Description
These Soft & Chewy Lemon Cookies are a delightful treat bursting with bright citrus flavor and a tender, chewy texture. Perfectly balanced with a hint of lemon zest and juice, these cookies are easy to make and ideal for any occasion. Their light and fluffy dough is chilled to enhance the flavor and texture, then baked to soft perfection and finished with a sparkling sugar coating.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 12 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 2 tsp lemon extract (or 1 tsp each lemon and vanilla extract)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- ¾ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
For Rolling & Garnishing
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- Additional lemon zest (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the butter mixture: Beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and lemon zest in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 3–4 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides as needed. Rubbing the lemon zest with sugar before mixing helps release the oils and intensify flavor.
- Add eggs and extract: Incorporate the large egg, egg yolk, and lemon extract (or lemon and vanilla extracts) into the mixture and mix until combined.
- Add dry ingredients: Mound the all-purpose flour in a bowl with baking soda on top, then add to the wet ingredients.
- Activate baking soda with lemon juice: Pour the lemon juice over the baking soda to activate it; it will foam immediately.
- Mix dough: Mix the ingredients just until combined to avoid overmixing, which can toughen the cookies.
- Chill dough: Either refrigerate the dough as is or scoop and roll it into balls (~1½ to 2 tablespoons each) and then refrigerate. Chill for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C) while the dough chills.
- Roll in sugar: Pour ¼ cup granulated sugar into a bowl and roll the chilled dough balls to coat them evenly.
- Prepare baking sheets: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and space 6-8 cookies per sheet to allow for spreading.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 10–12 minutes. Be careful not to overbake; the cookies should remain very soft and chewy.
- Shape cookies: Immediately after removing from the oven, swirl a cup gently around each cookie while warm to create perfect circles.
- Cool cookies: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies will appear puffy when hot but will settle as they cool.
- Garnish: Once cooled, sprinkle additional granulated sugar and lemon zest on top for a sparkly, fresh finish.
Notes
- Rubbing lemon zest with sugar before mixing releases more lemon oils for enhanced flavor.
- Do not overmix the dough after adding dry ingredients to maintain a tender texture.
- Chilling the dough is essential to help the flavors meld and prevent excessive spreading during baking.
- Using parchment paper or silicone mats prevents sticking and promotes even baking.
- Swirling the cookies into perfect circles immediately out of the oven improves their appearance.
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container to keep them soft for several days.
