Soft and Chewy Lemon Cookies
These soft and chewy lemon cookies are packed with big, bold lemon flavor for all you lemon lovers! They’re soft, chewy and not at all cakey!
Prep: 15min
Total: 25min
Serving Size: 1
Nutrition Facts: calories 267 calories, Carbohydrate 46 grams carbohydrates, Cholesterol 36 milligrams cholesterol, Fat 8 grams fat, Fiber 1 grams fiber, Protein 3 grams protein, Saturated Fat 5 grams saturated fat, servingSize 1, Sodium 126 milligrams sodium, Sugar 28 grams sugar, Trans Fat 0 grams trans fat, unSaturated Fat 3 grams unsaturated fat
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon lemon extract
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon honey
- yellow food coloring, optional and as desired
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- pinch salt, optional and to taste
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- confectioners’ sugar for dusting or lemon glaze + lemon zest, optional
Instruction:
- To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large mixing bowl and electric mixer) combine the butter, sugars, egg, lemon extract, and beat on medium-high speed until creamed, light, fluffy, and well combined, about 4 minutes.
- Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the lemon zest, honey, optional food coloring, and beat on medium-high speed until well combined, about 2 minutes. I used 1 teaspoon gel food coloring; add drops or gel to desired shade. One teaspoon gel makes the batter quite yellow but it mellows slightly after adding the dry ingredients.
- Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the flour, cornstarch, optional salt, and baking soda (keep the baking soda in a nice little mound rather than sprinkling it).
- Add the lemon juice directly on top of the baking soda. It will bubble and foam, which means the baking soda has been activated and this is good; if your soda doesn’t bubble it’s old and expired. Beat on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute.
- Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and using a large cookie scoop, 1/4-cup measure, or your hands, form approximately 12 equal-sized mounds of dough, roll into balls, and flatten slightly.
- Place mounds on a large plate or tray, cover with plasticwrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, up to 5 days. Do not bake with unchilled dough because cookies will bake thinner, flatter, and be more prone to spreading.
- Preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat or spray with cooking spray. Place dough mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart (I bake 8 cookies per sheet).
- Bake for about 10 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just set, even if slightly undercooked, pale, and glossy in the center; don’t overbake or undersides could become too browned. Cookies firm up as they cool.
- Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes before serving. I let them cool on the baking sheet and don’t use a rack.
- Optionally, dust with confectioners’ sugar. Or, for increased lemon intensity, make the lemon glaze and then sprinkle with additional lemon zest.
Soft Lemon Cookies Recipe
These soft sugar cookies get a little zip when lemon juice and zest are stirred in, making these a hit with everyone. Drizzle a fresh lemon glaze over them for an extra punch of citrus and sweetness. Ready in 30 minutes or less!
Prep: 15min
Total: 25min
Yield: 24
Serving Size: 1 serving
Nutrition Facts: calories 209 kcal, Carbohydrate 33 g, Protein 2 g, Fat 8 g, Saturated Fat 5 g, Trans Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 27 mg, Sodium 76 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 20 g, servingSize 1 serving
Ingredients:
- 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour,
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks, 226 g) unsalted butter, (softened)
- 1 ¼ cups (250 g) granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 2 cups (228 g) confectioners sugar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instruction:
- Preheat and prepare cooking sheets. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mat (or lightly grease with non-sticking cooking spray).
- Whisk dry ingredients together. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar. In a large bowl using an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add remaining wet ingredients. Add egg and beat to combine. Add vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Scrape down bowl as needed.
- Add dry ingredients. Add flour mixture, and mix at low to medium speed just until no flour streaks remain.
- Scoop cookie dough. Using a cookie scoop, or tablespoon to portion into 1 ½ inch balls. Place on prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between them.
- Bake and cool the cookies. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The edges will look done, but the center will still look slightly soft. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
- Make icing. In a small mixing bowl, combine icing ingredients. With an offset spatula, ice the top of each cookie.
AMAZING Lemon Cookies Recipe
FAQ
Can I use lemon juice instead of lemon extract?
Can you substitute lemon juice for lemon zest?
What makes cookies chewy?
How much zest does one lemon make?