Keto Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies – Bright, Soft, and Low-Carb
Lemon and cream cheese are a natural match. One is bright and zesty, the other is rich and mellow. Put them together in a keto-friendly cookie and you get a soft, melt-in-your-mouth treat with a clean lemon finish.
These cookies deliver bakery-style flavor without the sugar rush, and they’re simple enough for a weeknight bake. If you’re craving something sweet but want to stay on track, this recipe hits the spot.
Ingredients
Method
- Prep your tools: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set out the butter and cream cheese to soften if you haven’t already.
- Cream the fats and sweetener: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, cream cheese, and granulated keto sweetener with a hand mixer until light and fluffy, 2–3 minutes.
- Add wet flavors: Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice until smooth. Scrape down the bowl so everything is evenly mixed.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk almond flour, baking powder, and salt. This helps disperse the baking powder evenly.
- Bring the dough together: Add the dry mixture to the wet and mix on low until a soft dough forms. The dough will be slightly sticky but should hold its shape.
- Portion and shape: Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to portion 1.5-tablespoon mounds. Space them 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Gently flatten to about 1/2 inch thick with damp fingertips or the bottom of a glass.
- Bake: Bake 10–13 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops look matte. They may barely take on color; avoid overbaking for a soft texture.
- Cool completely: Let cookies rest on the sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. They firm up as they cool.
- Optional glaze: Whisk 1/2 cup powdered keto sweetener with 1–2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 tablespoon heavy cream until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cookies and let set.
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What Makes This Recipe So Good
- Soft and tender texture: Cream cheese adds moisture and a delicate crumb that stays soft for days.
- Bright lemon flavor: Fresh zest and juice give real citrus notes, not just a hint of lemon.
- Low-carb and gluten-free: Almond flour keeps carbs low and provides a lightly nutty flavor.
- Easy to make: One bowl, no chilling, and simple steps. Great for beginners.
- Just-sweet-enough: A monk fruit or erythritol sweetener keeps them keto without aftertaste when balanced with vanilla and lemon.
What You’ll Need
- Almond flour: Use fine-blanched almond flour for the best texture (not almond meal).
- Cream cheese: Softened, full-fat cream cheese for richness and structure.
- Unsalted butter: Softened; helps with lift and flavor.
- Granulated keto sweetener: Erythritol, monk fruit blend, or allulose.
Choose a granulated version for creaming.
- Egg: Binds the dough and adds moisture.
- Fresh lemon zest: Essential for real lemon aroma.
- Fresh lemon juice: Adds brightness; a little goes a long way.
- Vanilla extract: Rounds out the flavors.
- Baking powder: Light lift and tenderness.
- Fine sea salt: Balances sweetness and lemon.
- Optional glaze: Powdered keto sweetener mixed with a touch of lemon juice and cream for drizzling.
Instructions
- Prep your tools: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set out the butter and cream cheese to soften if you haven’t already.
- Cream the fats and sweetener: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, cream cheese, and granulated keto sweetener with a hand mixer until light and fluffy, 2–3 minutes.
- Add wet flavors: Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice until smooth.
Scrape down the bowl so everything is evenly mixed.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk almond flour, baking powder, and salt. This helps disperse the baking powder evenly.
- Bring the dough together: Add the dry mixture to the wet and mix on low until a soft dough forms. The dough will be slightly sticky but should hold its shape.
- Portion and shape: Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to portion 1.5-tablespoon mounds.
Space them 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Gently flatten to about 1/2 inch thick with damp fingertips or the bottom of a glass.
- Bake: Bake 10–13 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops look matte. They may barely take on color; avoid overbaking for a soft texture.
- Cool completely: Let cookies rest on the sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
They firm up as they cool.
- Optional glaze: Whisk 1/2 cup powdered keto sweetener with 1–2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 tablespoon heavy cream until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cookies and let set.
Keeping It Fresh
- Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Place parchment between layers to prevent sticking.
- Refrigerator: Keeps them soft and fresh for 5–7 days.
Chill if you used a glaze.
- Freezer: Freeze in a zip-top bag up to 2 months. Thaw at room temp for 20–30 minutes or warm briefly in the microwave.
- Dough freezing: Scoop and freeze raw dough portions on a tray, then bag. Bake from frozen at 350°F, adding 1–2 minutes.
Benefits of This Recipe
- Keto-friendly: Low in net carbs thanks to almond flour and a sugar-free sweetener.
- Gluten-free and grain-free: A great option for gluten-sensitive eaters and those avoiding grains.
- Satisfying fats: Cream cheese and butter help with satiety, curbing cravings.
- Customizable sweetness: You can adjust the sweetener level without affecting structure much.
- Quick to make: No chilling or special equipment required, and they bake fast.
What Not to Do
- Don’t use almond meal: Its coarse texture makes cookies gritty and dense.
Stick to fine-blanched almond flour.
- Don’t overbake: Keto cookies firm up as they cool. If they look golden all over in the oven, they’re probably dry.
- Don’t skip the zest: Lemon juice alone isn’t enough. Zest is where most of the citrus oils and aroma live.
- Don’t mix sweeteners without testing: Some blends are sweeter than others.
Start with less and taste as you go.
- Don’t rush the cooling stage: Warm cookies can crumble. A short rest on the sheet stabilizes them.
Variations You Can Try
- Lemon poppy seed: Stir in 1 tablespoon poppy seeds for a gentle crunch and classic pairing.
- Blueberry lemon: Fold in 1/3 cup fresh blueberries or sugar-free dried blueberries. Freeze the berries first to reduce bleeding.
- Coconut lemon: Add 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut and a pinch of coconut extract.
- Lemon almond: Swap vanilla for almond extract and top each cookie with a sliced almond.
- Cheesecake swirl: Reserve 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture before adding dry ingredients.
Swirl it into the scooped dough and bake.
- Vanilla glaze: Skip lemon in the glaze and use vanilla and a splash of cream for a softer citrus profile.
FAQ
Can I use coconut flour instead of almond flour?
Coconut flour isn’t a 1:1 swap. It’s far more absorbent and would make the dough dry and crumbly. If you must use coconut flour, you’ll need a completely different ratio with more eggs and fat.
For this recipe, stick to almond flour.
What’s the best keto sweetener for these cookies?
A monk fruit–erythritol blend works well for both taste and texture. Allulose is also great for a softer, chewier cookie, but it browns faster, so keep an eye on the bake. Avoid pure stevia in large amounts; it can turn bitter.
Do I need to chill the dough?
No chilling is required.
The dough should be workable right away. If your kitchen is warm and the dough feels too sticky, a quick 10–15 minutes in the fridge helps with shaping.
How do I get a stronger lemon flavor?
Increase the zest and add a tiny drop of lemon extract if you like. A pinch of citric acid in the glaze can also boost tartness without extra liquid.
Are these cookies suitable for diabetics?
They’re lower in carbs and sugar-free, which may help with blood sugar control.
Still, individual responses vary. Check the sweetener you use and consult your healthcare provider if you’re unsure.
Can I make them dairy-free?
You can try dairy-free cream cheese and plant-based butter, but textures vary by brand. Choose options with higher fat content and minimal gums.
Expect a slightly different crumb.
Why did my cookies spread too much?
This usually happens if the butter or cream cheese was too soft or if you added extra lemon juice. Chill the dough briefly and make sure to measure ingredients accurately. Using parchment also helps control spread.
How many carbs are in each cookie?
It depends on your sweetener and exact brands.
A typical estimate is about 2–3g net carbs per cookie when made small to medium. For accuracy, plug your ingredients into a nutrition calculator.
In Conclusion
Keto Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies are a simple way to enjoy bright, bakery-style flavor on a low-carb plan. They’re soft, lemony, and easy to customize to your taste.
With a short ingredient list and fast bake time, they’re perfect for weekday cravings or last-minute guests. Keep a batch in the fridge or freezer, and you’ll always have a fresh, zesty treat ready to go.
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