Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies (Printable Version)

Buttery, zesty cookies with fresh lemon and crunchy poppy seeds for a perfect afternoon treat.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
05 - 2 tsp lemon zest
06 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

07 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
08 - 1/2 tsp baking soda
09 - 1/4 tsp salt
10 - 1 tbsp poppy seeds

→ Optional Lemon Glaze

11 - 1 cup powdered sugar
12 - 2-3 tbsp lemon juice

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
03 - Mix in egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
06 - Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
07 - Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are lightly golden.
08 - Let cookies rest on baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar with lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cookies and allow to set.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • The fresh lemon flavor wakes up your afternoon without being too sweet
  • They come together in under 40 minutes start to finish
02 -
  • Overbaking makes these dry, so pull them out when the edges are just barely golden
  • The glaze needs to be thick enough to drizzle but thin enough to spread
03 -
  • Use a microplane for the finest, most aromatic zest without any bitter pith
  • If your glaze is too thick, add juice one teaspoon at a time until it flows like honey

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