Soft Chewy Lemon Cookies (Printable)
Soft, chewy lemon cookies with bright citrus notes and a tender center. Ready in 25 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
02 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
03 - ¼ teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
09 - 2 teaspoons lemon zest
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ For Rolling
11 - ⅓ cup granulated sugar
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed. Set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and packed light brown sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed until pale, light, and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until the flour is incorporated. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
06 - Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll each into a ball. Roll each ball in the remaining granulated sugar to coat evenly, then place on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
07 - Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are lightly set and golden while the centers remain soft and slightly underbaked.
08 - Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes to firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving or storing.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- These cookies land in that magical spot between a sugar cookie and a lemon bar, soft in the middle with just enough chew to keep you reaching for another.
- The lemon flavor is real and bright, not that artificial candy like zing, because it comes straight from fresh juice and zest.
- They come together in one bowl with zero chilling required, which means you can go from craving to cookie in under thirty minutes.
02 -
- Pulling the cookies at nine minutes when you think they look underbaked is the entire secret to a soft, chewy center that stays that way for days.
- If your butter was too warm, the dough will feel greasy and spread too much in the oven, so pop it in the fridge for fifteen minutes before scooping.
03 -
- For an intense lemon punch, add an extra teaspoon of zest to the dough and roll the cookies in a mix of granulated sugar and a pinch of lemon zest.
- Always zest your lemons before juicing them, because once the fruit is flat and squishy, getting good zest off it is nearly impossible.