Chewy Soft Lemon Cookies
- By Amy Dong
- Published May. 28, 2014
- Updated Aug. 17, 2022
These Chewy Soft Lemon Cookies are what lemony treats are all about. These cookies are chewy soft, stay that way for days, and are such a fail-proof crowd pleaser. Refreshing, bursting with the bright zing of lemons, and drizzled with the most amazing lemon icing.
Because I complained enough about the arctic winter this year, I made a promise (to no one in particular) that I wouldn’t complain about the heat one iota once it finally arrived. After all, warm months are way too short here. #lifeinminnesota
I’m a summer gal through and through. Loooving every bit of the 80’s temps we are finally enjoying. Every. Drop. The warm breeze nudges my taste buds towards all things bright, sunny, and refreshing.
Clearly, we’re talking cookies.
Chewy soft lemon cookies, lovingly drizzled with a luscious lemon icing. It fits the sunny mood like a glove…
Apparently, we have no shortage of lemon lovers around here. Everything from this No-Bake Lemon Icebox Cake (seriously yum) to these Crazy Good Lemon Bars (another yum)… we make more than just lemonade with our lemons.
In fact, The Littles never fail to request a few slices of pure lemon to suck on while we transform the remaining lemons into treats.
If you like chewy soft cookies that stay soft and chewy for days, without any cakey business, then you’ll appreciate these mouthwatering lemon cookies.
These Chewy Soft Lemon Cookies are bursting with plenty of fresh lemon and lemon zest. The drizzle is the shining star of these cookies, as it’s loaded with additional fresh lemon and zest.
I’m not always a cookie-icing fan, but for these lemon cookies, it’s a must. The lemony icing adds exponentially to each toothsome bite. Chewy bite after bite.
In fact, these lemon treats are so flavorful, even kids chose them over the other more colorful cookies when I brought them on a picnic last weekend. Now, that’s sayin’ something.
These cookies are best slightly under baked, which I habitually do with all my cookies. If you take care not to over bake them, they will come out chewy soft, just as described.
Here’s to breathing in the outdoors air, basking in the sun’s warmth, and nibbling on lemon cookies.
Enjoy!
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Chewy Soft Lemon Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups + 2 TB all purpose flour
- 1 TB cornstarch
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp table salt
- ¾ cup salted butter, softened to room temp but not melty
- 1 ¼ cups granulated, white sugar
- zest of 2 whole lemons
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 TB freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
For the Lemon Icing:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 TB fresh lemon juice
- 1 TB fresh lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F, with rack on lower middle position.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, blend together the butter, sugar, and zest on medium high speed using paddle attachment. About 3 minutes, or until mixture is light and fluffy. Add egg and egg yolk, and blend just until combined. Add lemon juice and vanilla extract. Blend until combined.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold dry ingredients together with the wet ingredients. Fold together until no dry lumps remain and dough comes together in one big ball.
- Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill 1 hour or longer. (At this point, dough can be chilled for a day or two before using.)
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Form dough balls about 1 inch round, and place 2 inches apart on parchment. Bake 8-9 minutes or just until cookie looks puffy and light golden. It will seem slightly underdone, but they will set upon cooling. Do not over bake.
- Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets until they are cool enough to transfer to wire rack.
- While cookies are cooling, make the icing. In a small bowl, whisk together the icing ingredients. If too thick, add a bit more lemon juice. If too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar. Transfer to a Ziploc bag, seal it, and cut a tiny hole in corner tip. Drizzle over cookies. Once set, the icing will be firm enough to stack cookies on top of each other.
Nutrition (per serving)
Source: Chew Out Loud, adapted from Cooking Classy
If you are a lemon fan, you’ll simply go zesty over this No Bake Lemon Icebox Cake. Perfect for spring and summer picnics, gatherings, parties, etc.
And what can be said about these most perfect, most lemony, most perfectly balanced of all lemon bars? These lemony lemon bars are dreamy. These are the (lemon) bomb.
If it’s breakfast for dessert or dessert for breakfast you crave… this easy (embarrassingly easy) Lemon Monkey Bread is simply scrumptious.
