These Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies are a delightful blend of sweet, tangy, and creamy flavors, topped with cream cheese frosting and a dollop of lemon curd. Perfect for lemon dessert lovers, they’re sure to be a hit!
Start with a simple lemon poppy seed cookie dough recipe. These cookies are soft, chewy, and easy to make with ingredients you probably already have. You can mix the dough in just 15 minutes!
Tips for Perfect Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies:
- Avoid Overbaking: Once the cookies are golden on the edges, take them out. They’ll keep baking a bit as they cool, so pulling them out earlier ensures they stay soft.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: If your frosting is too runny, add more powdered sugar. Make sure your butter and cream cheese are around 72°F to get the right consistency.
- Making Lemon Curd: Cook it slowly over low heat to avoid turning it into scrambled eggs.
- Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container. Unfrosted cookies can stay on the counter for up to 3 days. Frosted cookies should be refrigerated and will last up to 5 days. Let them sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving to soften up.
- Make Ahead: You can prepare the lemon curd a few days in advance and keep it in the fridge. The cookie dough can also be frozen for up to 1 month.
Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies
Ingredients
Lemon Poppy Seed Cookie Dough:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 255 grams
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature (1 ½ sticks or 169 grams)
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 tbsp lemon zest from 2 lemons
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tsp poppy seeds
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 cup cream cheese room temperature (8 oz or 226 grams)
- 12 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature (1 ½ sticks or 170 grams)
- 3 cups powdered sugar 375 grams
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Lemon Curd:
- Follow your favorite Lemon Curd recipe or see the recipe [here] #.
To Decorate:
- 2 tbsp poppy seeds
Instructions
Lemon Poppy Seed Cookie Dough:
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Beat Butter and Sugar: In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar for 4 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Mix in the egg, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until combined.
- Combine and Mix: Add the dry ingredients and poppy seeds to the wet mixture. Mix until just combined.
- Scoop and Chill: Scoop the dough into balls (about ¼ cup each) and place on a baking sheet. Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes before baking. You can also freeze the dough balls for up to a month.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for about 20 minutes until the cookies are puffed and golden around the edges. For smaller cookies, reduce baking time. If using a convection oven, bake at 345°F for a shorter time.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool completely before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Beat Ingredients: Beat the cream cheese and butter together for about 4 minutes until creamy and fluffy.
- Add Sugar and Vanilla: Mix in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract until well combined. If too soft, add more powdered sugar.
- Adjust Consistency: Ensure butter and cream cheese are at 72°F for the right frosting texture.
To Decorate:
- Frost and Decorate: Place frosting in a piping bag and pipe a ring around the edges of each cookie. Fill the center with lemon curd and sprinkle with poppy seeds.
- Serve: Store frosted cookies in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let them sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.