Crumbl Lemon Bar Cookies (Copycat Recipe with Lemon Curd Filling)
These Crumbl Lemon Bar Cookies are soft, buttery cookies filled with a bright, tangy lemon curd center and finished with a delicate dusting of powdered sugar. Inspired by the popular bakery favorite, this copycat recipe combines the rich texture of a bakery-style cookie with the refreshing flavor of classic lemon bars. Perfect for spring and summer baking, these lemon cookies are bursting with citrus flavor and have a melt-in-your-mouth texture that makes them irresistible.
Servings 12 cookies
Calories 340kcal
Cost $10 for entire recipe
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Zester or microplane
- Citrus juicer (optional)
- Small saucepan (for lemon curd)
- Fine mesh strainer (optional, for smooth curd)
- Baking Sheets
- Parchment paper
- Cookie scoop (large, ~3 tablespoons)
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
For the Lemon Curd (or use store-bought)
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup 100g granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup 60ml fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 4 tablespoons 56g unsalted butter, cubed
- Pinch of salt
For the Cookies
- 1 cup 226g unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/4 cups 250g granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups 345g all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For Finishing
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar for rolling and dusting
Instructions
Make the Lemon Curd
- In a small saucepan, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, zest, and salt until smooth.
- Place over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 5–8 minutes).
- Remove from heat and whisk in butter until fully melted and smooth.
- Strain if needed, then cover and chill for at least 1 hour until thick.
Prepare the Cookie Dough
- In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
- Mix in the egg, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until a soft dough forms.
- Cover and chill the dough for 30–45 minutes to prevent spreading.
Shape and Fill the Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop large dough balls (about 3 tablespoons each). Flatten slightly and create a deep indentation in the center.
- Add about 1–2 teaspoons of chilled lemon curd into the center.
- Carefully fold the dough around the filling and seal, then roll gently into a ball.
- Lightly roll the tops in powdered sugar for a crackled lemon bar look.
Bake
- Place cookies on the baking sheet, spaced 2–3 inches apart.
- Bake for 11–13 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops look slightly underbaked but puffed.
- Do not overbake—this keeps them soft and bakery-style.
Finish
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring.
- Dust with additional powdered sugar before serving for that classic lemon bar finish.
Notes
- For the best Crumbl lemon bar cookies texture, always chill the dough before baking to prevent spreading and keep the cookies thick and soft.
- Use fresh lemon juice and zest for the brightest citrus flavor—bottled juice will not give the same fresh, bakery-quality taste.
- Make sure the lemon curd is fully chilled and thickened before filling the cookies to avoid leaking during baking.
- Do not overbake—cookies should look slightly underdone in the center for that soft, bakery-style lemon cookie texture.
- Rolling the dough in powdered sugar creates the classic crackled lemon bar cookie look and adds a light sweetness.
- If the dough becomes too soft while assembling, chill it again briefly to make shaping easier.
- Store cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days due to the lemon curd filling.
- These cookies taste even better the next day as the lemon flavor intensifies and melds into the cookie base.