You’ll love these soft and thick lemon cookies that are delicious and easy to make. No mixer needed!
If you are a lemon lover, these lemony cookies with fresh lemon juice and lemon zest are for you. They are perfect for any season but especially great for summer as they are refreshing.
You need just a few simple ingredients to make these no-mixer cookies!
I adapted these cookies from my lemon white chocolate cookies and lemon blueberry cookies. In today’s recipe, I use a different method. Instead of the creaming method (mixing softened butter and sugar in a mixer), I use melted butter.
Ingredients you’ll need
You can find the exact quantities at the bottom of my post, in the recipe card.
- Lemons-I use fresh lemon zest and fresh lemon juice. These lemon cookies are lemony enough with zest and juice so no lemon extract is needed! It’s important you don’t decrease the amount of zest and juice.
- Sugar-I use granulated sugar.
- Egg-It gives structure to these cookies.
- Butter-I use unsalted butter. In my soft lemon white chocolate cookies and blueberry lemon cookies I use the creaming method where I mix the butter and sugar in a mixer.
- Flour-I use all purpose flour; it gives structure to these cookies.
- Baking soda-It makes these cookies rise.
- Salt-It brings the flavors out but if you omit salt you can leave it out.
Step by step instructions
First I mix the flour, baking soda and salt(optional) in a medium bowl and set aside.
Then I stir the lemon zest and sugar with a whisk to bring the lemon flavor out in a large bowl.
Next I add the egg and stir with a whisk.
I mix in the melted butter and lemon juice.
Finally, I add the flour mixture in 2 batches. First, I use a whisk then continue with a spatula.
I cover the bowl with plastic wrap and keep the cookie dough in the freezer for 1 hour until firm enough so the cookies won’t be flat.
Then I take the bowl from the freezer and make 2 tablespoons (40 grams) balls out of the dough.
I bake for 14 minutes or until the edges are slightly brown and the top is slightly set. At this moment the cookies will be hard to handle but they will set as they cool on the baking sheet.
If you want crisp edges and not extra soft cookies, you can continue to bake for extra 4 minutes.
I hope you enjoy this lemon cookie recipe so much!
You can store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, 7 days in the fridge and up to 3 months in the freezer.
Absolutely! You can keep the cookie dough in the fridge for up to 3 days or 3 months in the freezer and bake it when you are ready. If you keep it in the freezer, let it thaw in the fridge overnight.
If you love lemon desserts, you should also try these recipes!
I love hearing from you! If you try this recipe or my other recipes please leave a comment and give a star rating!
Soft Lemon Cookies
Ingredients
- 315 grams (2 and ¼ cup) all-purpose flour, dip and sweep
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt, optional
- 18 grams (packed 2 tablespoons -zest of 3 large lemons) lemon zest
- 175 grams (½ and ⅓ cup) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 150 grams (⅔ cup) unsalted butter, melted
- 60 grams (¼ cup) fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Place the flour, baking soda and salt-if using in a medium bowl and stir. Set aside.
- Stir the sugar and lemon zest in a medium bowl with a whisk.
- Mix in the egg and stir with a whisk until combined for almost 20 seconds.
- Add the butter and lemon juice and stir with a whisk.
- Add the flour mixture in 3 batches. First, you can use a whisk but then you can use a spoon/spatula to combine to make this process easily.
- Cover the dough with a plastic film and keep in the freezer for 1 hour or until the dough is firm.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F(165°C). Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make 2 tablespoon- big balls(40 grams) out of the cookie dough and place them on the parchment paper lined baking sheet almost 2.5 inches (6cm) apart.
- Bake for 14 minutes or until the edges start to become slightly golden brown and the top is slightly set. The cookies will be too soft to handle but they will set as they cool on the baking sheet. If you don't want extra soft cookies and want crisp edges, you can bake for extra 4 minutes.
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