Chewy Lemon Cookies.
I completely support the notion that there is a time and a place for lemon desserts.
Breaking up with the love of you life? Not that time Or that place. Trust me.
Rear ending someone on the freeway because you were texting while driving? Deffffinitely not that time. And stop that. Seriously. !!!
Wiped your iPhone clean while attempting the dumb update? That calls for cheesecake. Not lemon cheesecake, FYI.
Dreamed about eating the leftover pizza for lunch only to find that your husband chewed it as a midnight snack? I hear m&m’s and quesadillas take the sting off nicely. And I think you should pinch his nose while he’s asleep tonight to wake him up. Funny haha…
Things like blowing an interview, leaving one of your favorite stilettos (it’s real life here people) in a hotel room 1000 miles away, losing an awesome earring and stubbing your toe do not require yellow citrus. Believe this. Those are like feed me chocolate plus peanut butter with an oreo crust and whipped cream on top and sprinkle Heath bars on it and give me seconds, err, I mean thirds kind of situations.
But apparently? Returning home from a weekend trip that was consumed with insane desserts only to be followed by two birthdays does call for lemon desserts. Especially when you really don’t need any desserts at all but for some freaky reason crave lemon. And no, I’m not knocked up people.
Psssst. Janetha gave me this schtuff. I used it. I loved it.
Psssst. I love her.
Lemon dessert thingies just don’t do emotional eating and cravings any justice. At least not serious justice.
If all the desserts in the world were made out of lemons, well… first I would cry, but then I would buy skinny jeans because I would always be able to stop after one piece, one bite or one slice.
This picture really looks like I stopped at one bite, huh?
I know.
Seriously though, I gotta be in the mood for something lemony. I’d like to say the same about limes, but I’m always in the mood for four margaritas, so lemon stands alone. I find it refreshing, light and a nice, but not too nice, change from the traditional five thousand pounds of chocolate that find their way into my cookies, brownies, pies and every possible dessert that crawls out of my kitchen.
I can’t help it. ohmygoshilovethesethings.
Chewy Lemon Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick, 1/2 cup of unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest/rind
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Mix flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add cooled, melted butter and whisk sugar into it until smooth. Add in egg and egg yolk, mixing to combine, then whisk in vanilla and lemon extracts, lemon juice and lemon zest. Stir in dry ingredients, mixing until a dough forms. If needed, use your hands to create the dough (I did).
- Using an ice cream spoon, scoop the dough into golf-ball sized balls and place on a baking sheet 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until middle is just set an edges are slightly golden.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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Now somebody give me a Snickers.
210 Comments on “Chewy Lemon Cookies.”
Ah lemons… there is certainly a time and place for them. The time being now, and the place needing to be my apartment – need these. And those Giant M&M cookies are looking pretty wonderful themselves!
Oh how I LOVE lemon cookies!! I used to eat those Sunshine Lemon Cookers like there was no tomorrow when I was little. That is, when my mother would buy them.
These are on my to-do list!
Loved this post! Lemon bars used to be and well still are one of my favorite desserts when I want something light! These cookies look fabulous!
My mom would go bananas (lemons?) for these – she LOOOOVES lemon cookies! I definitely need to make these for her.
I love reading your blog! It cracks me up. The cookies look good! I just love a chewy cookie, and with lemon in it, it’s healthy! Yum!!
Couldn’t agree more about the lemon thing- def a time and place! They are lovely though :)
I LOVE that brand of lemon emulsion! I couldn’t agree more with the lemon desserts theory… It’s just not REAL dessert, but it is really good! Mmm, now I want lemon pound cake and these lemon cookies as a snack NOT a dessert, of course.
Now I’m craving lemon pound cake!
I’m always in the mood for something lemony–this is right up my alley!
Yes!! Finally a CHEWY lemon cookie! I’ve tried making lemon cookies more on the chewy side but they always turn out like sweet citrus crackers :( Can’t wait to give these a whirl :)
I love anything with lemon in it! And you pics are so cute! It looks like the perfect bite was taken out of each cookie :)
Oh I LOVE lemon desserts. If every dessert were lemony I would be seriously 1000 pounds and I would love every single minute of it!! I sent this link to my mom…we are both lemon freaks. I see some lemon cookies in our Christmas future!
Yesssss… finally something you like.
OMG Jess, did you make these for me?! Omg yes yes yes! I MUST have these! It’s citrus season, the lemon tree is bent over from so much fruit, and I need cookies! gimme gimme!
I ADORE lemon cookies, and they have to be chewy at that. I NEED to try these with a drizzle of white chocolate. They look so good!
Looks so good. I want to drizzle a bitter dark chocolate over them…. so bad. I think I’ll do that today.
These look awesome!
I looooooove anything lemon and these look super soft and chewy and addictive…
And sprinkles.
There is definitely a time and a place for lemon desserts. My mom makes lemon cookies for Christmas every year and that’s about the only time they seem appropriate. Otherwise, chocolate please. :)
Just placed my order with the Lor Ann oil company. And my big bag o’BarryCacao Extra Brute just arrived the other day. Somebody stop me….:)
That is awesome.
I totally agree with you. If I want something indulgent to “take the edge of” it must have chocolate. I LOVE lemony desserts but they are a happy, “I’m feeling really chipper and would like a pretty lemony dessert please” kind of dessert. I think it’s cause lemons make you feel clean :)
Also, I don’t use the word chipper but clearly lemons bring that out in me ;)
Hmmmm well I sort of like the word chipper. ;)
I don’t ever crave lemon things when I think dessert either. But a former roommate once made these amazing lemon cookies that I could not get enough of. I have a feeling these are the same thing!
Delicious! I love that the cookies are chewy….I would be all over these!
Thy look so perfect :)
Wow, these look amazing. That’s all I can say. I love lemon something FIERCE!
That was you who left your shoe in the hotel room, huh? Just tell me. I won’t laugh.
…that much.
Lemon trumps chocolate in my book, so I am totally craving these right now…at 7:30 am.
I absolutely adore lemon cookies, but not so much in the Fall. For some reason, I think they firmly belong in Spring and Summer. That being said, I wouldn’t throw them outta bed ;)
these look dangerous! i bet these would be really good frozen. have you ever put leftover cookies in the freezer? we split every batch, half eaten immediately, the other half into the freezer. it’s are favorite!
Nooooo… nothing ever makes it into the freezer, but you are right – I should try!
my mom and i can finish off a whole lemon cake under 12 hours. can’t wait to share this recipe with her!
Do you think these would work well w orange? I impulse bought an overpriced bottle of orange extract (Scott aka bf doesn’t know how much money we’d save if he supervised me at the grocery store) like, 6 months ago that is still sitting, unopened, in the baking cabinet. Chocolate always wins: fact.
Definitely!
You just made my morning. I have had a craving for something lemon-y for the entire week. I looked through my million recipes and just didn’t find anything that looked like what I wanted…until right now! I can’t wait to make these! Thanks for sharing!
Mmmm…lurrrrve chewy cookies like this. Yum!
I always feel like everything needs chocolate in it when it is a dessert but I do have a soft spot for lemon cookies (yours look awesome) and baked apple desserts! Lemon cookies are so refreshing.
Lemon cookies remind me of my great-grandma, Liz. She loved all things lemon. Miss her greatly.
I am not normally a Lemon Gal anything..ummmm, chocolate please…. BUT you so got me on these. They look so tasty and REFRESHING!!
This will be great for the next time I crave lemon….just gotta find my lemon zester now!!
Oh man. You and I are opposite on this one. I crave lemon desserts ALL THE FREAKIN’ TIME. I could eat an entire jar of homemade lemon curd. It’s true, I would make myself sick… but I’d still do it.
So… even though we’re opposites about when and where to eat lemon desserts, I will eat all the lemon desserts you provide me with, any time of day, any day of the week, any month of the year… no matter what disastrous event has preceded it, if one has at all. :)
OMG – today is my 30th birthday – so I NEED you to deliver these to me! I love anything lemon! This is a must make!
Happy birthday!!! :)
I have that Lemon Emulsion and haven’t even used it yet! I better give these a whirl!!
Ahhhh. I am leddicted. It’s true.
You are just too funny! I never get sick of reading your posts. I’m not a big lemon fan, but your cookies do look DELISH, they may be on the menu for this weekend’s baking project.
Um totally gonna plug my bf’s nose when he’s sleeping next time he dies something that drives me crazy. That’s just pure entertainment. I love citrus anything and everything.
I always think of lemon desserts going over well at baby showers and wedding showers. Alongside cucumber sandwiches and tea cups. Next time I throw one of those dainty little parties – these will be on the menu.
hmm.. i think i’ve tried a lemon girl scout cookie and i love baking with lemon in simple rainy day cakes without frosting, but i’ve never quite thought of baking a lemon cookie. sounds interesting, i bet it’s yummy. nice job on the pics.
I went to costco and bought approximately 30 lemons in a ‘costco-must-buy-large-quantities-of-everything-frenzy’…so PERFECT timing…this completely justifies my bulk buying.
You know the only reason I sent you that was so you would create a winning lemon cookie recipe for me, right? I am selfish. So selfish. And so making these tonight.
WHOA! I’m totally making these when meyer lemon season rolls around. Can’t wait.
That’s funny about the limes. I feel the same way, even about stuff like gummy bears. If it’s lime, yay! If it’s lemon, eh…
There is definitely a time and place for lemon… Like right now I could go for one of those… Now is a time and I’m in a place right?
Jessica, I love reading your blog! My little brother is in love with anything lemon! I want to make these for him for thanksgiving, could you tell me more about the texture…how lemony are they? would they be fine if i added white chocolate chips? thanks! youre great!
Thanks Sioux! They are really chewy – think a chewy chocolate chip cookie, but lemon. You could control the lemon flavor if you want a bit less, but I found them to be the perfect balance between not lemony and too lemony. I think they’d be BETTER with white chocolate. :)