Soft & Chewy Lemon Cookies Recipe
These Soft & Chewy Lemon Cookies are delightfully tender with a bright lemon flavor infused through the zest, juice, and lemon extract. Perfectly balanced sweetness and a melt-in-your-mouth texture make them an irresistible treat ideal for any occasion. The cookies are lightly rolled in sugar before baking to add a crunchy, sparkling finish.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 20 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 12 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 2 tsp lemon extract (or 1 tsp lemon and 1 tsp vanilla extract)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- ¾ tsp salt
For Rolling and Garnishing
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- Optional: lemon zest for sprinkling
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and lemon zest together for 3-4 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. For enhanced lemon flavor, rub the lemon zest and sugar together between your fingertips before adding.
- Add Eggs and Extract: Add the egg, egg yolk, and lemon (and vanilla if using) extracts to the butter mixture. Mix until combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, mound the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt together, with baking soda on top.
- Activate Leavening: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, then pour the lemon juice on top of the baking soda. Notice it foams, indicating activation of the leavening agents.
- Mix Dough: Mix the dough just until all ingredients are combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
- Chill Dough: You may refrigerate the dough as is or scoop out 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons sized balls and then refrigerate. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up the dough.
- Preheat Oven: When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C).
- Roll in Sugar: Pour ¼ cup granulated sugar into a bowl, then roll each dough ball in the sugar to coat evenly.
- Prepare Baking Sheets: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Arrange 6 to 8 cookies per sheet, spaced to allow spreading.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, being careful not to overbake. The cookies should be soft and chewy.
- Shape Cookies: Immediately upon removing the cookies from the oven, swirl a cup gently around each cookie while still warm to shape them into perfect circles.
- Cool: Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. They will appear puffy when hot but will settle as they cool.
- Garnish: Once cooled, sprinkle more granulated sugar on top for sparkle and optionally add a bit of lemon zest for extra fragrance and appeal.
Notes
- Ensuring the butter and eggs are at room temperature helps achieve the ideal texture and mixability.
- Do not overmix the dough once dry ingredients are added; overmixing can result in tough cookies.
- Refrigeration is key for maintaining cookie shape and improving texture.
- Rolling cookies in sugar before baking adds a pleasant crunch and visual appeal.
- Baking at a lower temperature and for a shorter time keeps cookies soft and chewy.
- Swirling the cookies with a cup immediately after baking helps maintain their round shape.
- Cookies will look puffy straight from the oven but will deflate slightly upon cooling.
Keywords: lemon cookies, soft lemon cookies, chewy lemon cookies, lemon dessert, citrus cookies, homemade cookies
Find it online: https://reemcook.com/soft-and-chewy-lemon-cookies-recipe/
