These homemade Lemon Oreo Cookies are soft, chewy, and a perfectly refreshing spring or summer treat. Each cookie sandwich is filled with velvety smooth lemon cream cheese frosting made from fresh lemons.
While they’re in the oven, you can whip up the lemon cream cheese frosting that’s packed full of fresh lemon juice and zest. If you want to get that bright yellow color, feel free to add a few drops of yellow food coloring.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Bright Fresh Flavors– Real Lemon juice and zest pack a punch that is perfect when you’re looking for a lemony sweet treat.
- Easy to Make– Using cake mix means the dough comes together in just minutes.
- Customizable– Change the filling, sprinkles or make gluten free for an easy twist.
Homemade Lemon Oreos
If you’re a lemon lover, you will go absolutely crazy for this easy Lemon Oreo Cookie recipe. They’re an easy sandwich cookie that’s best described as a cross between Golden Oreos and whoopie pies.
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The soft and chewy Oreo lemon cookies use lemon cake mix as a base which keeps things super quick and easy. You can also decorate the outside with sprinkles if you’re feeling festive. I love to bring these to summer parties, and they are absolutely perfect for baby showers and bridal showers. But, they also brighten up a cold winter day.
If you’re looking for more sandwich cookies, you might also love our plain Homemade Oreos, Mint Chocolate Oreos, or Linzer Cookies.
Lemon Oreo Cookies Ingredients
- Lemon Cake Mix – to make 18 full-sized Lemon Oreos you will need two 15.25 ounce boxes of store bought Lemon Cake Mix. If you don’t mind losing a bit of the lemon flavor, you could also substitute a yellow cake mix. And, if you can find a gluten-free version you could even make these gluten-free!
- Eggs – it’s best if your eggs have been at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, although not totally critical for this recipe.
- Vegetable Oil – you can also use canola oil or avocado oil.
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Butter – you can use salted or unsalted butter depending on your own preference. Just make sure it is soft enough to mix well with the rest of the ingredients.
- Cream Cheese – you will need one 8 ounce brick of cream cheese for this recipe. Make sure that it is softened just like the butter. If you forget to pull it out to room temperature in advance you can warm it in the microwave for about 8-10 seconds at a time. Just be careful not to heat it too much or it will begin to melt.
- Fresh Lemons – you will need both the lemon zest and the lemon juice from fresh lemons. It’s easiest to zest first then juice them.
- Powdered Sugar – this adds sweetness without any grittiness, so it is a great choice for frosting.
How to Make Lemon Oreo Cookies With Cake Mix
- Mix the Oreo dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the cake mix, eggs, and oil. Mix on low speed using the paddle attachment until fully combined. (Note: you can also use a large mixing bowl and a spatula)
- Scoop. Scoop and roll the dough into 1” balls, then place them onto parchment or silpat lined baking sheets about 3″ apart.
- Bake. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly brown and set on the edges. (Tip: once the cookies are puffed and cracked on top, cook for 1 more minute)
- Cool. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the pan for 2-5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- Make the lemon cream cheese frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the room temperature butter and room temperature cream cheese. Beat with the whisk attachment until light and fluffy, or about 2-3 minutes. Turn off the mixer and add the fresh lemon juice, fresh lemon zest, and about 5 cups of powdered sugar. Mix on low until fully incorporated, then beat on high for about 30 seconds until it is light and fluffy again. Add up to one more cup of powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
- Assemble the cookies. Transfer prepared frosting to a pastry bag with a large round tip. Pipe frosting over half of the cookies with frosting. If desired, add sprinkles to the edges before you top with another cookie.
- Serve or store. Serve cookies immediately, freeze, or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Enjoy!
Lemon Oreo Recipe Variations
Can’t get enough lemon? Here are some recipe variations to try:
- Double-Stuffed Lemon Oreos: Who doesn’t love extra filling? Double the amount of filling in the original recipe for an extra indulgent treat.
- White Chocolate Lemon Oreos: Dip the finished cookies in melted white chocolate for a sweet and tangy flavor combination.
- Glazed Lemon Oreos: Mix together powdered sugar and lemon juice to create a simple glaze that can be drizzled over the finished cookies.
- Chocolate Lemon Oreos: Swap out the lemon filling for a rich and decadent chocolate filling. For those of you who are chocolate and lemon fans, it’s a winning combination.
- Lemon Oreo Ice Cream Sandwich: Make the cookies slightly larger and sandwich a scoop of lemon sorbet or ice cream between two cookies. Delicious!
- Crushed Lemon Candy Topping: Crush up some lemon drops or other lemon-flavored candy and sprinkle on top of the finished cookies for an extra zingy crunch.
Frequently Asked Questions
In an oven preheated to 350 degrees, your Oreo Lemon Cookies should take between 8-10 minutes to bake. A good trick to know for sure is when they begin to puff and crack on top, leave the cookies in for 1 more minute.
If you find that your lemon cream filling is too loose to hold its shape, return the frosting to the mixing bowl and add a bit more powdered sugar. You want it to form stiff peaks. Another reason for runny frosting is if your butter and cream cheese are too warm. They should be soft but not melted when mixing the frosting.
Absolutely! You can freeze both filled and unfilled Lemon Oreo cookies for up to 2 months in an airtight container or freezer bags.
Tips for the Best Lemon Oreos
- Bring your eggs to room tempreture for even mixing- if you forget just add them to a bowl filled with warm water for a few miutes before adding them to your cookie dough.
- Use fresh lemons for both juice and zest to mazimixe flavor. Be sure to zest your lemons before juicing them.
- Chill the cookies before filling to prevent the frsosting from melting.
- For a bakery look, pipe the cream cheese frosting onto each cookie.
- Add a drop of yellow food coloring to the frosting for extra yellow cheer, if desired.
Storing and Freezing Lemon Oreos
- Refrigerator: store Lemon Oreos in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: you can freeze filled Oreos for up to 2 months in freezer bags or another airtight container. You can also freeze unfilled Lemon Oreos for the same amount of time.
More Lemon Recipes You’ll Love
Lemon Oreo Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Lemon Oreo Cookies
- 2 15.25-ounce boxes lemon cake mix
- 4 large eggs
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 6 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the cake mix, eggs, and oil. Mix on low speed using the paddle attachment until fully combined.
- Scoop and roll the dough into 1" balls, then place them onto the prepared baking sheet about 3" apart.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly brown and set on the edges. (Tip: once the cookies are puffed and cracked on top, cook for 1 more minute)
- Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the pan for 2-5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the room temperature butter and room temperature cream cheese. Beat with the whisk attachment until light and fluffy, or about 2-3 minutes.
- Turn off the mixer and add 5 cups of powdered sugar, the fresh lemon juice, and the fresh lemon zest. Mix on low until fully incorporated, then beat on high for about 30 seconds until it is light and fluffy again. Add up to 1 more cup of powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
Assembling the Cookies
- Transfer prepared frosting to a piping bag with a large round tip. Pipe frosting over half of the cookies with frosting, then top with the other cookie. Enjoy!
Notes
- Storing Instructions: store Lemon Oreos in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: you can freeze filled or unfilled Oreos for up to 2 months in freezer bags or another airtight container.
- You don’t need to use a stand mixer for this recipe—just a large mixing bowl and a spatula will also work great!
Nutrition
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These easy homemade Lemon Oreo Cookies are soft, chewy, and full of creamy lemon filling. They’re the perfect refreshing treat to make during the spring, summer, or any other time of year.
Categories:
4th of July, Cookies, Desserts, Easter, Nut-Free, Spring Recipes, Summer Recipes, Vegetarian,
