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 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1/4 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 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
04 - Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until well combined.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until incorporated. Do not overmix.
06 - Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll each ball in the extra granulated sugar. Place on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
07 - Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers remain soft.
08 - Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The texture walks a perfect line between pillowy soft and satisfyingly chewy, the kind of cookie that bends before it breaks.
- Fresh lemon juice and a double hit of zest make these taste like actual lemons, not like something that came from a bottle.
02 -
- Overbaking is the fastest way to ruin these, so pull them out when centers still look soft because they will continue cooking on the pan.
- Mixing the dough too long after adding the flour creates tough cookies, so stop as soon as everything is just combined.
03 -
- Use a cookie scoop so every cookie is the same size and they all bake evenly together.
- Freeze the scooped dough balls on a sheet pan, then transfer to a bag so you can bake a few fresh cookies whenever the craving hits.