Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies

Our Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies melt in your mouth. This recipe is one of those recipes that you’ll need to triple, because it’s THAT good. Whether you’re a lemon lover or looking for a unique and cookie, these Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies are a must-try. They’re suited to any occasion, from a casual afternoon tea to a fancy dessert spread.

What stands out

These Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies are ideal for anyone who cannot tolerate eggs as they are completely egg-free. The dough takes 5 minutes to whip up, so these cookies are straightforward enough for anyone who is not even a baker. They’re only 5 ingredients which you probably already have on hand. We can honestly say that this is one of those cookie recipes that you cannot get enough of.

How to Prepare

Use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held mixer and bowl to cream butter and cream cheese for about 2 minutes until smooth.

Add sugar and lemon extract and mix until smooth. Then add flour, and mix until a sticky dough forms. Scrape down the sides to fully incorporate any remaining flour.

Cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.

Remove dough from the refrigerator, use a small ice-cream scooper to portion the cookies, rolling each in a touch of flour to prevent sticking.

Place rolled cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten each with your thumb, creating an indent, and add a teaspoon of preferred jam/preserve to the center.

Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake the Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies for 13-15 minutes or until the edges are light and golden brown.

Allow the cookies to cool completely and optionally dust with icing sugar. They can be stored at room temperature for up to a week.

Kitchen tip

You MUST refrigerate the cookie dough for at least one hour and you have to use a touch of flour to roll each one as they will stick.

Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies Variations and Substitutions

These Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies have a few tricks up their sleeves! Don’t forget to let us know in the comments if you try one of these changes!

• Try adding a decorative topping like chopped nuts or a sprinkle of coarse sugar for holiday decoration.
• We have not tried this recipe with gluten-free flour but feel free to experiment with a gluten-free 1-1 replacement and let us know how it goes!
• Instead of lemon extract you could try almond, vanilla, orange or another you have on hand.
• Feel free to experiment with different jams or preserves for example, you could use strawberry, raspberry, apricot or even marmalade.
• You could try dairy-free or vegan alternatives to the butter and cream cheese if you or your guests have allergies.

Questions

What type of jam or preserves should we use?

Feel free to use any jam or preserve you enjoy. We love fig or apricot but you are more than welcome to use any you have on hand.

What if we Don’t have Lemon extract?

The lemon extract is optional so don’t worry if you don’t have any on hand. You can also use pure vanilla extract, or almond extract, or leave them plain. Or, if you don’t have pure lemon extract, but still want the flavor, you can also use the zest of a lemon in the recipe.

Is it optional to refrigerate the dough?

You MUST refrigerate the cookie dough for at least one hour and you have to use a touch of flour to roll each one as they will stick.

Can we freeze this dough?

Feel free to freeze the cookie dough tightly wrapped for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and shape as usual.

can we make these with cold butter and cream cheese?

The cream cheese and butter must be softened in order for the cookies to bake correctly.

Do we have to use salted butter?

You can use salted or unsalted butter. We have made them with both and both results are.

can we use gluten-free flour?

Feel free to try these cookies with a gluten-free 1-1 flour if you are gluten-free. We haven’t tried this, but please let us know if you make any substitutions and leave it in the comments below so that everyone can learn from you!

Why are the metric weights of your ingredients different than the results of Google and our kitchen scale?

While 1 cup of flour weighs 160g in our kitchen, it might weigh anywhere from 120 to 180g in your kitchen and there’s a few reasons for that. The weight of ingredients may vary due to the brand of ingredients, the brand and style (wet vs dry) of measuring cups and spoons, and the technique for measuring into cups: scooping and leveling versus spooning the ingredients into the cup measure. For best results, go by the weight listed in the recipe.

Ingredients

Makes 18 Cookies

• ½ cup cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup white sugar
• 1 stick softened salted butter
• 1.5 teaspoons lemon extract, optional if you don’t have any on hand
• 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour, + 2 extra tablespoons for rolling the balls
• 18 teaspoons jam, I used fig preserve

Equipment

• Measuring Cups + Spoons
• Mixing Bowls
• Baking Sheet
• Parchment Paper

Method

1. In a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and cream cheese together for about 2 minutes or until smooth. You can also use a hand-held mixer and a bowl as well.
2. Once creamy, add the sugar and lemon extract and mix until smooth. Add in the flour and mix until a sticky dough forms. If there’s any flour on the sides, you can scrape it down and mix again until fully incorporated.
3. Cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour. After an hour, take out the dough, remove the plastic and use a small ice-cream scooper to scoop out the cookies. We scoop each cookie, roll it in a touch of flour as it will stick to your hands if you don’t.
4. Repeat this step for all 18 cookies. Place each rolled cookie onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Press each one down with your thumb to make an indent. Add a teaspoon of any jam/preserve you like to the middle.
5. Preheat the oven to 350F and bake until the edges are light and golden brown. This should take 13-15 minutes depending on the oven.
6. Let them cool completely and optionally dust with icing sugar. These are perfectly stored at room-temp for up to a week.