Soft & Chewy Lemon Cookies
User Reviews
5
Soft & Chewy Lemon Cookies
Description
This recipe creates lemon cookies that are soft and chewy due to careful mixing of creamed butter, sugar, lemon zest, eggs, and lemon extract, with dry ingredients added gently to avoid overworking the dough. Lemon juice is added on top of baking soda to activate a light foaming reaction, lifting the texture. The dough is chilled to firm up before baking, ensuring the cookies hold their shape and develop a pleasant chewiness.
Rolling each cookie ball in granulated sugar before baking creates a sweet crust that contrasts with the tender interior. The cookies are baked at a moderate temperature yielding a delicate crumb and lemon-infused aroma that highlight the citrus elements.
They are suited for enjoying as a citrus-flavored snack or dessert. Proper storage in an airtight container keeps them fresh for several days, and freezing is an option for longer preservation.
Ingredients
- 12 tbsp butter unsalted, softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp. lemon zest
- 1 egg large, room temperature
- 1 egg yolk, large, room temperature
- 2 tsp. lemon extract or 1 tsp. each lemon and vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. cornstarch
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
- ¼ cup granulated sugar for rolling and garnishing
Instructions
- Beat the butter, sugar, and lemon zest in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for about 3-4 minutes or until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. (Pro tip: you can rub the lemon zest and sugars together between your fingertips to help release the natural oils in the lemon and infuse even more lemon flavor into the cookies).
- Add eggs and extract(s), mix again.
- Add the dry ingredients in a mound with baking soda on top.
- Add the lemon juice on top of the baking soda, it will foam = activated.
- Mix just until combined. Do not over mix.
- You can refrigerate the dough now as is or scoop and roll into balls and then refrigerate. Balls will be about ~1 ½-2 tbsp. in size.
- Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Add about ¼ cup granulated sugar into a bowl and roll the balls in the granulated sugar.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and place about 6-8 cookies at a time on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 min. DO NOT OVERBAKE. These need to be very soft and chewy.
- Swirl a cup around the cookies when they come out of the oven (while they’re still warm) to make them perfect circles.
- Rest on a cookie sheet for just 5 minutes then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. They will look puffy out of the oven but settle as they cool.
- Sprinkle the tops of cookies with more granulated sugar for a sparkly look and lemon zest if desired.
Notes
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days to maintain softness and flavor.
- Freezing the cookie dough or baked cookies extends freshness for up to three months.
- If using salted butter, omit additional salt in the dough to balance flavor.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 20cookies
Amount Per Serving
Calories 203 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1cookie | |
| Calories | 203kcal | 10% |
| Carbohydrates | 32g | 11% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 8g | 12% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.4g | 2% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Trans Fat | 0.3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 36mg | 12% |
| Sodium | 144mg | 6% |
| Potassium | 28mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 18g | 36% |
| Vitamin A | 235IU | 5% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 8mg | 1% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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