Description
These Lemon Coconut Cheesecake Cookies offer a delightful blend of tangy lemon, creamy cheesecake, and tropical coconut flavors. Soft and slightly chewy with a hint of citrus zest and moistened by cream cheese, these cookies are perfect for an elegant dessert or a refreshing snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Additional Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut flakes (sweetened or unsweetened)
- Powdered sugar (for dusting)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it is ready for baking the cookies.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, use a mixer to cream together the softened unsalted butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar until the mixture is light, fluffy, and well combined.
- Add Eggs and Flavorings: Beat in the eggs one at a time to ensure even mixing. Then, stir in the lemon zest, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and vanilla extract until the batter is smooth and aromatic.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and baking powder to distribute the leavening agent evenly.
- Mix Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until all ingredients are combined and no dry flour remains, avoiding overmixing.
- Fold in Coconut and Cream Cheese: Gently fold the coconut flakes and softened cream cheese into the dough until evenly distributed and the texture is smooth.
- Portion Dough: Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, drop spoonfuls of dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing each cookie to allow for spreading.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, until the edges turn golden but the centers are still soft for a chewy texture.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about five minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Optional Dusting: Once cooled, dust the cookies lightly with powdered sugar for an elegant, finished look.
Notes
- Cooling on the baking sheet first prevents breakage when transferring.
- Use either sweetened or unsweetened coconut flakes depending on your sweetness preference.
- Do not overbake to retain soft and chewy texture inside the cookies.
- For extra lemon flavor, zest more lemons or add a bit more lemon juice carefully.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
