Soft Chewy Lemon Cookies (Printable View)

Tender citrus treats with a soft, chewy texture and bright lemon flavor that melts in your mouth.

# 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 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 butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed 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 sweet coating.
07 - Place the cookie balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
08 - Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers are still soft and slightly underbaked.
09 - Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The combination of lemon zest and juice in the dough gives you a flavor that feels like biting into a real lemon without any of the sourness being too sharp.
  • That barely set center after baking is the secret to a cookie that stays chewy for days rather than turning into a crunchy disappointment.
  • They require zero chilling time so you can go from craving to eating in under thirty minutes.
02 -
  • Pulling the cookies out when the centers still look slightly wet is terrifying the first time but it is the single most important step for that chewy texture.
  • Overmixing once the flour goes in develops gluten and turns soft cookies into tough little pucks that no amount of lemon glaze can save.
03 -
  • Roll the zest into the sugar with your fingers before creaming it with butter because releasing those oils directly into the sugar intensifies the lemon flavor dramatically.
  • For a gluten free version use a one to one baking flour blend and add one extra tablespoon to compensate for the slightly different absorption.

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