This recipe came about while I was testing out ideas for an upcoming Cookie of the Month, and wondering how I could brighten up the resulting flat and not so exciting lemon cookies.
Don’t let me fool you, the lemon cookies actually taste quite good on their own- they are chewy and delightfully lemon flavored (not overly sour or overly sweet). But you know, they were just so boring. Besides, I gave you a lemon cookie before that stood so well on its own it didn’t need any extras.
So of course I had to consult with my mom, my go-to dessert expert. She had the genius idea of adding strawberry buttercream. So smart because not only do these cookies now scream summer, but they also have the prettiest pink filling!
I used this strawberry buttercream before for cupcakes and it was a huge hit, so I’m so glad we found a way to highlight it again!
Oh, and I realized that I might have left a few of you hanging. For those of you who don’t follow me on social media, you may not have seen the big news I had teased about a few weeks ago. Keep It Sweet Desserts was featured on the TODAY Show! We were showcased as having the BEST BLONDIES on the East Coast. Why yes I am still freaking out about that!
Anyway, back to these cookies! Make them right away and then make them again for Mother’s Day, they’d pair very well with a package of Strawberries and Cream Cookies ;-)
- 10⅛ ounces (~2¼ cups) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 11¼ ounces (~1½ cups) granulated sugar
- 2 x-large eggs at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest (~1 large lemon)
- 1½ cups white chocolate chips
- 4 ounces (1/2 cup / 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- ½ cup strawberry jelly
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees; line baking sheets with parchment paper or slipats and set aside
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt; set aside
- In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar for several minutes until light and fluffy
- Scrape the sides of the bowl and add eggs and lemon zest, mix on medium speed just until combined
- Reduce speed to low and slowly add flour mixture just until combined; scrape sides of bowl again and then stir in white chocolate chips
- Use a medium cookie dough scoop (~2 tablespoons) and scoop cookie dough 1-2 inches apart on prepared pans
- Bake 8-10 minutes or until center of cookie appears set and edges are a very light golden brown
- Set aside cookies to cool and prepare buttercream
- Beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment on high speed for several minutes until butter is light and creamy
- Add jelly and beat on high speed for one minute; scrape the side of the bowl
- Add sugar and mix on low speed until combined; then increase the speed to high and beat for several minutes until frosting is light and fluffy
- Set cookies into pairs closest in size to one another
- Pipe or spread 1-2 tablespoons of buttercream on the bottom half of one cookie in each pair; lightly press other cookie on top of buttercream
- Store cookies in an airtight container up to three days; may be frozen up to one month
These were pretty large cookie sandwiches, you can definitely use a smaller cookie dough scoop and just reduce the cooking time by a couple of minutes.
If you aren't a fan of white chocolate chips, feel free to leave them out, but they do compliment the other flavors really well.
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What an awesome combination of flavors for spring! I just recently discovered the goodness that is lemon and white chocolate together, can’t wait to try these :)
I love these! You’re right- they totally scream spring. Lemon cookies on their own are one of my favorites- but you’re right- the strawberry buttercream just pushes them over the top!!
SUCH a great idea!! The boyfriend would loooove these!
Love the idea of that strawberry buttercream in there – such a good combination with the lemon!
What a great spring time cookie!
Love how your spruced up the lemon cookie with this delicious buttercream.
YUM to these cookies! They look and sound like little bites of springtime. :)
I doubt that the cookies required any embellishment, but they do look deliciously beautiful! :D
They’re delicious! Like pink lemonade, but better!
Um, dear strawberry buttercream… you need to be on cupcakes at my house right about now. The end..
Your Mom’s idea was spot on but no more so than the execution of these sandwich cookies. A lovely pairing Lauren…congratulations on the Today Show nod!
Your cookies look so cute with that pale pink middle, yum!
I honestly NEVER find lemon cookies to be boring but I just adore citrus in my baked goods…possibly more than chocolate (but don’t tell the.boy!). That strawberry filling is the perfect insides for these! I need a cookie that tastes like summer in my life!
Wow, these looks absolutely heavenly :) I need these in my life stat!
These are the most delicious sounding cookies – I absolutely love the sound of the lemon, white chocolate and strawberry combination! They look so cute too!
Way too cute! I need this cookies in my life :)
I wish I had this recipe when I had all the leftover strawberry buttercream from my cupcakes–which were also lemon, hehe. Congrats on being on the Today Show!!