Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies (Printable)
Bright, zesty cookies with fresh lemon flavor and subtle poppy seed crunch. Perfect for afternoon treats.
# What You'll Need:
→ Wet Ingredients
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
→ Dry Ingredients
07 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
08 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
10 - 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
→ Optional Lemon Glaze
11 - 1 cup powdered sugar
12 - 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
# Method:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
03 - Beat in the egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until well combined.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined.
06 - Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between each.
07 - Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
08 - Let the cookies cool on the pan for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - For a glaze, mix powdered sugar with lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cookies and let set.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The glaze is optional but honestly life changing, adding that perfect sweet tangy finish
- These cookies walk the line between sophisticated comfort food and something you can bake without thinking too hard
02 -
- Overbaking is the enemy of soft cookies, so pull them when edges are just barely golden
- The dough will seem thick but that's exactly right, thin dough spreads too much and loses texture
03 -
- Zest your lemons before cutting them open for juice, it's so much easier to handle
- Room temperature ingredients combine more evenly, so plan ahead and leave everything out for about 30 minutes