Lemon Shortbread Cookies With Raspberry Cream Cheese Frosting

 Soft lemon-flavored shortbread cookies, frosted with a pretty-pink raspberry cream cheese frosting. These gorgeous cookies are perfect for any spring gathering!

Can you believe it?? It actually got up to 50 degrees yesterday! The sun was also shining brightly the whole day which melted a good portion of our several feet of snow. 

With yesterday’s gorgeous day, I felt the need to make some more bright and spring-y food. And since lemons were on sale, I stocked up. And then these cookies happened.

I’ve been craving more lemon ever since I made these fantastic lemon bars last week. 

If you could put spring in a cookie, these cookies would definitely fit that description. I mean, just look at how bright and cheerful they are! They definitely put ME in a spring mood. 😉

And don’t you just LOVE their pretty pink frosting? The tangy raspberry cream cheese just goes perfectly with the soft lemon flavored cookies.

I’m a sucker for cream cheese frosting especially when it’s pink.  Soo ‘purty.

The cookies I made to go with the gorgeous cream cheese frosting are pretty much as basic as you can get. They’re simple shortbread cookies infused with a pleasant lemon flavor. You’ll only need a few basic ingredients and a few minutes of your time to prepare them.

Tip: Plan ahead, because the cookie dough does have to chill 1 hour before baking. Chilling is mandatory.

While your cookie dough chills, you’ll have plenty of time to whip up some cream cheese magic.

Softened cream cheese, butter, raspberry jam, a touch of honey, and vanilla extract get beaten until smooth and creamy perfection. You can also add a few drops of red food coloring if you want your frosting a pretty pink. ♥

Once your cookie dough is thoroughly chilled, it’s finally bake time! Shape your cookie dough into balls and place on parchment-paper lined baking sheets. 

My cookies took a total of 12 minutes at 350F, but depending on your oven it could take 10 or 11. Your cookies will be soft when they are done—this is ok. Let cookies cool on baking sheet 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

However you want to frost your cookies is totally up to you. I piped mine, just because I love the look of piped frosting, but you could also just ‘slather it on your cookies. 

‘Slathering the frosting is probably a good idea for those who are very impatient to devour these cookies. 😉

This little cutie was assisting my photoshoot. I couldn’t resist snapping a few pictures of her in her adorable “spring” hat, as she called it.

You wouldn’t know it just by looking at these pictures, but she was getting really agitated with me because I wouldn’t let her swipe her finger through “that pink frosting.”

She must get her love of frosting from me—I love a little bit of cookie with my frosting. 😉

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Lemon Shortbread Cookies With Raspberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Servings 10 cookies

Ingredients

• COOKIES:
• 1 cup butter softened
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups white whole wheat flour
• RASPBERRY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
• 4 oz cream cheese softened
• 3 tablespoons butter softened
• 2 tablespoons raspberry jam
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Red food coloring for tinting icing pink optional

Instructions

• Prepare the cookies: In a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and honey on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Beat in lemon juice, zest, and vanilla until combined. Add flour, and mix on medium speed until mixture forms a dough. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate at 1 hour.
• While cookie dough chills, prepare the frosting: With a hand-held electric beater, beat softened cream cheese and butter on high speed until creamy. Beat in jam, honey, vanilla, and a few drops of red food coloring if desired until mixture is smooth and spreadable. Store frosting in refrigerator until ready to use.
• Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll chilled dough into 1-in balls and place on parchment paper. Bake cookies at 350F 11 to 12 minutes. With the bottom of a glass, lightly flatten cookies. Let cookies cool on baking sheet 10 minutes before removing to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
• Once cookies are cooled, frost with prepared frosting. Store cookies in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Notes

Store cookies in refrigerator up to 2 days.

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below. Feel free to share a picture on Instagram and tag @wholeandheavenlyoven or hashtag it #wholeandheavenlyoven

I know you’ll enjoy my other cookie recipes!

Graham Chocolate Chip Cookies

Copycat Oatmeal Creme Pies

Butter Pecan Shortbread Cookies