Soft Lemon Cookies

Stacked lemon cookies near lemon wedges.

If you love bright, fresh citrus desserts, these lemon cookies are about to be your new favorite. They’re soft, chewy, and packed with real lemon flavor in every bite!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 11

Total Time 26

Servings cookies

Calories 150

Author Kim

Ingredients

2¾ cups (385g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (226g) salted butter at cool room temperature
1½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
1 large egg at cool room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 heaping tablespoon lemon zest use more for a more intense lemon flavor
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar for rolling cookies
2 teaspoons lemon zest for rolling cookies

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. A lightly-colored baking sheet will work best.
In a bowl, whisk together the 2¾ cups (385g) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
Place the 1 cup (226g) salted butter and 1½ cups (300g) granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl. Use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and cream on medium-high speed until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and 1 heaping tablespoon lemon zest; mix on low for about 30 seconds or until fully incorporated.
Slowly add in dry ingredients, being careful not to over mix.
In a small bowl, with your fingers mix ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar with 2 teaspoons lemon zest. Scoop the dough into large balls, I like to use a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop for this recipe. Roll each dough ball in the sugar mixture.
Place cookie dough balls on your lined baking sheets. Bake the cookies for 11-13 minutes. Cookies are done when the edges are light golden brown and there is some crackling along the top. The middles can still look undercooked. Do not over bake, or your cookies will not be as chewy.
Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely. Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Notes

For the most accurate ingredient measurements, use a food scale, especially for flour. If you don’t have one, lightly spoon flour into a measuring cup, level with a knife, and avoid shaking it or packing it down.
Butter and eggs should be cool to the touch, but not straight out of the refrigerator. I typically let them sit out for about 20-30 minutes before I begin making the cookies.
If you’re using unsalted butter, add 3/4 teaspoon of salt to the recipe.
Chilling the dough isn’t required, however, for thicker, chewier, and more flavorful cookies, chill scooped dough in an airtight container for 24–72 hours. Roll in sugar after chilling so it sticks and doesn’t get absorbed. If dough seems sticky after mixing, chill for at least 30 minutes before scooping.
Use a light-colored aluminum half-sheet pan for best results, and pull the cookies out when they still look slightly underdone. They’ll finish cooking and set beautifully as they cool right on the pan.

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