Go Back

Lemon Coconut Cheesecake Cookies

Lemon coconut cheesecake cookies are soft, pillowy cream cheese cookies with golden toasted coconut pressed on top and a bright lemon glaze drizzle. You’ll bake them just until the edges set so the centers stay slightly underdone and creamy.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
chilling dough 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 2 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 190
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cookies
  • 1 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 stick butter softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg large
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp coconut extract
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder use 1/2 tsp
  • 0.25 tsp salt use 1/4 tsp
  • 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut toasted, for rolling
Lemon glaze
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice

Equipment

  • 1 stand mixer
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the cheesecake cookie dough
  1. Beat the softened cream cheese, softened butter, and granulated sugar until very fluffy and airy, about 2–3 minutes. The mixture should look pale and increase in volume.
  2. Beat in the egg, lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, vanilla extract, and coconut extract until smooth and evenly combined. Scrape the bowl once so no streaks remain.
  3. Stir in the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt just until the dough comes together. Stop as soon as no dry flour is visible.
  4. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes to firm it up for shaping. Chill until scoopable and thicker in texture.
Bake the cookies
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line baking sheets with parchment. Set the sheets aside while the oven fully heats.
  2. Roll the dough into 1.5-inch balls. Keep them uniform so they bake evenly.
  3. Roll each dough ball in toasted sweetened shredded coconut and place them on the prepared sheets. Press lightly so the coconut adheres to the tops.
  4. Bake for 10–12 minutes at 375°F until the edges look set, while the centers look slightly underdone. The cookies should be puffed and lightly golden.
  5. Cool the cookies completely on the baking sheets before glazing. This prevents the glaze from melting or sliding off.
Glaze and set
  1. Whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth, glossy, and pourable. Adjust with a few drops more lemon juice if needed.
  2. Drizzle the lemon glaze over the cooled cookies in a bright zigzag pattern. Let the drizzle cover the tops without fully flooding them.
  3. Let the glaze set for 15 minutes before serving. Wait until the surface looks matte and no longer wet.

Notes

For the flakiest, most pillowy texture, keep the dough chilled long enough that it holds shape; if it feels greasy, chill 10 minutes more. Store cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze baked cookies (unglazed or glazed) for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge and re-glaze if you like. For a dairy-light option, swap to lactose-free cream cheese and lactose-free butter—texture stays close to classic cheesecake-style cookies.