Description
These Soft & Chewy Lemon Cookies are loaded with bright lemon flavor, soft centers, and sugar-crisp edges.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon zest (from about 1–2 lemons)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 2 tsp lemon extract (or 1 tsp lemon + 1 tsp vanilla extract)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- ¾ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (for rolling)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. - Cream Butter, Sugar, and Zest
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy—about 2–3 minutes using a hand or stand mixer. - Add Egg, Yolk, and Extracts
Mix in the egg, then the egg yolk, beating well after each. Add lemon extract (and vanilla, if using) along with the lemon juice. Mix until smooth. - Combine Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. - Mix Wet and Dry
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined. The dough will be thick but soft. - Roll in Sugar
Scoop 1.5 tablespoon-sized balls of dough and roll them in the reserved ¼ cup of sugar. Place on prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. - Bake
Bake for 9–11 minutes or until edges are set and the centers still look slightly underbaked. Do not overbake! They’ll continue baking on the tray. - Cool and Enjoy
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
For extra lemony punch, increase lemon zest to 1.5 tbsp.
To make the cookies even softer, slightly underbake and let cool on the tray.
You can use a cookie scoop for even sizing and faster rolling.
These cookies freeze well—both baked and unbaked.
Optional: Add white chocolate chips or drizzle with a lemon glaze for variation.
Keywords: Lemon Cookies