Start by melting butter in a small saucepan over low heat until fully liquefied, then cool it to room temperature.

In a mixing bowl, combine granulated sugar with fresh lemon zest, rubbing the zest into the sugar with your fingers.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the cooled butter, lemon-infused sugar mixture, egg, and vanilla extract together until fully blended.

In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, poppy seeds, and salt.

Using a cookie scoop, portion out about 11 cookie dough balls and place them on a lined baking sheet.

Preheat your oven to 180ºC (355ºF). Bake for 10-11 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden.

While the cookies cool, prepare the velvety cheesecake frosting by whipping together cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and heavy cream.

Once the cookies are completely cooled, use a piping bag to generously pipe the cheesecake frosting onto each cookie.