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Lemon sandwich cookies are what happens when a good cookie turns into a great one. I set out to make an ultra soft lemon sugar cookie, and the texture was exactly right, but the cookies kept spreading a little and cracking on top. Instead of fighting it, I turned them into sandwich cookies with a tangy cream cheese lemon frosting filling, and they are so much better this way. Soft, chewy, packed with triple lemon flavor, and the perfect balance of sweet and bright in every bite.
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Three rounds of testing. That is how many times I remade this cookie before I figured out what it actually wanted to be. The first batch spread too much. The second cracked on top. The third did both, but by then I was eating one straight off the cooling rack and realized the texture was actually perfect. Soft, chewy, buttery, with a little crisp around the edges. The only thing missing was something to sandwich between two of them. Cream cheese lemon frosting stepped in, and suddenly the cookie I thought was broken was the best one I had made all month.
Table of Contents
- WHY YOU’LL LOVE THESE LEMON SANDWICH COOKIES
- INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED
- Why I Use Plugrà Butter for These Cookies
- HOW TO MAKE LEMON SANDWICH COOKIES
- THE CHILLING TRICK THAT MAKES THE BEST COOKIE
- THE SWISH METHOD
- PARCHMENT VS SILICONE MAT
- THE CHILL AFTER FILLING (DO NOT SKIP)
- Frequently Asked Questions About These Lemon Sandwich Cookies
- Lemon Sandwich Cookies with Cream Cheese Lemon Frosting Recipe
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THESE LEMON SANDWICH COOKIES
Lemon sandwich cookies with a tangy cream cheese lemon frosting filling are the happy accident I did not see coming. I was testing an ultra soft lemon sugar cookie, and while the texture was perfect, the cookies kept spreading and cracking on top. Turns out they were never meant to be standalone cookies. Sandwiched together with cream cheese lemon frosting, they are soft, chewy, and full of triple lemon flavor.
Since you’re here, checkout my whole lemon blender cake, as well as this no bake lemon pie that everyone has been loving during the spring and summer months.
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED
Here is what you need and why each one matters.
- Plugrà butter brings a higher butterfat content than standard butter, which gives these cookies a richer flavor and better texture.
- Triple lemon (zest, juice, and lemon extract) layers real lemon flavor throughout without relying on one source.
- Brown sugar adds moisture and chew that keeps these cookies soft for days.
- Cornstarch helps with tenderness and a slightly thicker cookie.
- Cream cheese in the frosting adds tang that cuts through the sweetness and makes the filling taste fresh, not heavy.
Why I Use Plugrà Butter for These Cookies
Butter is the backbone of any good cookie, and for this recipe I reach for Plugrà every time. It is a slow-churned, European-style butter with 82% butterfat, which is higher than what you get from standard American butter. That difference matters more than it sounds.
When you cream Plugrà with sugar, it whips up beautifully and holds air without breaking down. The dough comes together smoother, behaves more predictably during the chill, and bakes into a cookie that is richer in flavor and more tender in texture. Because the butter content is higher and the water content is lower, the lemon flavor stays bright and clean instead of getting muddled.
These cookies are already doing a lot, three forms of lemon, a tangy cream cheese filling, the chill steps that make them bakery-style. Plugrà is what ties it all together and makes the final cookie taste like it came from a pastry case.
Curious where to find it? Check the plugrà product locator!
HOW TO MAKE LEMON SANDWICH COOKIES
- Whisk the dry ingredients together and set them aside.
- Cream the Plugrà butter with both sugars for 3 to 4 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and egg yolk one at a time, then the lemon juice, zest, lemon extract, and vanilla. Slight curdling is normal.
- Mix in the dry ingredients on low just until the flour disappears.
- Scoop the dough into 1.5 tablespoon balls first, then chill the scooped balls for at least 2 hours. This is the secret to cookies that bake up thick and hold their shape (more on this below).
- Roll the chilled dough balls in plain granulated sugar and bake at 325°F for 10 to 11 minutes until the edges are set and centers look slightly underdone.
- Cool completely, then fill with cream cheese lemon frosting and sandwich together.
- Chill the assembled sandwiches for at least a few hours, ideally overnight.
THE CHILLING TRICK THAT MAKES THE BEST COOKIE
This is the part that makes the biggest difference. Scoop your dough balls before chilling, not after. Here is what I mean:
- Scoop all your dough into 1.5 tablespoon balls and place them on a plate or baking sheet.
- Chill the scooped balls for the full 2 hours, or overnight.
- When you are ready to bake, pull them out, roll in plain granulated sugar, and bake right away.
Cookies scooped before chilling spread less and bake up taller and more uniform. This is my recommended method and gives you the closest thing to a perfect cookie every time.
If you already chilled your dough as one big mass, you have two options. Scoop the dough into balls, return them to the fridge for another 20 to 30 minutes, then roll in sugar and bake. Or bake them as is and use the swish method if they spread too much.
THE SWISH METHOD
If a cookie spreads more than you want, do not panic. Right when it comes out of the oven, while it is still hot and pliable, place a larger round cookie cutter, the rim of a mug, or a small bowl over the cookie and gently swirl it in a circle. This pushes the edges back in and gives you a perfectly round, tighter cookie. Works every time.
PARCHMENT VS SILICONE MAT
The cookies will spread a little more on parchment paper than they will on a silicone baking mat. I baked mine on parchment and the spread was perfect for sandwich cookies. If you bake on a silicone mat, expect them to hold their shape a little tighter and stay slightly thicker. Both work, just adjust based on what you are using.
THE CHILL AFTER FILLING (DO NOT SKIP)
Once you fill the cookies and sandwich them together with the cream cheese lemon frosting, refrigerate the assembled cookies for at least a few hours, but ideally overnight. This step does a few important things:
- Lets the frosting firm up so the sandwich holds together cleanly
- Lets the frosting adhere to the cookies, so when you bite in, the filling stays put instead of oozing out the sides
- Lets the cookie soak up a little moisture from the filling, which gives you that classic soft, bakery-style sandwich cookie texture
- Makes the lemon flavor taste even more pronounced
These are best served on the colder side. You can eat them straight from the fridge, or pull them out about 10 minutes before serving if you want them slightly softened. Either way, the cooler, firmer texture is part of what makes a sandwich cookie great.
Frequently Asked Questions About These Lemon Sandwich Cookies
Yes. The cookie dough can be scooped and chilled up to 48 hours in advance, or frozen for up to 3 months. The frosting can be made a day ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator. Assembled sandwiches actually get better after an overnight chill.
You can, but reduce the added salt in the dough to ¼ tsp. Plugrà unsalted is recommended for the best flavor control.
The most common cause is under-chilled dough, or dough that was chilled as a mass and not re-chilled after scooping. Parchment paper also allows for slightly more spread than a silicone baking mat. Use the swish method right out of the oven if needed.
Yes. Freeze in a single layer until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Lemon Sandwich Cookies with Cream Cheese Lemon Frosting
Ingredients
For the Lemon Cookies:
- 1 cup Plugrà unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1½ tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp lemon zest packed (about 2 large lemons)
- ½ tsp lemon extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 & 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar for rolling
For the Cream Cheese Lemon Frosting:
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup Plugrà unsalted butter softened
- 1½ cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ¼ tsp lemon extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Make the Cookies:
- Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.2½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 & 1/2 tbsp cornstarch, ¾ tsp baking soda, ¼ tsp salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer rub the sugar with the lemon zest using your fingers to release the oils.2 tbsp lemon zest, 1 cup granulated sugar
- In the same bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the Plugrà butter, lemon granulated sugar mixture, and brown sugar on medium-high for 3 to 4 minutes until light and fluffy.1 cup Plugrà unsalted butter, 2 tbsp light brown sugar
- Add the egg and egg yolk one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, lemon extract, and vanilla extract. Mix until combined. Slight curdling is normal.1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk, 1½ tbsp fresh lemon juice, ½ tsp lemon extract, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Add the dry ingredients and mix on low just until the flour disappears. Do not overmix.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. (See notes below for two chilling methods, pick whichever works best for you!)
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop 1.5 tablespoon dough balls, roll smooth between your palms, then roll in the plain granulated sugar. Place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.⅓ cup granulated sugar
- Bake for 10 to 11 minutes, until the edges are just set and the centers look slightly underdone.
- If any cookies spread more than you'd like, place a round cookie cutter, the rim of a mug, or a small bowl over each cookie right out of the oven (while still hot and pliable) and gently swirl it in a circle. This pushes the edges back in and gives you perfectly round, tighter cookies.
- Cool on the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before filling.
Make the Frosting:
- In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and Plugrà butter together on medium-high for 2 minutes until smooth and fluffy.4 oz cream cheese, ¼ cup Plugrà unsalted butter
- Add the powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, lemon extract, and salt. Mix on low to combine, then beat on medium-high for 1 minute until light and creamy.1½ cups powdered sugar, 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp lemon zest, ¼ tsp lemon extract, Pinch of salt
- If the frosting is too soft to hold its shape, refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes before filling the cookies.
Assemble:
- Pair up the cooled cookies by matching similar sizes.
- Pipe or spread about 1 tablespoon of frosting onto the flat bottom of one cookie, then top with a second cookie, flat side down, pressing gently to spread the frosting just to the edges.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate in a single layer for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Two ways to chill the dough. You have options here, pick whichever works best for you:
- Scoop, then chill (my recommended method): Scoop the dough into 1.5 tablespoon balls first, place them on a plate or baking sheet, then chill for the full 2 hours or overnight. When ready to bake, roll in plain granulated sugar and bake right away. This method gives you the thickest, most uniform cookies because the dough stays cold all the way to the oven.
- Chill, then scoop: Cover the whole bowl of dough and chill for the full 2 hours or overnight, then scoop into 1.5 tablespoon balls and roll in sugar. Just know the dough will warm up a bit while you scoop, so the cookies may spread slightly more than the first method. If that happens, use the swish method below to tighten them back up.
- The swish method. If your cookies spread more than you’d like, place a round cookie cutter, the rim of a mug, or a small bowl over each cookie right out of the oven and gently swirl in a circle to tighten the edges back into a perfect round.
- Chill time is essential. Do not shortcut this step or the cookies will spread too much.
- Plugrà butter is recommended for its higher butterfat content, which gives these cookies a richer flavor. If substituting, use a high-quality European-style unsalted butter.
- Make ahead: Cookies can be baked ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days before assembling. Scooped dough balls freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
