Soft Chewy Lemon Cookies (Printable Version)
Bright, zesty, and irresistibly soft with burst of citrusy flavor in every bite. Perfect for afternoon tea.
# What You'll 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, cream together the softened butter and sugar using an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
03 - Beat in the egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until fully combined and smooth.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, mixing on low speed just until incorporated. Do not overmix to keep the cookies tender.
06 - Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. If desired, roll each ball in powdered sugar for a frosted finish.
07 - Place dough balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets to allow for spreading.
08 - Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are just set and the centers still look slightly underbaked for a chewy texture.
09 - Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
# Expert Insights:
01 -
- These cookies come together in under thirty minutes, which means you can satisfy a craving almost instantly.
- The centers stay pillowy soft while the edges develop just enough structure to hold up to a dunk in tea.
02 -
- Pulling the cookies when the centers look slightly underbaked is the entire trick to a chewy texture.
- Overmixing the dough once the flour goes in will give you tough cookies instead of tender ones.
03 -
- Use a microplane to zest the lemon directly over the mixing bowl so the aromatic oils fall right into the batter.
- Set a timer for nine minutes and check early, because one extra minute can take these from soft to crisp.