Description
Lemon coconut cheesecake cookies combine tangy citrus with creamy cheesecake in a delightful cookie that melts in your mouth. Baked with love, these treats bring sunshine to your kitchen and smiles to your friends’ faces.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients:
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
Flavor Enhancers:
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup shredded coconut
Filling Ingredients:
- 8 oz cream cheese
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
- Grab a large mixing bowl and cream ¾ cup softened unsalted butter with ⅔ cup granulated sugar until the mixture becomes smooth and pale.
- Crack 1 large egg into the butter mixture and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice until completely combined.
- Sift 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt into the wet ingredients. Fold in ½ cup shredded coconut gently until a soft dough forms.
- In a separate clean bowl, beat 8 oz softened cream cheese until completely smooth and creamy.
- Add ⅓ cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract to the cream cheese. Blend until the mixture is silky and well incorporated.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between each cookie.
- Use your thumb or the back of a spoon to create a small indentation in the center of each cookie dough ball.
- Carefully spoon the cream cheese mixture into each cookie’s center, filling the wells generously.
- Sprinkle ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut over the top of each filled cookie.
- Slide the baking sheet into the preheated 350°F oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, watching for light golden edges.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring to a serving plate.
Notes
- Zest your lemons before juicing to maximize flavor extraction and get the most vibrant citrus notes in your cookies.
- Chill the cream cheese topping for 15 minutes before filling the cookie wells to help it hold its shape during baking.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular flour with a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend and ensure your ingredients are certified gluten-free.
- Room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly, so let butter, egg, and cream cheese sit out for about 30 minutes before starting the recipe.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-15 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12 to 18
- Calories: 170 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 70 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg