Soft and Chewy Lemon Cookies

Thursday, December 2, 2021
If you are looking for soft, chewy Lemon Cookies look no further. These are in no way cakey and deliciously chewy just like my Sugar Cookie Recipe

These are a favorite at Christmas but delicious enough for anytime.

A side shot of 6 Chewy Lemon Cookies stacked with 1 Lemon Cookie resting against the stack.

Soft and Chewy Lemon Cookies aren't tart like Lemon Bars, but more of a sweet lemon cookie. For a more pronounced Lemon Cookie these can be glazed with lemon juice mixed with powdered sugar for a bit more bite, and lemon flavor.

Soft and Chewy Lemon Cookies have a really pretty crackle when they come out of the oven with a shiny sugar glaze.

Colt gave the tops a second dip into the powdered sugar once they were baked, for more contrast to the cookies. He also likes living life on the sweeter side, and never will turn down a little extra powdered sugar.

Soft and Chewy Lemon Cookies are super easy to make perfect for a last minute dessert recipe for Easy Holiday Entertaining, the theme for this weeks #SundaySupper! 

I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Sugar and Lemon Zest in a stainless steel mixing bowl for Chewy Lemon Cookie Batter.

The secret to Soft and Chewy Lemon Cookies is mixing: 
  • 1 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar
  • 2 tablespoon Lemon Zest 
For 5 minutes until the sugar is infused with the smell of lemon. 

Cream Cheese added to sugar and lemon mixture for soft chewy Lemon Cookies.

Add 2 ounces Cream Cheese and mix until well combined.

The cream cheese helps keep these Lemon Cookies soft and tender. 

Egg, Melted Butter, Coconut Oil, Lemon Juice, Vanilla Extract Baking Powder, Baking Soda and Salt in a mixing bowl with Chewy Lemon Cookie Batter.

Mix in: 
  • 6 tablespoons Melted Butter
  • 1/3 cup Melted Coconut Oil
  • 1 whole Egg
  • 1 tablespoon Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
  • 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
Until well combined.

Flour added to Chewy Lemon Cookie Dough in a mixer.

Stir in 2 1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour just until combined.

A Chewy Lemon Cookie Dough Ball being rolled in powdered sugar.

Scoop dough using a standard sized cookie scoop or heaping tablespoon, and roll into a ball.

Roll each ball into Powdered Sugar or Granulated Sugar until well coated. Both ways are delicious! 

(Note: A reader suggested adding additional lemon peel to the powdered sugar for additional lemon flavor. I ran out of lemon peel on this occasion but will be trying this in the near future.)

Chewy Lemon Cookie Dough Balls on a Silpat lined baking sheet waiting to be baked.

Place balls on silpat or parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until edges are set, and barely brown.

Allow cookies to cool for 3-4 minutes, and then move to a cooling rack.

A stack of Soft and Chewy Lemon Cookies with one Lemon Cookie standing on it's side leaning against the stack in the front.

The cookies will be lightly glazed from the powdered sugar. 

For a more pronounced powdered sugar look like Lemon Crinkle Cookies carefully dip the tops of cookies in additional Powdered Sugar. Alternately Powdered Sugar and Lemon Juice can be mixed together to make a thin glaze and drizzled over the top for a more pronounced lemon flavor.

A few more Cookie Recipes we love are:

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American
Yield: 36
Author: Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch
Soft and Chewy Lemon Cookies

Soft and Chewy Lemon Cookies

Soft and Chewy Lemon Crinkle Cookies are a delicious easy to make cookie from Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch.
Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 12 MinTotal time: 32 Min

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar
  • 2 tablespoons Lemon Zest
  • 2 ounces Cream Cheese, Room Temperature
  • 6 tablespoons Butter, Melted
  • 1/3 cup Coconut Oil Or Additional Butter, Melted
  • 1 whole Egg
  • 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice, Fresh Squeezed
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 2 1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
  • Additional Powdered Sugar or Granulated Sugar For Rolling

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or silpat.
  2. Mix together granulated sugar and lemon zest for 5 minutes to infuse sugar.
  3. Add cream cheese and beat until well combined.
  4. Stir in butter, coconut oil, egg, lemon juice, vanilla extract, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
  5. Add flour and stir just until combined.
  6. Scoop cookie dough using a standard sized cookie scoop of heaping tablespoon and roll into a ball. Roll ball into powdered sugar.
  7. Place cookies 3 inches apart on lined baking sheet.
  8. Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are just barely brown. Allow cookies to cool on cookie sheet for 3-4 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.
  9. For a more pronounced powdered sugar look dip tops off cookies gently into powdered sugar once cooled.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

106.44

Fat

4.97 g

Sat. Fat

3.44 g

Carbs

14.52 g

Fiber

0.25 g

Net carbs

14.27 g

Sugar

8.44 g

Protein

1.11 g

Sodium

85.43 mg

Cholesterol

12.69 mg

Calories are estimated.

Did you make this recipe?
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A stack of Chewy Lemon Cookies

35 comments

Laura Dembowski said...

These cookies look like they would just melt in your mouth. So pretty and yummy!

The Ninja Baker said...

Thank you, Serena, for the reminder to get the sugar infused with zest. Your cookies look delightful. And I'd say your sweet-toothed family members have good taste =)

Happy Valley Chow said...

Those look awesome! Terrific recipe, pinned! :)

Liz That Skinny Chick Can Bake said...

I love crinkly cookies and your lemon twist sounds wonderful! Perfect citrus treat to round out the chocolate ones :)

Renee Paj said...

These are just beautiful!

Unknown said...

I'm saving this recipe because I know exactly the person I'll bake them for and give them as a gift on their birthday.

Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch said...

Thank you Liz!

Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch said...

Thank you so much!

Sarah R said...

LOVE cream cheese cookies!

Unknown said...

These look perfect!

Kathy Tauer said...

Made this recipe today and they are delicious!!! Everyone who tried them LOVED them!

Kathy Tauer said...

Also, I made the icing with lemon juice and powdered sugar and that's definitely better...would do that every time!

Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch said...

Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed them!

Anonymous said...

Suggestion for coconut oil substitution?

Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch said...

Butter or shortening but I would choose butter! Thanks, Serena

Anonymous said...

definitely baking these sometime this week. the cream cheese cookies sound absolutely delicious. Hope you come up with more crinkle cookie flavors. thanks for this recipe!

Jens C. Kruse said...

Thank you

Anonymous said...

I printed the recipe in the box above, but the ingredient list says 1-1/2 granulated sugar (missing the "cup") and leaves out the flour completely! I had to go back to the previous directions to find the quantities. You may want to update the recipe :-)
We are making these this week - they look delicious!

Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch said...

Thank you so much for letting me know! It must have happened during the last update to the recipe card!

Anonymous said...

These taste really nice but the method is missing the 'egg'. I realized after I had finished mixing it all together. Still... they taste amazing and I will be adding this to my rotation of cookies.

Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch said...

I am sorry about that! Thanks for letting me know!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for this receipe. My Husband & I enjoy baking-cooking together & these were our favorite xmas cookie this yr. We also went with (orange & fresh squeezed orange juice in place of the lemons. They were yummy also. A KEEPER receipe for the holidays. Janet OH.

Wendy l Barnes said...

Outstanding cookie! 👍
Converted a lemon hater you did.😂

Unknown said...

I’m making these right now and I’m using home grown Meyer lemons so hopefully the lemon flavor will carry through! Thank you so much for this recipe ... also the dough was very soft is that normal?

Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch said...

Yes, it's a softer dough.. You can place it in the refrigerator for a little bit if you need to firm it up. Thanks, Serena!

Mobasir hassan said...

You have made and described everything so nicely that really helped me. I am looking forward for more of such yummy recipes in future too.

Anonymous said...

I am teally looking forward to making these cookies! Just reading the recipe made my mouth water! I noticed one tiny thing, in instruction #9, should it read tops "of" cookies instead of "off?"

Dreamrib said...

I've made these for a few years now. They are the ones everyone asks for. they are the BEST cookie I've ever made. I tweak a little to up the flavor but still fantastic. I haven't tried but i'm curious if you would recommend chilling overnight?

Anonymous said...

Please suggest a substitute for cream cheese. Thank you.

Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch said...

Plain Greek Yogurt preferably full fat would probably work as a substitute but I haven't tried to know for sure. Thanks, Serena

Dreamrib said...

Do you recommend chilling just the completed dough overnight? Or would that affecf how they spread? ----Such a fan!!

Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch said...

Hi! If you chill overnight you'll get taller cookies that won't spread as much. Thanks, Serena

Real Woman Barbie said...

followed the recipe to the T, but had to go with the more butter vs coconut oil, also added the little extra lemon zest to the coating sugar. Huge hit!!! recipe being added to everyone's cookbooks. Thank you! This is simply delish!

Anonymous said...

I have a bag of Lemon Crumbles I purchased from King Arthur Flour. Can I add to the recipe or replace any ingredient? If so, how much should I use? Thanks!

Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch said...

Hi! I haven't tried them before but it looks like you would use them like you would chocolate chips from reading their website. I don't see a notation about needing to adjust flour or anything. It looks like you could stir them into the batter or push them into the dough balls before baking. I can't give you amounts for certain since I haven't used them or tasted them before. Maybe 1/2 cup - 3/4 cup would be a safe starting point since you could always add more if the flavors not strong enough. Thanks, Serena

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