These easy Lemon Gooey Butter Cookies are seven-ingredient cookies that melt in your mouth. With the ease of a lemon cake mix, they come together quickly and easily. So, if you and yours are lemon lovers, then this is a must-try.
Have you tried my gooey butter cake? This is the cookie version with a lemon twist. It is so difficult to stop eating these! These Lemon Gooey Butter Cookies are easy, delicious, and consistently excellent. They are absolutely delicious, warm with a hot cup of tea. They are the perfect cookie for that holiday party! Your company will love them.
How do you make Lemon Gooey Butter Cookies?
First, you will cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy without lumps. Turn your mixer to low and add the egg, lemon juice, and lemon zest, mixing just until combined. Now add the cake mix in three parts, mixing just until combined after each part.
Roll the dough into balls about one inch in diameter and roll through the powdered sugar. Place on parchment-covered baking sheets or silicone mats. Bake for about ten minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on the baking sheet for two minutes, then remove to cookie cooling racks. When cool enough to handle, roll through the powdered sugar one more time.
These cookies freeze well. Let them fully cool before freezing, then double-wrap them in freezer bags and place them in a sturdy freezer container. When defrosting, remove them from all the wrapping and let them defrost uncovered in a single stack on a platter or cutting board. Once defrosted, store in covered, airtight containers.
Helpful tips for making Lemon Gooey Butter Cookies
- Use fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. It does make a difference in the taste of the cookies.
- Soften your butter so it is easier to blend.
- Blend your butter and cream cheese until it is smooth, creamy, and free of lumps.
- For optimum results, refrigerate the dough for 2 hours.
- Always preheat your oven and load the cookies on the middle rack in the center of the oven.
- For best results, bake on parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Do not over-bake these cookies. They are done when they are lightly browned.
- If you have time, do a test run with one or two cookies. This will help establish the baking time.
Other cookie recipes you will love!
Lemon Gooey Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened 1 stick
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 box lemon cake mix I use Duncan Hines lemon supreme
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Cream butter and cream cheese with a mixer until smooth and creamy. Add egg, lemon juice, and lemon zest; mix until combined on low. Add the lemon cake mix in three parts mixing just until combined after each part.
- Refrigerate dough for 2 hours.
- Roll into 1-inch balls and roll through the powdered sugar. Place on cookie sheets covered with parchment paper.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool for 2 minutes, then remove the cookies to cookie cooling racks. When fully cool, dust with more powdered sugar.
Notes
- Use fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. It really does make a difference in the taste of the cookies.
- Soften your butter, so it is easier to blend.
- Blend your butter and cream cheese until it is smooth, creamy, and free of lumps.
- For optimum results, refrigerate the dough for 2 hours.
- Always preheat your oven and load the cookies on the middle rack in the center of the oven.
- For best results, bake on parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Do not over-bake these cookies. They are done when they are lightly browned.
- If you have time, do a test run with one or two cookies. It really helps to establish baking time.
Nutrition
Are you on the hunt for more delicious recipes? Follow Small Town Woman on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Monika3
Sooooo good!! Added a little bit more lemon juice and zest!! Lots of RAVES from co-workers!! definitely a keeper recipe! thank you
Beth Pierce
My pleasure! So happy that they liked them!!
Kelly Dyer
do these need to be refrigerated after cooked since they have cream cheese in them?
Beth Pierce
Boy the consensus on this is all over the board. I usually leave on the counter for about 2 days and then refrigerate after that. However after reading and reading I think that I would refrigerate them.
Betsy
So easy! And the cream cheese adds some nice protein and gives it a whole new texture! Love the texture of these. The flavor is incredible. Not too tart, and not too sweet! But definitely lemony goodness!
Donna Burke
WOW! These are so incredible.I need to make a double batch next time!
Kara
I love lemon desserts, and these did not disappoint! The lemon zest adds a nice fresh flavor. So yummy!
Suzanne
This looks so good! It is nice to have a recipe with ingredients you can keep around and whip up quickly!
Ellie Wolfenson
So light and fluffy !
Made them for a cookie swap, I added poppy seeds for a slightly different twist.
Everyone loved them. Thank you !
Beth Pierce
That is a great idea. I love the poppy seed idea!
Becky Hardin
Adding these cookies to my Christmas cookie list.
Sarah Skaggs
Wow, these are a dream! So perfect and soft!
Billy
These cookies are straight up dangerous! They are incredibly delicious loaded with awesome lemon flavor!
Trang
I love the lemon cookies so naturally, this is a fave of mine. Totally agree about using fresh lemon juice and zest! Definitely makes a difference.
Kristyn
These are a favorite around here!! I love making them for get-togethers, because they are always a hit & so easy to make! Love the refreshing, lemon flavor!
Lisa
If I don’t freeze these, how long do they last? Is it the standard 2-3 days, or do they hold up a little longer?
Beth Pierce
It has been a while since I have made those. Maybe a little longer than that. I would say 4-5 days but like I said it has been a while. So many things to make and so little time.
Greg
As a St. Louis native living in Hawaii, these remind me of home. I made these tonight. I did add Tbs of lemon extract and a tsp of lemon zest to mine. May have to make a Gooey Butter cakeas well.
Beth Pierce
Awesome! So glad that you liked them and that you adjusted them to your taste!
Linda Downing
Are the cookies a tart lemon or sweet lemon taste?
Beth Pierce
A sweet lemon taste.
Kristina
Can I freeze the dough and bake later? If so, must I wait for them to thaw?
Thank you.
Beth Pierce
I have never frozen this dough and I am hesitant on it. I don’t think that I would. Lets see if the readers have a different response.