This post may contain affiliate links.
These Lemon and Poppy Seed Cookies are perfectly soft and chewy cookies. They combine zesty brightness from the lemon with the nutty flavor of the poppy seeds. They are topped with a subtle glaze of lemon icing for extract lemon flavor and sweetness. These cookies are easy to bake and are ready to be enjoyed within 30 minutes.
These soft and chewy Lemon and Poppy Seed Cookies are zesty and have bright citrus flavor from lots of lemon zest combined the nutty flavor of poppy seeds. They are topped with a delicious lemon icing. They are perfect for an afternoon snack or to serve for a spring or summer gathering. These cookies are also super versatile and can be adapted with additions of for example white chocolate chips, macadamia nuts or almond extract for unique variations.
For more cookies recipes, try Tiramisu Cookies, Coffee Chocolate Chip Cookies and Coffee Cake Cookies.
Jump to:
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Easy to make: These cookies are so easy to make, and takes 30 minutes from start to finish.
- Soft and chewy: These cookies are perfectly soft and chewy.
- Zesty and nutty flavor: These cookies are full of delicious zesty lemon flavor and nutty flavor from he poppy seeds.
INGREDIENT NOTES
These are some of the key ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- All-purpose flour: I prefer using all-purpose flour with a protein amount that is between 10-11%
- Baking powder and baking soda: Help leaven and rise the cookies.
- Salt: Helps enhance the flavor of the cookies.
- Granulated sugar: The granulated sugar gives moister to the cookie dough, which makes for a soft texture.
- Lemon: Lemon zest is added to the cookies to give them lots of flavor.
- Poppy seeds: The poppy seeds are added to the cookie dough.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Here is how to make and bake these Lemon and Poppy Seed Cookies. This recipe needs an electric mixer, a medium bowl, and a cookie scoop.
The full recipe is down below in the recipe card.
Before starting, preheat the oven to 175ºC/ 350ºF conventional oven. Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
STEP 1: In a bowl add the granulated sugar and fresh lemon zest. Rub it together to release all of the lemon zest flavor, until it looks like wet sand. Add the butter and mix it together for 3 minutes on medium-high speed in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment.
STEP 2: Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the egg and vanilla extract and mix it in until combined. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, poppy seeds and salt. Add the flour mixture and mix it together until combined.
STEP 3: Using a medium cookie scoop (2,5 tbsp/ 1.33 ounce cookie scoop, 53 g each), scoop out 6 cookies at a time per prepared cookie sheet. Bake one baking sheet at a time for 10-11 minutes.
STEP 4: Once baked, let them cool down on the baking tray for 5 minutes as they still will be soft when they are done. After they have cooled down a bit, use a spatula to lift them onto a cooling rack and let them cool down completely.
STEP 5: For the lemon glaze, stir together powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle it over the cookies and they ready to be served.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Use a kitchen scale: My default setting for my recipes is grams. It is the most precise way of measuring out your ingredients, I therefore highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
- Don't over mix your batter: I always use a spatula after everything has mixed together, to give it one final gentle fold together. This makes sure everything in the bottom of the mixing bowl has been mixed into the batter.
- Light vs. dark baking pans: For the best result, use an aluminum baking pan, greased with butter and lined with baking paper in the bottom. Aluminum pans are light in color and therefore attract less heat. That means it bakes more gently which results in a softer cake. If you use a black baking pan it'll attract a lot more heat. That will then give a darker crust, which can result in a dryer cake.
FAQ
Yes, use a large cookie scoop (2,5-3 oz) and bake them for 12-14 minutes.
Yes, scoop the cookie dough into balls and place them in an airtight container or cover them with plastic wrap, then store the cookie balls in the fridge overnight. Take the cookie dough balls out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature before baking them as instructed in the recipe.
Scoop the cookie dough into balls and store them in an airtight container. You can store them in the freezer for up to 30 days. Let the cookie ball thaw for 1 hour before baking them as instructed in the recipe.
Yes, you can swap out the lemon zest and juice for lime or orange.
HOW TO STORE
Store the Lemon and Poppy Seed Cookies in an airtight cookie jar or metal container. They are best enjoyed within 1-2 days.
Other Cookie Recipes To Try
Make sure leave a STAR REVIEW if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @juliemarieeats. To get more ideas by following me on Pinterest.
Lemon and Poppy Seed Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
LEMON POPPY SEED COOKIES
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 110 g butter room temperature
- 1 large egg (59-60 g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 210 g all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- ½ teaspoon salt
LEMON ICING
- 50 g powdered sugar
- 1-2 teaspoon lemon juice
The US customary cup measurement serves as a rough estimate, as it can have uncertainties, so for precise results, it's recommended to weigh your ingredients using a digital scale in grams. Baking is both an art and a science, which most often requires precision and accuracy.
Instructions
LEMON POPPY SEED COOKIES
- Before starting, preheat the oven to 175ºC/ 350ºF conventional oven. Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a bowl add the granulated sugar and lemon zest. Rub it together to release all of the lemon zest flavor, until it looks like wet sand.200 g granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- Add the butter and mix it together for 3 minutes on medium-high speed in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment.110 g butter
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until combined.1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, poppy seeds and salt. Add the dry ingredients and mix at low speed until combined.210 g all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 tablespoon poppy seeds, ½ teaspoon salt
- Using a medium size cookie scoop (2,5 tbsp/ 1.33 ounce cookie scoop, 53 g each), scoop out 6 cookies at a time per prepared baking sheet. Bake one baking sheet at a time for 10-11 minutes.
- Once baked, let them cool down on the baking tray for 5 minutes as they still will be soft when they are done. After they have cooled down a bit, use a spatula to lift them onto a cooling rack and let them cool down completely.
LEMON ICING
- Stir together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle it over the cookies and they ready to be served.50 g powdered sugar, 1-2 teaspoon lemon juice
Leave a Reply