Cottage Cheese Lemon Cookies (Printer View)

Soft, tangy cookies with creamy cottage cheese and fresh lemon, topped with a zesty lemon glaze.

# What you'll need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 1 cup full-fat cottage cheese, well-drained
08 - 1 large egg
09 - 1 tablespoon lemon zest
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ For Rolling

12 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar

→ Lemon Glaze

13 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
15 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest, optional

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes.
04 - Add cottage cheese to butter mixture and beat until smooth. Mix in egg, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing until just incorporated. Avoid overmixing.
06 - Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll each into a ball. Roll each ball in granulated sugar and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
07 - Bake for 11 to 13 minutes until edges are set and centers remain slightly soft. Avoid overbaking.
08 - Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar, lemon juice, and zest until smooth and pourable. Drizzle glaze over cooled cookies and allow to set before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cottage cheese makes these surprisingly moist without feeling heavy, staying soft for days in a way regular sugar cookies won't.
  • Bright lemon flavor feels refreshing and elegant, but the tanginess keeps them from tasting like a baking project gone wrong.
02 -
  • Drain your cottage cheese seriously—I once skipped this step and ended up with dough that was too soft to scoop, learning the hard way that moisture matters.
  • Lemon zest is irreplaceable here; the juice alone won't give you that floral brightness that makes people ask what's different about these cookies.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients mix more smoothly and incorporate air better, so pull your butter and egg out of the fridge before you start.
  • The cookies continue cooking slightly after you pull them out, so that underbaked center is actually intentional—it's what keeps them soft the next day.
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