If you’re new to baking and want a guaranteed win, these easy soft & chewy lemon cookies are your moment. They’re bright, buttery, and perfectly tangy—like a little sunshine snack that doesn’t require fancy skills or weird ingredients.
Think: soft centers, lightly crisp edges, and a lemony sugar coating that makes them look bakery-cute with basically zero effort. Let’s do this.
Why You’ll Love This
These cookies are beginner-friendly (no mixer required), super forgiving, and deliver big lemon flavor without turning out dry or cakey—just soft, chewy, and totally snackable.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled for 5 minutes
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest (about 1 large lemon)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (190g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- For rolling: 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar + optional extra lemon zest
How to Make It
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or a silicone mat).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar until glossy and well combined.
- Whisk in the egg until smooth, then add lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. (It may look a little loose—totally fine.)
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir with a spatula until no dry flour remains. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky.
- Chill the dough for 20–30 minutes. This helps control spreading and makes rolling easier.
- In a small bowl, mix the rolling sugar with a pinch of lemon zest if you want extra pop. Scoop dough into 1 1/2-tablespoon balls (about 35–40g each) and roll in the lemon sugar.
- Place cookies 2–3 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 9–11 minutes, until the edges look set but the centers still look slightly underdone.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes (they finish setting up), then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips for the Best Results
- Don’t skip the chill. Even 20 minutes makes the dough easier to handle and keeps the cookies thick and chewy.
- Zest first, then juice. It’s way easier to zest a whole lemon than a squishy half.
- Measure flour correctly. Spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off. Packing it in can make cookies dry.
- Pull them early. If you wait until the tops look fully done, you’ll lose that soft center. Set edges + pale tops is the goal.
- Use fresh lemon. Bottled juice works in a pinch, but fresh gives brighter flavor (especially for beginner-friendly “wow”).
- One tray at a time. For even baking, keep it simple and bake in the center of the oven.
Variations
- Lemon glaze moment: Whisk 3/4 cup powdered sugar with 1–2 tablespoons lemon juice and drizzle over cooled cookies.
- Lemon poppy seed: Add 1 tablespoon poppy seeds to the dry ingredients for a bakery-style twist.
- Extra tangy: Add 1/8 teaspoon lemon extract (a little goes a long way) for ultra-lemon flavor.
- Sandwich cookies: Spread lemon curd or a simple buttercream between two cooled cookies.
- Orange swap: Use orange zest and juice for soft & chewy orange cookies with the same method.
Storage & Reheating
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. If you want that fresh-baked softness again, warm a cookie in the microwave for 8–10 seconds (especially good on day 3 or 4).
FAQ
Why did my lemon cookies spread too much?
The most common reasons are warm dough or butter that was too hot when mixed in. Make sure the melted butter cools for a few minutes, and chill the dough before baking. Also double-check your baking soda/baking powder amounts—too much can cause extra spread.
How do I know when soft & chewy cookies are done?
Look for set edges and a center that still looks slightly soft and pale. They’ll keep cooking on the hot pan after you pull them from the oven, which is the secret to that chewy middle.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes. Cover and refrigerate the dough for up to 48 hours. When you’re ready, let it sit at room temp for 10–15 minutes if it’s too firm to scoop, then roll in sugar and bake as usual.
Can I freeze lemon cookie dough?
Totally. Scoop and roll the dough into balls (skip the sugar coating until baking day), freeze on a tray until solid, then store in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time.
How can I make these more lemony without ruining the texture?
Add more zest (zest boosts flavor without adding extra liquid), or add a tiny bit of lemon extract (about 1/8 teaspoon). Avoid adding much more lemon juice, since extra liquid can make the dough too loose and the cookies less chewy.