Description
Delight in these Ombré Raspberry Lemon Sugar Cookies featuring a tender, zesty lemon-infused dough paired with a luscious cream cheese and raspberry powder frosting. The cookies are soft with a subtle tang of lemon, while the frosting adds a sweet, fruity ombré effect that makes them as beautiful as they are delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cookies:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, cold & cut into small chunks
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
For the Frosting:
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
- 2–3 cups powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons freeze dried raspberry powder
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) to warm while you prepare the dough.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and baking powder thoroughly. Set aside.
- Infuse Sugar with Lemon Zest: In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest; use your hands to rub the zest into the sugar until the oils are released, enhancing the lemon flavor.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Add the cold butter chunks to the sugar mixture and use an electric mixer to beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Incorporate the egg, vanilla extract, and freshly squeezed lemon juice to the creamed butter mixture. Beat until smooth and fully combined.
- Combine Flour Mixture: Gradually add the dry flour mixture on low speed, mixing just until a crumbly dough forms.
- Knead Dough: Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead gently until it comes together into a smooth ball.
- Roll and Cut: Roll out the dough to a 1/4 inch thickness and cut into shapes using cookie cutters.
- Chill Cookies: Place cut-out cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet, 1-2 inches apart. Freeze for 5 minutes to help maintain shape during baking.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until edges are lightly golden.
- Cool Cookies: Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Frosting: Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar until desired sweetness and thickness is reached. Stir in lemon juice and divide frosting. Mix freeze dried raspberry powder into portions of frosting to create a beautiful ombré effect.
- Frost Cookies: Once cookies are completely cooled, spread or pipe the ombré raspberry lemon frosting on top and enjoy!
Notes
- Freeze dried raspberry powder can be found at specialty grocery stores or online and adds vibrant color and intense raspberry flavor without moisture.
- Chilling the cookies before baking helps preserve their shape and prevents spreading.
- Adjust the amount of powdered sugar in the frosting for your preferred sweetness and consistency.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate to keep frosting fresh longer.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-12 minutes per batch
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Raspberry Lemon Sugar Cookies, Ombré Cookies, Lemon Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting, Raspberry Frosting Cookies, Lemon Zest Cookies
