Soft Chewy Lemon Cookies (Printer-friendly)

Buttery, citrus-infused cookies with a soft chewy center and bright lemon flavor. Ready in 25 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ 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 It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
03 - Beat in the egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until evenly combined.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, mixing just until incorporated. Do not overmix.
06 - Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough and, if desired, roll each ball in powdered sugar to coat.
07 - Place dough balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
08 - Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until edges are just set and centers look slightly underbaked.
09 - Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The texture lands somewhere between a sugar cookie and a cloud, soft and pillowy with edges that barely hold their shape.
  • Fresh lemon zest in the dough paired with lemon juice creates a brightness that does not fade after baking.
  • They come together in one bowl with no chilling required, which means you can satisfy a craving in under 30 minutes.
02 -
  • Underbaking by one minute is always better than overbaking by one minute because the cookies set further as they cool on the pan.
  • Fresh lemon zest makes a bigger flavor difference than doubling the juice, since the oils live in the peel, not the flesh.
  • Dough can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 24 hours, though you may need an extra minute of bake time if going straight from the fridge.
03 -
  • A few drops of pure lemon extract added with the wet ingredients transforms good cookies into extraordinary ones without changing the texture.
  • Roll the dough balls quickly and with minimal handling because warm hands will soften the butter in the dough and cause excessive spreading.

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