Soft Chewy Lemon Cookies (Printable)

Tender citrus treats with real lemon zest and juice, perfect for bright, zesty snacking.

# What You 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)

# 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 mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Beat in the egg, then the egg yolk, followed by the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract, mixing until well combined.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed just until incorporated. Do not overmix.
06 - Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll into balls. Optionally, roll each ball in granulated sugar for a sparkling coating.
07 - Place cookie balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets to allow for spreading.
08 - Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers are still soft and just slightly underbaked.
09 - Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The lemon flavor comes entirely from real zest and juice, nothing artificial, and you can taste the difference immediately.
  • That barely set center when you pull them from the oven is the secret to a cookie that stays soft for days.
  • They come together in one bowl with zero chilling required, which means you can satisfy a lemon craving in under thirty minutes.
02 -
  • Pulling the cookies when the centers still look a little wet and puffy is the single most important thing you will do because they firm up as they cool and stay perfectly chewy.
  • Rolling the warm dough between your palms releases the lemon zest oils into the sugar coating and creates a flavor layer you cannot get any other way.
03 -
  • Use a microplane to zest your lemons and stop before you hit the white pith because bitter zest will ruin the entire batch.
  • For a gluten free version, swap in a one to one gluten free baking flour blend and add one extra tablespoon to compensate for the different absorption.

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