Description
Melt-in-your-mouth apricot cream cheese cookies that are soft, creamy, buttery, and filled with sweet apricot preserves, finished with a light dusting of confectioners’ sugar.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened (full-fat brick)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
- 4 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup apricot preserves (or your favorite fruit jam)
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter, cream cheese, and granulated sugar together on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until perfectly smooth, light, and creamy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the fresh lemon juice and grated lemon zest until fully combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and baking powder. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet cream cheese mixture, beating on low speed just until a soft, cohesive dough forms.
- Roll dough into 1-inch balls and arrange on prepared baking sheets 2 inches apart. Use your thumb or the back of a rounded 1/2-teaspoon measuring spoon to press a clean well into the center of each ball. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of apricot preserves into each center.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookie bottoms are lightly golden while the tops remain pale and soft. Allow cookies to rest on the hot pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Dust the cooled cookies lightly with confectioners’ sugar before serving.
Notes
Use softened butter and full-fat brick cream cheese for the best texture. Do not overbake; the tops should remain pale and soft while the bottoms are lightly golden.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie