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Soft Lemon Cheesecake Cookie Recipe [+Video]
When the cookie dough is making you drool, you know you’ve discovered a winner with this Soft Lemon Cheesecake Cookie Recipe! We can’t stop making these cookies—they’re irresistible, and the smell of the dough is simply eye-rollingly good.
If you have our second cookbook, Raised in the Kitchen, you know that our oldest daughter absolutely adores her delicate iced lemon cookies recipe, and we all agree. One late evening, while rushing to whip up a batch of cookies for a friend, I realized I was out of a few key ingredients. The result? This Melt-in-Your-Mouth Lemon Cheesecake Cookie Recipe was born—and it’s been a game-changer ever since!
My go-to recipe for chocolate chip cookies, perfect for feeding friends and family, actually uses pudding as a key ingredient. I’ve adapted this recipe for our chocolate cookies, and the flavor, texture, and shelf stability are simply unbeatable. The pudding keeps the cookies perfectly soft and chewy, making it a no-fail recipe—you literally can’t mess these cookies up! Even better, this recipe yields a large batch, making it ideal to feed a huge crowd.
One time, while on my last batch of pudding cookies, I suddenly realized I was out of French vanilla pudding. I quickly reached for a chocolate box, but once again, I was out! I usually keep these stocked, so I was puzzled about how I had forgotten to replenish. While searching through my pantry, I discovered a box of cheesecake pudding and a box of lemon pudding. Since I use a large box of pudding in my recipe, I had no choice but to combine two small boxes to get the job done. The result was this delicious, cream cheese and citrus-flavored cookie that I couldn’t wait to share!
What Do You Need for This Lemon Cheesecake Cookie Recipe?
Grab a box of lemon pudding and a box of cheesecake pudding and the rest you probably already have in the house! Step-by-step instructions and the measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post. You can also save or print the recipe from there as well. Here is what you will need to make these irresistible cookies:
- Unsalted Butter: needs to be softened so it will cream together with the sugars
- Eggs: gives the cookies their structure
- Sugar: just regular white granulated sugar
- Brown Sugar: adds richness
- Vanilla Extract: use the real deal and no imitation flavoring
- Almond Extract: just the tiniest bit enhances the flavor so much
- All-Purpose Flour: make sure to measure the flour correctly
- Salt: enhances all the flavors and cuts the sweetness
- Baking Soda: make sure your baking soda is fresh, this helps give the cookies their fluffiness
- Cheesecake Pudding Mix: measure out half the powder using a kitchen scale
- Lemon Pudding Mix: measure out half the powder using a kitchen scale
- White Chocolate Chips: we love Ghirardelli or Guittard brand
What Does Pudding Do in a Cookie Recipe?
Pudding is a game-changer in cookie recipes! It makes the cookies irresistibly soft, moist, and packed with flavor. In this recipe, the pudding mix is the star, delivering all the rich lemon flavor and cheesecake goodness you love. Lemon lovers, get ready—you won’t be able to resist these delicious cookies. You will be downing these by the tray!
Other Variations
There are many different pudding flavors out there, and I’m obsessed with trying them all in cookies with different add-ins. I’ll list a few of our favorite pudding cookie recipes below. However, this recipe is the first time I’ve combined two different flavors of pudding together. Now I need to try even more two-flavor combinations. Here is a list of different pudding flavors:
- Vanilla
- Chocolate
- Chocolate Fudge
- Banana Cream
- Coconut Cream
- Pistachio
- Butterscotch
- White Chocolate
- Lemon
- Oreo
- Pumpkin Spice
- Candy Cane
You could try any of those flavors with different add-ins – chocolate chips, chopped nuts, dehydrated berries, freeze-dried fruit, coconut, etc.
A few of the combinations I want to try next are chocolate fudge and coconut cream, banana cream and chocolate, white chocolate, and butterscotch.
Can You Half this Lemon Cheesecake Cookie Recipe?
Yes, I use a kitchen scale or just pinch the bag halfway to half the puddings. All the rest of the ingredients can easily be cut in half to make a smaller batch of cookies.
Can I Freeze these Lemon Cheesecake Cookies?
Yes, these cookies freeze great! Let them cool completely and then transfer them to a ziploc bag. They will keep for 2-3 months. I prefer to use a vacuum sealer to help them last even longer…up to 6 months.
How to Freeze Cookie Dough
This is my preferred method for frozen cookies because we don’t overeat the first batch and it’s a cinch to throw dessert out for unexpected guests! Plus, it really does keep much better than an already-baked cookie.
Form all the cookie dough balls and put them on a baking sheet in a single layer. Place the pan in the freezer and let them freeze for about an hour. Once they are frozen, place all the dough balls in a Ziploc freezer bag. Then store the bag in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.
Sometimes missing a couple of ingredients results in a new and insanely delicious recipe. “Happy accidents” according to Bob Ross! Now please excuse me while I go try some new pudding combinations! You’re going to love this white chocolate lemon cheesecake cookie recipe!
More Pudding Cookie Recipes to Try:
- Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
- Best Chocolate Cookies
- Pumpkin Pudding Cookies
- Strawberries and Cream Pudding Cookies
- Banana Cream Pie Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Red Velvet Cookies
- Chocolate M&M Cookies
- Cinnamon Roll Cookies
- Pumpkin Spice Cookies
Watch Our VIDEO on How to Make Lemon Cheesecake Cookies
Soft Lemon Cheesecake Cookies
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Description
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Butter Unsalted (4 sticks)
- 4 Eggs
- 1 ½ Cups Granulated Sugar
- 2 Cups Brown Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 teaspoon Almond Extract
- 5 to 5 ½ Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2 teaspoon Salt
- 2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 2.5 Ounce Cheesecake Pudding Mix instant, use half of the large box
- 2.5 Ounce Lemon Pudding Mix instant, use half of the large box
- 2 Cups White Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine softened butter, eggs, sugars, vanilla, and almond extract in large bowl until evenly mixed.2 Cups Butter, 4 Eggs, 1 ½ Cups Granulated Sugar, 2 Cups Brown Sugar, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, 1/4 teaspoon Almond Extract
- In a separate bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda, and both puddings.5 to 5 ½ Cups All-Purpose Flour, 2 teaspoon Salt, 2 teaspoon Baking Soda, 2.5 Ounce Cheesecake Pudding Mix, 2.5 Ounce Lemon Pudding Mix
- Slowly add the dry ingredients into the large bowl of wet ingredients.
- Once ingredients are combined slowly mix in chocolate chips.2 Cups White Chocolate Chips
- Place on prepared baking sheet or on parchment paper.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Video
Notes
- Baked cookies and unbaked cookie dough can both be frozen. Please see the post above this recipe card for instructions on how to freeze cookies and cookie dough.
