These soft and chewy lemon poppy seed cookies are bursting with bright, lemon flavor. No artificial extracts here. If you love lemons, do not hesitate to make these. I have a feeling you are going to love them just as much as I do. They are topped with a sweet lemon glaze and are truly perfect for any occasion!
No artificial lemon flavor here. 🍋
Why you’ll love this lemon poppy seed cookie recipe
- They are quick and easy to make.
- These cookies are soft and chewy.
- Bursting with lemon flavor.
- No chilling required.
- They are perfect for when craving only a few cookies.
- Yields 12 lemon poppy seed cookies.
- You can easily freeze the dough and have cookies on hand whenever you want!
Ingredients needed
Step by step instructions
Note: Find the full ingredient measurements and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Microwave butter in heatproof bowl for 15-20 seconds on high to soften the butter. Add brown sugar and granulated sugar to a medium bowl. Add lemon zest and mix with fingers for a minute to combine. Add to medium bowl and mix until combined.
- Add egg, vanilla extract, and lemon juice and mix until combined.
- Add salt, baking soda, baking powder, flour, and poppy seeds. Mix until just combined. Be careful not to over mix.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop out 12 cookies.
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Bake for 12-13 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Why didn’t my cookies spread?
If your cookies didn’t spread, you probably added too much flour. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, you can use the scoop and level method. Even an extra tablespoon of flour will make a huge difference!
Can I add lemon extract?
I created this recipe to have delicious lemon flavor without the need for an artificial extract. You shouldn’t need to add any, but if you want to you can add up to a 1/4 teaspoon.
Why are my cookies not soft?
If your cookies aren’t soft, chances are you over baked them. Even an extra minute will make a big difference. When you pull them out, the center will look soft, but they will set as they cool on the baking sheet.
What cookie scoop do you use?
My favorite is a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop. I like this one here.
How do you get perfectly round cookies every time?
As soon as you remove the cookies from the oven, use a cookie/biscuit cutter and gently scoot them into a circle. Be careful not to scoot too hard or they may smoosh together. You could also use a small bowl that’s slightly larger than the cookies too!
Why doesn’t the dough need to chill?
The addition of lemon juice (an acid) in the dough reacts with the baking soda which in turn creates carbon dioxide and allows the cookies to rise beautifully. I did a combination of baking soda and baking powder in this recipe for an extra boost!
Tips for the best lemon poppy seed cookies
- Be extra careful not to over bake them. The centers should look very soft and puffy when you take them out of the oven, but they will continue to bake as they cool on the pan. The edges should just begin to have golden color.
- Rub the sugars and lemon zest together. This releases the oils into the sugar and intensifies the lemon flavor.
- Do not over mix the batter. Over mixing can lead to a tough cookie. Only mix until the flour is no longer visible.
- These lemon poppy seed cookies are tasty as they are, but you can also prepare the lemon glaze to transform these cookies into iced lemon poppy seed cookies.
- The secret to the deep lemon flavor is lemon zest. Do not skip this step. The easiest way is to use a microplane. My favorite one is here.
Storing and freezing instructions
These cookies are best fresh, but can be kept in an air tight container up to a week.
To freeze the cookie dough, roll the dough into balls and place them on a plate and set in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Then transfer them to a freezer safe ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Remember to label the dough with what it is, the date you made the batch, and the baking time as well. Add an additional 1-2 minutes onto the baking time when baking frozen dough.
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? ❤️
Please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. This helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Be sure to tag me on Instagram using @schmidtybakes so I can see. I love to see what you’re baking!
Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 & 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest from 2 large lemons
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Lemon Glaze
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Microwave butter in heatproof bowl for 15-20 seconds on high to soften the butter. Add brown sugar and granulated sugar to a medium bowl. Add lemon zest and mix with fingers for a minute to combine. Add butter to bowl and mix until combined.
- Add egg, vanilla extract, and lemon juice and mix until combined.
- Add salt, baking soda, baking powder, flour, and poppy seeds. Mix until just combined. Be careful not to over mix.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop out 12 cookies using a #20 (3 tablespoon) cookie scoop.
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Bake for 12-13 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
Lemon Glaze
- Add ingredients to a small mixing bowl and mix until combined. If too thin for liking, add extra powdered sugar. If too thick for liking, add extra lemon juice.
Matt
This is literally the perfect cookie for spring. One of my favorites!