Soft Chewy Lemon Cookies (Print Version)

Soft, chewy cookies packed with bright lemon flavor and zesty citrus notes. Perfect texture with slightly crisp edges and tender centers.

# What You Need:

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

07 - 2 cups all-purpose flour

08 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

10 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar (for coating, optional)

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 until pale and fluffy.

03 - Beat in the egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until fully 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.

07 - Place dough balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

08 - Bake for 9-11 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.

01 -

The texture walks a perfect line between pillowy soft and satisfyingly chewy.
They come together in one bowl with zero fuss and zero chilling time.
A squeeze of fresh lemon juice in the dough makes them taste genuinely bright, not artificially sweet.

02 -

Overmixing the dough after adding flour creates tough, dense cookies instead of soft and chewy ones.
Underbaking slightly is the real secret to that perfect soft center that stays tender for days.

03 -

If your butter is too cold, microwave it in ten second bursts rather than melting it completely.
Freeze scooped dough balls on a tray, then bag them for fresh baked cookies anytime you need a quick mood lift.