Lemon Cream Cheese Crackle Cookies

For over 175 more tried and tested cookie recipes be sure to browse our 

Pinterest Cookie Board 

Lemon Cream Cheese Crackle Cookies

A bunch of different recipes for lemon crackle cookies have been making the rounds on Pinterest lately but I wanted a soft cookie version that would go well with a layer of cream cheese frosting to hold them together. The truth is that these are perfectly fine on their own without the filling ans would make what my mother would call a lovely "cup of tea" cookie. Either way you try them, they are delicious and a real treat for the lemon lovers in your life.

Lemon Cream Cheese Crackle Cookies

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

Lemon Cream Cheese Crackle Cookies - delicious, soft, lemony crackle cookies are great or on their own or even better sandwiched together with smooth, luscious cream cheese frosting. An outstanding combination of flavors.

Prep time: About 1 hour 15 minutes including tome to chill the cookie dough
Cook time: 13 - 15 minutes
Total time: About 1 1/2 hours plus cooling time for the cookies.
Yield: About 1 dozen sandwiched cookies or 2 dozen single cookies.
Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp lemon extract
• zest of 3 large lemons, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup icing sugar (powdered sugar)
• FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
• 1/2 cup (4 oz) cream cheese
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups icing sugar (powdered sugar)

Directions

1. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar very well.
3. Beat in the vanilla and lemon extracts and the chopped lemon zest.
4. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
5. Fold in the dry ingredients until a soft dough forms. Don't overwork the dough.
6. Cover the dough and refrigerate for about an hour.
7. Scatter the icing sugar in the bottom of a pie plate.
8. Roll the chilled into 1 inch balls and then roll the balls into the powdered sugar.
9. Place the dough balls about 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet.
10. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 13 -15 minutes until they are lightly brown at the edges and do not look wet on the top.
11. Cool on the tray for a few minutes before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
12. Sandwich 2 of the cookies together with about a tablespoon of the cream cheese frosting.
13. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.