough
    • Key ingredients
    • How to make lemon curd
    • Do I need to chill the cookie dough?
    • Storing filled cookies
    • Make ahead
    • FAQ
    • Check out these other recipes:
    • πŸ“– Recipe
    • πŸ’¬ Comments

    How to get a thick layer of powdered sugar on the outside

    The icing sugar forms a delicious crisp coating on the outside of the cookie once baked. 

    The key is to roll the scooped cookie dough in powdered sugar. Chill in the freezer for 10 minutes and roll in powdered sugar again before baking. This will give them a really thick layer of icing sugar that will be very visible after baking. 

    You can roll them once to save time if you prefer. This will give the cookies a thinner coating. It still works perfectly!

    Why there's cream cheese in the cookie dough

    The cream cheese gives the lemon curd cookies a soft and chewy texture and a bit of a tang! The flavour works so well with the lemon tartness.

    The cream cheese also helps the cookies puff up in the oven giving them that beautiful crackly top.

    Key ingredients

    Full steps and ingredients in recipe card below. But read through these for all the tips you will need for success!

    Lemons: You'll need lemons for the cookies and the curd. This is the perfect recipe to use up lemons you have lying around.

    Butter: Good quality real butter will give the best results.

    Cream cheese: Brick style full fat cream cheese will give the best results. Low fat cream cheese is too watery.

    Yellow gel food colouring: This is totally optional - it just gives the cookies a bright yellow colour. You can use natural yellow food colouring powder. Don't use turmeric or liquid food colouring.

    All purpose flour: Weigh the flour to get the most accurate results. If you don’t have a scale, measure properly by stirring the bag and spooning gently into a measuring cup. Scrape the excess off the top with the flat edge off a knife without packing it into the cup.

    Baking powder: Make sure it's not expired and check if it's still active by dissolving a sample in some water. If it fizzes up, that means it's active.

    How to make lemon curd

    It's so easy to lemon curd, you only need a small saucepan and a whisk. Whisk eggs and sugar until the eggs break up, and add lemon juice. Heat until thickened and transfer to a non-metal, heat safe container to cool.

    Add lemon zest for extra zing and stir in the cold butter. Stir until butter melts - this will also help it cool down. Press a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper on top of the curd to prevent a skin from forming as it cools. Chill until cold to the touch - it will thicken considerably.

    Use a non-metal container to prevent a metallic taste in the curd. The acidity in the lemon juice reacts with the metal, giving the curd a metallic aftertaste.

    Do I need to chill the cookie dough?

    Yes, but only for 10 minutes in the freezer! Pop the cookie dough in the freezer while the oven is preheating.

    If you want to prep these cookies overnight, just refrigerate the dough.

    Storing filled cookies

    The filled lemon curd cookies can be stored in an airtight container, refrigerated, for up to 3 days. Keep them in a single layer.

    You can also store unfilled cookies in the fridge and fill them right before serving. That way you don't need to store them in a single layer.

    Make ahead

    These cookies can be made ahead by prepping the cookie dough balls the night before. Pop them in the fridge on your baking sheet overnight.

    The lemon curd can be made up to 3 days before filling and serving, and stored in the fridge.

    You can bake the cookies and store them in the fridge the day before. Fill with lemon curd the day of serving.

    FAQ

    Can I leave out the food colouring?

    Yes, it's not necessary at all! It just gives the cookies a vibrant yellow colour. There's no food colouring in the curd - it will stay very yellow.

    Can I make these cookies without the cream cheese?

    You can try to substitute the cream cheese with an equal amount of butter. I haven't tried it, so I don't know how it would work. If you're worried about there being a cream cheese taste - you won't actually be able to taste it. The cream cheese just gives the cookies a subtle tang and helps the texture.

    Will my filled lemon curd cookies become soggy?

    I've stored one in the fridge for a few days and it didn't become soggy - just a bit softer in the middle. I recommend filling the cookies as close as possible to the time of serving to get the best texture.

    Do I need to chill the dough?

    Only for 10 minutes in the freezer. Pop them in the fridge if you want to chill them overnight.

    Check out these other recipes:

    • Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies
    • Buttercream Frosted Sugar Cookies
    • Lemon Raspberry Loaf Cake with Raspberry Glaze
    • Lemon Poppy Seed Scones

    Happy baking!

    Did you make this recipe? I would love for you to rate this recipe and hear what you think in the comments below! Share your creation on Instagram and tag @flouringkitchen. Follow me on Pinterest to save and for more recipe ideas.

    πŸ“– Recipe

    Yellow cookies filled with lemon curd

    Lemon Curd Cookies

    Mary
    These lemon curd cookies are thick, soft, tangy, and filled with loads of lemon curd. They have all the tangy, zesty, lemon flavour. The cookies are rolled in powdered sugar between baking which forms the perfect, sweet crisp crust. There’s cream cheese and lemon juice in the cookie dough making these cookies extra tangy and soft.
    4.86 from 7 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 mins
    Cook Time 45 mins
    Chill Time 10 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 15 mins
    Course Baking, Cookies, Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 cookies

    Equipment

    • electric mixer

    Ingredients
     
     

    Lemon curd

    • 2 large egg yolks
    • 1 large egg
    • β…› teaspoon sea salt
    • β…” cup sugar
    • β…“ cup lemon juice from about 2 lemons
    • 1 lemon zested
    • ΒΌ cup butter cold and cubed

    Cookies

    • ΒΎ cup butter softened
    • ΒΌ cup cream cheese softened
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • β…› teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 large egg room temperature
    • 1 large egg yolk room temperature
    • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
    • 2 tablespoons lemon zest
    • yellow gel food colouring
    • 4 cups all purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ΒΌ teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 cup powdered sugar

    Instructions
     

    Lemon Curd

    • In a medium saucepan, combine egg yolks, whole egg, salt, and sugar. Whisk to break up the yolks until smooth. You don’t need to whisk any more than that.
      2 large egg yolks, 1 large egg, β…› teaspoon sea salt, β…” cup sugar
      Whisking eggs and sugar in a saucepan for lemon curd
    • Add lemon juice, whisk to combine. Heat on low heat, stirring constantly to prevent the bottom from burning. As soon as it thickens, stir a few times and take off the heat.
      β…“ cup lemon juice
    • Pour the hot curd into a heat safe - non metal container. Add lemon zest and cold butter to the curd, stir until the butter is fully melted.
      1 lemon, ΒΌ cup butter
    • Place a piece of parchment paper or cling wrap right onto the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the fridge until thickened even more.
      covering lemon curd top with cling wrap

    Cookies

    • In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine butter, cream cheese, sugar, and salt. Beat with an electric mixer until creamy and lightened in colour, about 5 minutes.
      ΒΎ cup butter, ΒΌ cup cream cheese, 1 cup granulated sugar, β…› teaspoon sea salt
      Beating butter and sugar for lemon cookie dough
    • Add a whole egg, an egg yolk, lemon juice, and zest. Beat until light, fluffy, and creamy. Scrape down the bowl frequently for even mixing. Add yellow food colouring to make it bright yellow (optional).
      1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons lemon zest, yellow gel food colouring
      Adding yellow food colouring to the butter and sugar
    • Sift flour, baking powder, and baking soda right into the same bowl. Fold the dough just until it’s fully mixed.
      4 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ΒΌ teaspoon baking soda
      Folding cookie dough
    • Portion the dough into balls using a cookie scoop or by hand. You want them to be about 3-4 tablespoons in size. It will make about 12 large cookies.
    • Spread powdered sugar onto a plate. Roll the cookie dough balls in the powdered sugar and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Place the cookie dough balls right next to each other on the cookie sheet.
      1 cup powdered sugar
    • Use a measuring tablespoon or the back of the cookie scoop to press an indent onto the top of each cookie ball.
      Scooping and pressing onto tops of cookie dough
    • Pop the baking sheet into the freezer to chill while you preheat the oven to 355Β°F (180Β°C).
    • Right before baking, roll the cookies in powdered sugar again to get a thick layer on. Space the cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet, and bake in batches in the middle of the oven for 12-15 minutes. The cookies will be puffed and barely golden when done. *don't over bake them or they will be dry and crumbly*
      Cookie dough covered in powdered sugar on baking tray
    • Once baked, press a tablespoon into the top of each cookie to make more space for the lemon curd. Carefully transfer cookies with a spatula to a wire rack to cool completely.
      Indenting tops of cookies with tablespoon
    • Once cooled, fill the middles with heaping tablespoons of lemon curd and serve.

    Notes

    Store the filled cookies in the fridge in a single layer. They can be served chilled or at room temperature - equally delicious.
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
    « Mini Egg Cheesecake
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. S

      October 03, 2022 at 4:55 am

      5 stars
      These are delicious with or without the lemon curd. Wish I had time to make these more often.

      Reply
    2. Holly

      July 30, 2022 at 2:48 am

      4 stars
      My lemon curd didn't thicken up very well. My cookies didn't spread much, and after baking I had to push the divot down again. If I make them again I'd try a different curd recipe and flatten the balls a little before cooking. That being said, they really were delicious.

      Reply
      • Mary

        August 18, 2022 at 1:45 pm

        So sorry about the lemon curd not being thick enough, try adding an extra whole egg and cooking for longer next time! Thickness also depends on the size of the eggs used. So happy you still ended up enjoying them! πŸ™‚

        Reply
    3. Sarah

      July 04, 2022 at 11:37 pm

      5 stars
      These cookies turned out great, even though I used a cheesed grater to zest my lemons. Since the lemon rind was a little too big, you would occasionally chew on a lemon rind piece that was just a tad too big, but it was barely noticeable. 10/10 recommend this recipe!

      Reply
      • Mary

        July 06, 2022 at 1:22 pm

        haha glad you liked it!

        Reply
    4. Jess

      May 16, 2022 at 11:51 pm

      5 stars
      These lemon curd cookies were just as delicious as they look!! Mary's recipes are so easy to follow and I appreciate the way she repeats the measurement of ingredients in the step by step directions! (No more scrolling back up multiple times and getting lost on the page!) HIGHLY recommend if you love lemon!

      Reply
      • Mary

        May 21, 2022 at 3:35 pm

        Thank you so much, so happy you loved the recipe! Thank you for leaving a review πŸ˜€

        Reply
    5. Nicole

      April 16, 2022 at 5:12 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe was sent from HEAVEN!! Absolute perfection! Melt in your mouth cookies with a deliciously creamy lemon filling. A MUST for lemon lovers.

      Reply
      • Mary

        April 16, 2022 at 7:18 pm

        Thank you so much, I'm so happy you liked the cookies! πŸ˜€

        Reply
      • Justin

        April 23, 2022 at 12:50 am

        5 stars
        This recipe is just perfect. The mix of textures is just immaculate. I definitely recommend this recipe!

        Reply

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