Soft Chewy Lemon Cookies (Printable Version)
Tender, zesty lemon cookies with a chewy texture and bright citrus flavor. Perfectly sweet with a refreshing lemon punch.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
02 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
03 - ½ teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 1 egg yolk
08 - 2 tablespoons lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
09 - ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ For Rolling
11 - ½ cup granulated sugar (optional, for coating)
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
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 butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale, light, and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Add the whole egg and beat until fully absorbed. Mix in the egg yolk, followed by the lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and vanilla extract, blending until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous.
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 into even balls. If desired, roll each ball in granulated sugar to coat before arranging on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart.
07 - Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the edges are lightly set while the centers remain soft and appear slightly underbaked.
08 - Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes to firm up, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The texture walks a perfect line between pillowy soft and satisfyingly chewy thanks to the extra egg yolk.
- Real lemon juice and zest give a brightness that artificial flavoring could never replicate.
- They come together in under 30 minutes from bowl to cookie jar.
02 -
- Pulling the cookies when the centers still look wet and doughy is the single most important thing for that melt in your mouth texture.
- Overmixing after adding flour creates tough cookies so resist the urge to keep stirring for a smooth look.
03 -
- For a gluten free version use a one to one baking flour blend and check your package to confirm it already contains xanthan gum.
- Rolling the dough balls in sugar before baking creates those gorgeous cracked tops that make people think you bought them from a bakery.