Like a cross between a cheesecake bite and a fluffy sugar cookie, these soft cookies are pillowy, gently sweet, and melt in your mouth. Brightened with lemon and finished with a dusting of powdered sugar, they’re the kind of treat that feels fancy but comes together with ease — just chill, scoop, bake, and dust.

Tangy Little Sugar Puffs

Light as air and dusted with powdered sugar, these soft cheesecake cookies have a gentle tang from cream cheese and a whisper of lemon. Fluffy in the center with barely golden edges, they’re the kind of treat that melts on your tongue and disappears in no time. Simple, nostalgic, and just sweet enough to brighten any day.

Ingredients:

• 60 g unsalted butter, softened
• 60 g cream cheese, room temperature
• 90 g white sugar
• 1 egg (room temperature)
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 100 g all-purpose flour
• 3 g baking powder
• Powdered sugar, for dusting

Instructions:

1. Cream the butter, cream cheese, and sugar:
In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar and continue mixing until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.

2. Add egg, lemon, and salt:
Beat in the egg, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt until well combined.

3. Add dry ingredients:
Sift in the flour and baking powder. Stir just until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Do not overmix.

4. Chill the dough:
Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until it’s firm enough to scoop easily.

5. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C):
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

6. Scoop and shape:
Scoop small portions of dough (about 1 tbsp) and gently roll into balls. Place on the prepared tray, spacing them evenly.

7. Bake:
Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the cookies are puffed, set at the edges, and just slightly golden underneath. The tops should remain pale.

8. Cool and dust:
Let cookies cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, dust generously with powdered sugar just before serving.

A Note on Powdered Sugar Flavor

If you’ve ever made icing and thought it tasted a little soapy or lotion-like, the culprit is often the cornstarch added to most commercial powdered sugars. Manufacturers blend in a small amount (usually 2–5%) of starch to prevent clumping, but cornstarch can leave that faintly chalky aftertaste when the sugar isn’t cooked.

A simple fix is to look for powdered sugar made with tapioca starch instead of cornstarch. Tapioca starch dissolves more smoothly and has a cleaner flavor, making it perfect for glazes, buttercreams, and icings where the sugar isn’t heated.

Another option is to make your own powdered sugar by blending granulated sugar in a high-speed blender until fine, then adding a pinch of tapioca starch to keep it from clumping. For certain recipes, you can even use superfine (caster) sugar, which dissolves quickly and doesn’t need starch at all.

If you’d like to try it yourself, I recommend keeping an eye out for brands that use tapioca starch powdered sugar — here’s one I suggest [this powdered sugar].

Why Metric?

For clarity and consistency, I use metric measurements in my recipes. It's more accurate (especially for baking), easier to scale up or down, and ensures better results — no guessing whether your "cup" is packed or level. But don’t worry, US equivalents are included below so you can bake with whatever you have on hand.

Storage:

• Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
• You can chill the dough overnight or freeze scooped portions — bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes if needed.

Notes:

• Chilling is essential: This dough is very soft and sticky due to the cream cheese and butter. Chilling helps it firm up, makes scooping easier, and ensures the cookies hold their shape instead of spreading too much in the oven.
• Fluffy texture: Beating the butter, cream cheese, and sugar until fluffy gives the cookies lift and softness.
• Powdered sugar: Only dust after baking and cooling to keep that pretty finish — otherwise it melts.
• Lemon or not: Lemon adds brightness, but a splash of vanilla or almond extract also works beautifully.

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Thank you for being here as I start this journey. I can’t wait to share more recipes, tips, and stories with you — one crumb at a time.

Stay tuned,
~ Clever Crumbs