Lemon Goo Goo Cookies
By Callie | March 31, 2021
Whoever says they don’t like lemon is a liar. Like vanilla, I believe lemon to be universally enjoyed by all, making these cookies the best treat to serve a crowd. I utilized our Madagascar Pure Vanilla Extract in this recipe, and it truly shines alongside the fresh and zesty lemon flavor! These cookies are meant to be a bit “gooey” inside, hence the name. There truly is nothing better than biting into a cookie and having it melt in your mouth! These are pretty foolproof as far as recipes go; the tricky part is not overbaking them! I encourage you to stick close to the oven and grab them out of the oven right as soon as the tops and edges are set. You can always use a smaller scoop and make the cookies smaller for kids; they make the perfect poppable treat to tide them over until Easter lunch is ready. Enjoy!
Lemon Goo Goo Cookies
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 - 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest
1½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tablespoon Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
1/8 teaspoon lemon oil
¾ teaspoon salt
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
1 cup powdered sugar
Directions:
Using an electric mixer, cream together cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until creamy and smooth. Beat in sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, lemon oil, and salt. Mix until well combined; the mixture should be light and fluffy.
Add egg and egg yolk and beat in well for about two minutes at medium speed.
At low speed, gradually add flour and baking powder and mix until just incorporated.
The dough will be very sticky. Cover the bowl with saran wrap and refrigerate it overnight.
The next day, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Place powdered sugar in a small bowl and set aside.
Using a spring-loaded cookie scoop, measure out the cookie dough and place them on the baking sheet at least 2 inches apart. On a standard size cookie sheet, I am typically able to fit 12 cookies.
One by one, toss each cookie dough ball in the powdered sugar and shake around until each has been thoroughly coated. Return the baking sheet and repeat with all of the dough.
Bake until cookies have spread into round cookie shapes and are puffed and crackly, about 15 minutes. Do not overbake. The cookies will still be soft in the centers. If they start to brown around the edges, they have baked too long. The underside of the cookies should be lightly browned.
Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the sheet for a couple of minutes. Transfer to wire rack and allow cookies to cool completely. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to a week.
