After years of baking and tweaking my favorite cookie bases, I finally landed on a lemon cookie sandwich that checks every box: bright, soft, buttery, and with just the right tart sweet balance. I’ve tested this version more times than I can count, and every time, it holds up beautifully.
Whether you're making a batch for a picnic or just to stash in your freezer for lemony cravings, these are a go to. You can trust that every detail here has been dialed in from hands on experience and a lot of trial and error. Check out my lemon cardamom cookies and lemon bars with sweetened condensed milk too!
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Big lemon flavor in every layer! Lemon zest and juice shine in both the cookies and the filling. My lemon cheesecake has a great tang as well!
- Soft and chewy cookie texture that contrasts perfectly with the smooth filling.
- No chilling required. You’ll be sandwiching in under 45 minutes. Jam sandwich cookies do no require chilling either!
- Customizable. Go full lemon, add berries, or switch up the filling (hello, whipped mascarpone).
- Better-than-bakery looks. These stack beautifully and make any dessert board feel elevated.
Equipment
Using a kitchen scale is a total game-changer for baking these simple lemon cookie sandwiches. It makes measuring ingredients super precise, so your recipe comes out perfect every single time. Plus, fewer measuring cups means less cleanup — and who doesn’t love that? Invest in one, and you’ll wonder how you ever baked without it!
Lemon Sandwich Cookies Ingredients
What you'll need for the best lemon sandwich cookies!
- Butter: I like using salted butter for extra flavor. If you only have unsalted butter, just ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt to the dough.
- Lemons: We’re using both the zest and juice. The zest provides the most vibrant lemon flavor. I recommend using a microplane zester for the best results. My cardamom coffee cake has lemon in to too!
- Granulated Sugar: A must for sweetness and texture; this cannot be substituted.
- Fresh Lemon Juice: Acts as a natural cream of tartar, giving the cookies their perfect texture. Don’t skip it!
- Cream Cheese: For the filling in sandwich cookies, use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese for the best consistency and flavor. It makes the lemon cream cheese frosting divine! I use the same frosting for my chocolate lemon cake!
See recipe card below for quantities.
Variations
Twists on lemon filled cookies!
- Berry Lemon Cookies: Add freeze dried raspberry powder to the filling for a berry twist.
- Lemon Curd Center: Swap the cream cheese filling for a dollop of lemon curd.
- Lavender Lemon: Add a pinch of culinary lavender to the dough for a floral vibe.
- Gluten Free Option: Substitute a 1:1 gluten free baking blend in place of all-purpose flour.
- Mini Sandwiches: Use a smaller scoop for bite sized party ready treats.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions. These are just suggestions.
How to make lemon sandwich cookies
Let's make this lemon cookie sandwich recipe!
Step 1. Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar and lemon zest. Using a mixer, beat the lemon zest and sugar until combined and fragrant.
Step 2. Add the room temperature butter to the sugar mixture. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Step 3. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and lemon juice to the bowl. Mix until fully combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, kosher salt, and baking soda.
Step 4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Beat until a dough forms.
Step 5. Scoop out 2-tablespoon portions (about 32 grams each). Roll the dough into balls, then coat them in the extra granulated sugar.
Step 6. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or glass to press each dough ball down until about ½ inch thick.
Hint: To zest a lemon with a microplane zester, hold the lemon in one hand and the zester in the other. Gently rub the lemon against the fine blades of the zester, moving it in one direction. Rotate the lemon as you go to remove only the bright yellow outer layer, avoiding the bitter white pith underneath
Pro tips for making lemon cookie sandwiches
- Roll in Sugar: Roll the cookie dough balls in granulated sugar to make them easier to flatten without sticking.
- Flatten Evenly: Use a measuring cup or drinking glass to press the cookies down.
- Use a cookie scoop for even cookie sizes. Uniform shapes = easy sandwiching.
- Don’t overbake. These cookies should be soft in the center and just set at the edges.
- Chill the filling. After mixing, let it firm up a bit before assembling for less squish.
- Zest first, then juice. It’s way easier to zest a whole lemon than a halved one.
- Sift your powdered sugar before adding to the filling to avoid lumps.
FAQ
Yes, you can wrap individually and freeze for up to two months. Thaw at room temperature when you’re ready to enjoy them.
Freezing the dough:
Prepare the dough, roll it into balls, and freeze. When ready to bake, allow the dough to thaw, then roll it in sugar and flatten as needed. For the frosting, let it thaw in the refrigerator first, then bring it to room temperature and give it a quick re-whip for the best texture and consistency.
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📖 Recipe
Lemon Cookie Sandwiches
Equipment
- Microplane zester
- Measuring cups or kitchen scale
- Mixing bowls
- Handheld or stand mixer
- Parchment Paper
- Baking sheet
Ingredients
Lemon Cream Cheese Filling
- 4 tablespoons (56 grams) salted butter room temperature
- 4 oz (115 grams) brick style cream cheese full fat, room temperature
- 2 lemons zested
- 1 ½ cups (190 grams) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Lemon Cookies
- ¾ cup (154 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 lemons (zested) zest only
- 8 tablespoons (113 grams) salted butter room temperature (add ¼ teaspoon more kosher salt if you do not have salted butter)
- 1 large egg
- ¼ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups (215 grams) all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup (50 grams) extra granulated sugar for coating
Instructions
Lemon Filling
- Beat the lemon zest, butter, and cream cheese until smooth and fully combined.
- Add the powdered sugar and lemon juice, beat until smooth and creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Place the lemon cream filling in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Lemon Cookies
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar and lemon zest. Using a mixer, beat the lemon zest and sugar until combined and fragrant.
- Add the room-temperature butter to the sugar mixture. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, and lemon juice to the bowl. Mix until fully combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, kosher salt, and baking soda.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Beat until a dough forms.
- Scoop out 2-tablespoon portions (about 32 grams each). Roll the dough into balls, then coat them in the extra granulated sugar.
- Use the bottom of a measuring cup or glass to press each dough ball down until about ½ inch thick *See photos in "recipe steps" in post above for reference.
- Position it on the center rack of the oven to ensure even baking, avoiding placement too close to the top or bottom. Bake the cookies for 7–9 minutes. The edges should be puffed, but the centers may look slightly underbaked—this is normal. Do not over bake.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies rest for 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Spread about 1 tablespoon of cream cheese lemon frosting on the bottom of one cookie, place another cookie on top, repeat until all sandwiched.
- See storage in notes below
Brit says
I made these for my daughter’s birthday, she flipped out! I slightly underbaked the cookies, they were incredible
Amanda Valsamis says
oh my gosh yay!! Thank you for sharing! Underbaking the cookies is a must, I'm so glad you did! 🙂
Val says
There were absolutely amazing! Will make again!
Amanda Valsamis says
I love hearing that! Thank you so much!
Jackie says
These look great I have 4 lemons about to go bad so I was looking for an excuse to bake with them! Is using European butter specifically kerrygold an OK swap in the cookies and frosting? Also if we use unsalted butter and don't have kosher salt (only regular non iodized for baking) would we lessen the salt? Thank you
Amanda Valsamis says
Hi Jackie! Yes, you would lessen the salt by about half, kosher salt is coarser and iodized is super fine. European butter works as well 🙂
Emmy says
These were so good!! I filled them with a small dot of lemon curd in the center with cream cheese frosting around it!
Amanda says
Oh my gosh best idea ever!! Thank you so much for leaving a review, so happy you enjoyed them!!
Ana says
Wonderful sandwich cookies! The amount of lemon is just right. So good!
Amanda Valsamis says
Yay!! I'm so glad you liked them Ana! Thank you for leaving a review! 🙂
Jackie says
Hi again I asked about the salt in another comment. I just now realized you call for 1/4 tsp kosher salt PlUS if you used unsalted butter another 1/4 tsp so 2/4 tsp total. If I don't have kosher salt only non iodized regular salt what is the total amount of salt I would add to the cookies? (More or less than or equal to 2/4 tsp) If I do use salted butter but still no kosher salt would the 1/4 tsp salt be lessened or increased with non kosher salt? Hope this makes sense thank you can't wait to make these in the morning!
Amanda Valsamis says
Hi! I would use 1/8 tsp regular salt in the frosting, and 1/4 tsp regular salt in the cookies. You can taste the frosting and see if it's to your liking, if not add a pinch more 🙂
Jackie says
Hi there again! I'm sorry to bother you with another comment. Thank you so much for your help and reply last time. The cookies were amazing stunning so flavorful bright and delicious best I've ever had. So good in fact I am making them again but this time I'm trying a lime version! Limes go bad way faster then lemons so I have to make them before they go bad but we aren't ready to eat them yet so I was wondering can I freeze the unbaked dough? I won't pre roll them in sugar as it will probably dissolve but can I pre make the dough and roll them into balls and freeze them? Also I will freeze the frosting. With the frosting I figured when ready to use I'd let it defrost in the fridge then re whip it. For the cookies I just want to be sure it is ok to freeze the dough raw and then would I defrost roll flatten and bake as normal? Thank you again your site is amazing!
Amanda Valsamis says
Hi Jackie! Oh my gosh I am so glad you enjoyed them!! I appreciate your review! I love your questions 🙂 If you are making them lime, I would use the zest of 4 limes for the cookies since they are smaller and you can't get as much zest off. And the zest of 3 limes for the frosting. I would do what you are thinking- make the dough, roll them and freeze, then let them thaw and roll in sugar and flatten. I would also let the frosting thaw in the refrigerator- take it out for a bit and re-whip it! Now I want to make them lime!! Happy Baking 🙂