Lemon Sprinkle Cookies

These lemon sprinkle cookies are incredibly fun, bright and refreshing. A sugar cookie base is infused with lemon zest and includes a surprise ingredient: cream cheese. The icing is made from fresh lemon juice for the best topping and pop of flavor. These cookies are also known as Lemon-funfetti cookies. 

Yield: makes about 20-22 cookies 

Time: 30-45 minutes  

Ingredients 

• 1/3 cup cream cheese (2.8 ounces), room temperature
• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature  
• 1/4 cup avocado oil (or canola) (55g)
• 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 heaping tablespoon of lemon zest (zest from about 2 lemons)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 
• 1 large egg, room temperature 
• 2 1/3 cups all purpose flour 
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 1/4 cup sprinkles (plus more for decorating) 
• Lemon Icing 
• 2 cups powdered sugar 
• 2 tablespoons + 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a Kitchen Aid with a whisk attachment, add the cream cheese, butter, oil, sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Make sure all ingredients are room temperature. Whisk on medium speed for 10 minutes and until it becomes super light and fluffy. Yes, 10 minutes. 
• Add room temperature egg and mix until smooth. (Trick: add cold egg to a bowl of warm water to bring the egg to room temperature faster.)
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the dries: all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
• Switch to a paddle attachment with the Kitchen Aid. While the paddle attachment is on a slow speed, slowly add the dry ingredients until fully incorporated. Scrape down sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula to make sure everything is mixed evenly.
• Add sprinkles and mix until combined. 
• Using a cookie scoop, scoop cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet. 8 cookies per sheet. Bake at 350°F for 10-13 minutes, rotating the sheet pan halfway through. Allow them to set/cool on the cookie sheet and then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. 
• While the cookies are cooling, make the lemon icing by whisking together the powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice. You can make the icing thinner by adding more lemon juice. 
• When the cookies are cooled, dip the top of each cookie in the lemon icing and top with sprinkles. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes: 

You can add lemon zest to the icing as well for even more lemon flavor. Using fresh lemon juice is a must.