Description
An easy homemade recipe for soft and chewy lemon cookies with a bright citrus flavor and a delightful texture.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 1–2 lemons)
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons lemon extract (or ½ teaspoon lemon extract and 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract for a more nuanced flavor)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup granulated sugar, for rolling and garnishing
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 12 tablespoons of softened unsalted butter and 1 ½ cups of granulated sugar. Cream together on medium speed until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale yellow, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the room-temperature large egg and the large egg yolk one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the 2 teaspoons of lemon extract until just combined.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the 3 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of cornstarch, and ¾ teaspoon of salt. Add the 1 tablespoon of lemon zest and whisk again.
- With your mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three additions, mixing until just combined after each. Add the 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and mix until the dough just comes together.
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Scoop rounded tablespoons of the chilled dough and roll them into balls. Roll each ball generously in ¼ cup of granulated sugar.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the sugar-coated dough balls about 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Gently press down on each dough ball. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are set and lightly golden, but the centers still appear slightly soft. Let cool on the baking sheets for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 50mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
Keywords: Soft Chewy Lemon Cookies