Soft Lemon Cookies

These easy to make soft lemon cookies are so tasty you’ll make them again and again. Thick, chewy, and bursting with fresh lemon flavor, these cookies go great with afternoon tea.

soft lemon cookies on a leaf shaped plate on a wood table

These soft lemon cookies are some of my favorite to make when building gift baskets for friends because they stay soft and chewy for days. Not to mention the bright lemon flavor is wonderful all year round.

These cookies are about the same thickness as my Mexican Hot Chocolate cookies. I’m a big fan of thick, chewy cookies because it feels more like a rich dessert than a simple snack. That being said, I have been known to snack on a lemon cookie with my morning coffee now and again.

How To Make The Best Soft Lemon Cookies

soft lemon cookies ingredients on a table, top down photo

The ingredients for these delicious soft lemon cookies are quite common. In fact, I made this recipe the first time because I happened to have all the ingredients in my kitchen already – which means no late night trip to the store.

Ingredients

  • 300 grams Flour – this is about 2.5 cups of scooped flour. I used AP flour for this recipe.
  • 175 grams Butter – unsalted
  • 150 grams Sugar – white (about 3/4 of a cup), plus more for rolling
  • 50 grams Brown Sugar – about 1/4 of a cup. Brown sugar actually makes cookies softer and chewier than regular sugar, but if you cannot find brown sugar, regular will also work.
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 Egg Yolk – you can save the white to use in another recipe like a clover club or any cocktail that uses egg white for foam.
  • 2 Lemons – zest of both, plus juice of one.
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
creaming together butter, sugar, and lemon zest in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment

I like to use a stand mixer when making cookies as it really takes a lot of the work away. Use the paddle attachment and cream together the butter, sugar, and lemon zest.

In another bowl whisk together the flour and baking soda. You can do this before or during the sugar creaming since that takes a few minutes.

creamed soft lemon cookie dough

Once the butter and sugar is creamed, add the egg + egg yolk along with the juice of one lemon. Beat until it is fully incorporated. It will look a bit wet (see pic above) but this is okay.

creamed soft lemon cookie dough in stand mixer with paddle attachment

Lower the speed of the stand mixer to the minimum and add the flour mix a tablespoon at a time until fully incorporated. Once the flour is mixed in turn off the machine, you do not want to overmix cookie dough.

Soft lemon cookie dough in a glass bowl with plastic wrap

Move the lemon cookie dough to a bowl and cover with plastic. Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours. This dough can be stored for up to two weeks if kept sealed, so you can make soft lemon cookies whenever you want!

Baking Lemon Cookies Instructions

Place some regular white sugar in a bowl. Scoop a golf ball sized chunk of the lemon cookie dough and roll between your palms to make a ball. Roll in the sugar and place on a lined baking tray.

unbaked balls of lemon cookie dough rolled in sugar on a paper lined baking tray

Place the balls on a paper or silicon lined baking tray evenly spaced. These cookies rise more than spread, but you still don’t want them to push against each other as they bake.

freshly baked soft lemon cookies on a baking tray

Place the tray in the oven at convection 175C or 350F to bake for around 12 minutes. Once removed I press them down with a spatula while still soft so they are more round and dense. You don’t need to do this, I just like the way it makes them look.

soft lemon cookies on a leaf shaped plate on a wood table

If You Like These Cookies, You’ll Love:

soft lemon cookies on a leaf shaped plate on a wood table

Soft Lemon Cookies

These delightfully delicious soft lemon cookies are a great cookie any time of year. They are especially good with afternoon tea, or as a gift to friends.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Chilling Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 27 minutes
Course Cookies, Dessert
Cuisine American, European
Servings 16 cookies
Calories 180 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 stand mixer with the paddle attachment
  • 1 Baking Tray

Ingredients
  

  • 300 grams Flour this is about 2.5 cups of scooped flour. I used AP flour for this recipe.
  • 175 grams Butter unsalted
  • 150 grams Sugar white about 3/4 of a cup, plus more for rolling
  • 50 grams Brown Sugar about 1/4 of a cup
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 Egg Yolk you can save the white to use in another recipe like a clover club or any cocktail that uses egg white for foam.
  • 2 Lemons zest of both plus juice of one.
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda

Instructions
 

Making The Dough

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer add the butter, sugars, and lemon zest and cream together with the paddle attachment.
  • While you are creaming the butter and sugar, whisk together the flour and baking soda in another bowl.
  • Once the sugar and butter is creamed, add the egg and egg yolk, as well as the juice of one lemon.
  • When the stand mixer has everything well creamed lower the speed setting to the minimum and add in the flour mix one tablespoon at a time continuously until it is all incorporated. Then turn off the machine so as not to overmix.
  • Move the lemon cookie dough to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for minimum two hours.

Baking The Cookies

  • Scoop a chunk of dough and roll between your palms into a ball the about the size of a golf ball. Roll in white sugar and place on a baking tray.
  • When you have made all the cookie balls, place tray in the oven to bake at 175C or 350F for 12 minutes.
  • Remove tray and use a spatula or other flat device to squash the cookies down a bit so they are more flat and circular (this step is optional, I just find it makes for prettier cookies). Let cool and enjoy!
Keyword Cookies, Lemon Cookies, Soft Cookies, Vegetarian
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