Giant lemon cookie cake is a bright, larger-than-life take on the grocery-store chocolate chip cookie cake. Soft, chewy, and bursting with fresh lemon, it’s finished with a light cream cheese frosting for the ideal tangy-sweet treat.
Giant Lemon Cookie Cake
After sharing giant chocolate chip and giant sugar cookie cakes, a lemon version was the natural next step. This cake is essentially a giant lemon sugar cookie baked in a pan so there’s no chilling or shaping individual cookies. It comes out tender, chewy, and moist, loaded with lemon zest and juice, then topped with a smooth cream cheese frosting for a bright, balanced dessert.
What makes this lemon cookie cake so good?
- Texture: It hits the sweet spot between cookie and cake — soft and slightly fudgy yet tender and moist.
- Bright lemon flavor: Two heaping tablespoons of zest plus fresh lemon juice ensure this cake tastes unmistakably lemony.
- Cream cheese frosting: A lighter-than-usual cream cheese frosting complements the lemon without overpowering it. A bit less cream cheese yields a firmer, easier-to-spread frosting with just the right tang.
- Easy and reliable: Baking the dough in a pan controls spreading and removes the need to chill dough or bake multiple batches. Mix, bake, cool, and frost — simple.
Tips for making giant lemon cookie cake
This recipe is straightforward and can be mixed by hand, though a mixer is handy for the frosting. Follow these tips for best results:
- Measure flour by weight: For accuracy, weigh the flour. If using cups, spoon and level rather than scooping directly from the bag to avoid packing.
- Infuse the sugar: Add lemon zest to the butter and sugar early so the sugar draws out the zest’s essential oils for extra lemon flavor.
- Use fresh lemon juice: Freshly squeezed juice offers the brightest, most tangy flavor compared with bottled juice.
- Don’t overmix: Once the flour is added, mix only until just combined to keep the cake tender.
- Cool completely: Let the cookie cake reach room temperature before frosting so the frosting doesn’t melt.
How to decorate the lemon cookie cake
Frost only after the cake is completely cool. To make the frosting, beat softened butter and cream cheese until smooth, then add powdered sugar in two additions and finish with salt and vanilla. If the frosting feels too soft, chill for 20–30 minutes to firm it up; if too thick, thin with a splash of milk. Spread the frosting evenly or pipe decorative dollops around the edge, leaving the center visible if you prefer. Finish with a sprinkle of fresh lemon zest for color and extra brightness.
FAQs
Can you use gluten-free flour?
It should work with a 1:1 cup-for-cup gluten-free blend that includes xanthan gum. Measure by weight for best results since gluten-free flours can be denser.
Can you make this dairy-free?
Yes. Use stick-style dairy-free butter for baking and a dairy-free cream cheese alternative for the frosting.
How do you store giant lemon cookie cake?
Because the frosting contains cream cheese, store the frosted cake covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. An unfrosted cookie cake keeps 3–4 days at room temperature or 1–2 weeks refrigerated when covered.
How do you serve lemon cookie cake?
Remove the cake from the fridge about 20 minutes before serving so it softens to the ideal texture.
Check out these other recipes
• Lemon Brownies
• Gooey Lemon Cookie Bars
• Fresh Strawberry Cake
• Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies
• Easy Lemon Tart
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and review — I love hearing your feedback! Tag me on Instagram @eatsdelightfulblog so I can see your creations.
Giant Lemon Cookie Cake
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- Author: Mimi
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 1 cookie cake
Description
Soft, chewy, and bursting with fresh lemon, this giant lemon cookie cake is finished with a light cream cheese frosting for a tangy, satisfying dessert.
Ingredients
For the lemon cookie cake:
- 2 ¼ cups (292g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (180g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 ¼ cups (250g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60mL) fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
For the cream cheese frosting:
- ¼ cup (60g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 oz full fat cream cheese, softened
- 1 ½ cups (195g) powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- lemon zest (optional for topping)
Instructions
Lemon cookie cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- In a large bowl, whisk melted butter, sugar, and lemon zest until combined.
- Whisk in the egg and vanilla, then add lemon juice.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until no streaks remain.
- Drop the dough into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer.
- Bake in the center of the oven for 30–35 minutes, until the center no longer appears wet and the edges are golden.
- Cool completely to room temperature before frosting.
Cream cheese frosting:
- Combine softened butter and cream cheese in a large bowl and beat until smooth.
- Sift in half the powdered sugar and mix on low until incorporated, then sift in the rest and mix again.
- Scrape the bowl, add salt and vanilla, and whip for 1 minute to smooth the frosting.
- If frosting is too thin, chill 20–30 minutes to firm; if too thick, thin with a splash of milk.
- Frost the cooled cookie cake and top with lemon zest if desired. Slice and serve.
Equipment
9″ springform pan
Mixing bowls
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Bake Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Cookies
Enjoy!