Soft Chewy Lemon Cookies (Printable Version)
Soft, chewy citrus cookies bursting with fresh lemon flavor. A delightful treat for any time of day.
# Ingredient List:
→ Wet Ingredients
01 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
05 - 2 teaspoons lemon zest
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Dry Ingredients
07 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
08 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Finishing
10 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar (for coating, optional)
# How to Make:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until pale, light, and fluffy, approximately 2–3 minutes with an electric mixer.
03 - Add the egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Beat until fully combined and smooth.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until incorporated. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
06 - Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. If desired, roll each ball in powdered sugar for a coated finish.
07 - Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
08 - Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the edges are just set and the centers still appear slightly underbaked. This ensures a soft, chewy texture.
09 - Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before serving or storing.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The edges turn golden while the centers stay pillow soft for days.
- They come together in one bowl with zero fuss and zero chill time.
02 -
- Pulling them from the oven when the centers look underdone is the secret to that chewy texture everyone loves.
- Overmixing the dough after adding flour will make your cookies tough instead of tender.
03 -
- Your butter is perfectly softened when you press it and it leaves a small indent without sinking completely.
- Freeze the scooped dough balls on a tray for thirty minutes before baking if you want thicker cookies with extra chew.