Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies (Printable version)

Zesty cookies bursting with fresh lemon flavor and crunchy poppy seeds, topped with an optional sweet glaze.

# 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

# How to Make It:

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 tips:

01 -
  • The texture is somehow both tender and crisp, with those tiny poppy seeds creating the most satisfying little crunch in every bite
  • They strike that perfect balance between sweet and tart, like sunshine wrapped in a cookie
02 -
  • Overbaking is the enemy of these cookies, pull them out when the edges just start to color and they'll stay perfectly soft
  • The glaze is optional but honestly transforms them into something bakery worthy, so do not skip it
03 -
  • Chill the scooped dough for 15 minutes before baking if your kitchen is warm, which prevents excessive spreading
  • Grate your lemon zest directly into the sugar and rub them together before creaming with butter, which releases more citrus oil into the dough

Go back