Lemon whoopie pies are soft lemon cookies filled with tangy lemon cream cheese frosting and lemon curd. They are bursting with tart lemon flavor in every bite!
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If you’re a fan of whoopie pies, you’re going to love this lemon version. They’re soft, fluffy, and bursting with bright citrus flavor. Perfect for a cozy afternoon, a springtime picnic, or a fun twist on a birthday treat.
Lemon curd whoopie pies are made with two soft sour cream lemon cookies sandwiched together with a luscious lemon cream cheese frosting in the middle. Bonus points if you add a dollop of homemade or storebought lemon curd in the middle!
My apple whoopie pies have been so popular. I had to create this lemon version!
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Why We Love This Recipe
- Easy lemon cookies: The cookies are a no chill recipe and only take 30 minutes to make! They’re full of fresh lemon flavor just like these lemon crinkle cookies.
- Luscious lemon curd: A dollop of zesty lemon curd makes these incredible to bite into!
- Lemon cream cheese frosting: Tangy lemon cream cheese frosting comes together in minutes. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and tart just like the frosting in my blackberry lemon cake!
- Fun treat: These are everything you love about the classic whoopie pies, with a pop of lemony deliciousness in both the cookies and the filling!
Ingredients
Below are useful notes on how to make lemon whoopie pies from scratch.
- Butter: Unsalted butter is part of the rich base for these cookies. We’re also using it in the lemon cream cheese frosting.
- Sour cream– Sour cream adds makes the cookies super soft. If you have leftover sour cream, try my sour cream donuts and sour cream rhubarb coffee cake.
- Lemon zest: We’re using lemon zest in the cookie dough and lemon frosting. The cookies are super lemony just like my lemon and white chocolate cookies!
- Granulated Sugar, Light Brown Sugar: Use granulated sugar and packed light brown sugar for the cookie dough. Make sure your brown sugar is fresh!
- Baking soda: Check the date to make sure it is fresh.
- Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar makes the frosting sweet. You can also dust the whoopie pies with powdered sugar for a finishing touch.
- Cream cheese: Use room temperature full fat brick style cream cheese for the frosting. Lemon cream cheese makes the best bright and fresh filling. I use a similar frosting in my lemon and blackberry cake!
- Lemon curd (optional): Use homemade or store-bought lemon curd. Lemon curd takes these whoopie pies to the next level! I wrote up a separate recipe including the ingredients and steps needed to make lemon curd.
Substitutions & Variations
- Use this recipe for key lime cookies instead of lemon cookies!
- Swap in the chocolate lemon frosting from my chocolate lemon marble cake in place of the lemon cream cheese frosting.
- For quick whoopie pies, use store-bought lemon curd. Trader Joe’s makes delicious lemon curd. You can also find it in other grocery stores near the fruit preserves.
- Use your favorite fruit jam or jelly instead of lemon curd.
How to Make Lemon Whoopie Pies
Quick Video Recap
Instructions
Step 1 (Picture 1 above)– This step is optional. If you plan on making the optional homemade lemon curd I recommend making this first so it has time to chill and thicken in the fridge. You could also use store bought lemon curd or just leave it out.
Step 2 (Picture 2 above)– Rub the lemon zest into the granulated sugar with your fingertips in a large bowl. Add the light brown sugar and butter. Mix with an electric mixer til combined. Mix in the egg then alternatively add the dry ingredients with the sour cream til combined.
Step 3 (Picture 3 above)– Use a 1.5 to 2 tablespoon cookie scoop to drop the cookies onto the cookie sheet. Place them 2″ apart. Bake at 350 Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes.
Step 4 (Picture 4 above)– Beat the cream cheese with a mixer on high speed for 1 minute. Add the butter and beat on medium high speed for 1 more minute. Mix in the lemon zest. Reduce speed. Add powdered sugar til incorporated then mix in the salt.
Step 5 (Picture 5 above)– Use an ice cream scoop, offset spatula, a ziploc bag with a tip snipped off, or a piping bag to frost your pies. Dollop, pipe or spread about 1½ tablespoons of frosting on one half of the whoopie pie. Add a couple of teaspoons of lemon curd in the middle, if using.
Step 6 (Picture 6 above)– Top with another cookie. For best results, refrigerate whoopie pies 30 minutes before serving (optional). Dust with powdered sugar, if you like.
Expert Tips
- Make the lemon curd first, if using. It comes together in about 10 minutes, but needs time to chill and thicken in the fridge.
- Lemon curd keeps well in the fridge. Make it in advance so that you have it ready when you make these whoopie pies.
- For quick and easy whoopie pies, use store-bought lemon curd. You can usually find it in most grocery stores near the fruit preserves.
- If frosting is soft, place it in the fridge for about 30 minutes to thicken up. You can also add extra 1/4 cup of powdered sugar, but it will also make the filling sweeter.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before assembling the whoopie pies.
Recipe FAQs
Whoopie pies are made of two round mound-shaped cookies or pieces of cake with a creamy frosting or sandwiched between them. They’re most commonly chocolate, but they are sometimes made with other flavors.
Use a little of your favorite fruit jam or jelly to instead of lemon curd.
Store lemon whoopie pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freeze unfrosted cookies in an airtight for up to 3 months. Cream cheese frosting can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week in an airtight container in the fridge.
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Lemon Whoopie Pies
Ingredients
Lemon Cookies
- ¾ cup (170.25 g) unsalted butter
- 2 lemons zested, we're not using the juice
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (110 g) light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
- 1 large egg room temperature
- ½ cup (115 g) sour cream full fat, room temperature
- 2 ½ cups (312.5 g) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Lemon Filling
- 6 ounces (170 g) cream cheese brick style, room temperature
- ¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter 4 tablespoons, room temperature
- 1¼ cups (180 g) powdered sugar sifted, plus more for dusting (optional)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest from 1 medium lemon
- 1 pinch salt
- homemade lemon curd or store bought, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Add the lemon zest and granulated sugar to a large mixing bowl. Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingertips. Add the brown sugar and butter to the lemon sugar. Mix with an electric mixer on medium speed til light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix in the egg til combined then add the vanilla extract (if using).
- With the mixer on low speed, alternatively add in the dry ingredients with the sour cream til combined.
- Use a 1.5 to 2 tablespoon cookie scoop such as a number 40 cookie scoop to drop the cookies onto the cookie sheet. Place them 2" apart.
- Bake 8-10 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before then transferring them to a rack. Allow to cool completely before filling and assembling whoopie pies.
Lemon Filling
- Beat the cream cheese with a mixer on high speed for 1 minute. Add the butter and beat on medium high speed for 1 more minute. Mix in the lemon zest. Reduce speed to low and slowly add powdered sugar til incorporated. Add the salt and mix on medium speed a few more seconds, just until combined. If the filling is soft, place the frosting in the fridge to chill for about 30 minutes to thicken.
- Use a #40 cookie scoop, an offset spatula, a ziploc bag with a tip snipped off, or a piping bag to frost your pies. Dollop, pipe or spread about 1½ tablespoons of frosting on one half of the whoopie pie. Optional: Add a couple of teaspoons of lemon curd in the middle, if using.
- Top with another cookie. For best results, refrigerate whoopie pies 30 minutes before serving (optional). Dust with powdered sugar before serving, if you like.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
Susan
My dough was very stiff and the cookies took much longer to bake. Any suggestions?
Natalie Ward
Hi Susan, Thanks for making these and for the feedback! A stiff dough can happen when the flour was over-measured. I’d recommend using a scale or spooning the flour into your measuring cup and leveling it off rather than scooping directly from the bag, which can pack in too much flour. Also make sure your butter and sour cream are fully at room temperature before mixing. As for the baking time, longer bake times can happen if the oven runs a little cool. An oven thermometer is a great tool if you don’t already have one! The cookies are done when the edges just start to turn lightly golden. Hope this helps and that you’ll give them another try! 🍋