Lemon Poppyseed Cookies

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Calling all lemon lovers with these lemon poppyseed cookies are soft and chewy and topped with a tangy lemon glaze. The cookie dough comes together in minutes and is made with fresh lemon juice and lemon zest, and lots of crunchy poppyseeds!

lemon poppyseed cookies on a cutting board


 

Over the years out everything I bake lemon desserts are becoming my all time favorites. Like a lemon cheesecake, these lemon curd cookies, and of course can’t forget my lemon poppy seed scones

One of my most popular cookies here on the blog is these lemon cookies from my first cookbook, Beginner’s Baking Bible, and after a few years I knew I wanted to try making a poppyseed version. I love lemon and poppyseed together and I knew they would be great together in a cookie! 

I added lots of poppyseeds to the cookie dough, and changed up the glaze so it’s got even more lemon flavor and is even simpler to make. What I love most about these cookies is the fresh lemon flavor. I added in lots of fresh lemon zest and lemon juice to the dough. 

These soft lemon poppy seed cookies with their bright citrus flavor are now my new favorite version! All you need now is a cup of tea to enjoy these delicious cookies with!

See Also:

a stack of lemon poppy seed cookies

Why You Will Love These Lemon Poppyseed Cookies

  • These lemony cookies with crisp poppyseeds have lots of fresh lemon flavor!
  • Dough mixes up in minutes – no need to chill the dough!
  • Cookies will be baked and ready in under 30 minutes
  • The glaze is simple to make and add lots more lemon flavor!
  • Wonderful to freeze baked or unbaked.
lemon poppyseed cookies on a wood cutting board

Ingredients Needed

  • All-purpose flour 
  • Baking powder – You can read more here about baking powder vs. baking soda in cookies.
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Poppyseeds 
  • Unsalted butter – If you use salted butter you will want to omit the added salt. Your cookies also might spread a bit more. You want the butter to be softened so it creams with the sugar well.
  • Granulated white sugar
  • Vanilla extract
  • Lemon juice
  • Lemon zest – Read my tutorial on how to zest a lemon!
  • Egg – Make sure your egg is at room temperature so it blends easily into the dough and doesn’t seize up the butter.
  • Powdered sugar – You can make your own powdered sugar if you need to in your food processor!
lemon poppyseed cookies ingredients

How To Make These Lemon Poppyseed Cookies

Preheat and prepare cooking sheets. Preheat the oven to 375ยฐF (190oC). Line two cookies with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. 

Whisk dry ingredients together. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and poppyseeds. Set aside.

dry ingredients in a bowl with a whisk

Cream butter and sugar. In a large bowl using an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. I like to use my stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment but a hand mixer also works. 

butter and sugar creamed together in a bowl

Add remaining wet ingredients. Add egg and beat to combine. Add vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon extract added to cookie dough in bowl

Add dry ingredients. Add flour mixture, and mix at low to medium speed just until no flour streaks remain. 

lemon poppyseed cookie dough in bowl

Scoop cookie dough. Using a medium cookie scoop, or tablespoon to portion into 1 ยฝ inch balls. Place on prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between them. 

lemon cookie scooped onto baking sheet

Bake and cool the cookies. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The edges will look done and lightly golden brown, but the center will still look slightly soft. Remove from the oven and cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

baked lemon poppyseed cookie on a cooling rack

Make icing. In a small bowl, combine icing ingredients. With an offset spatula, ice the top of each cookie. Garnish with a few extra poppy seeds.

icing being drizzled on lemon poppyseed cookie

  • Measure Your Flour Correctly. Too much flour will result in a crumbly cookie dough and a cakey cookie. I recommend using a kitchen scale and measuring by weight for best accuracy. If youโ€™re measuring by volume (aka measuring cups) then measure by stirring your flour first, then spooning it into your cup and leveling it off. Do not pack it down into the cup which can pack too much flour into it.
  • Use a cookie scoopYou can portion out with a measuring spoon but for even scooping and cookies I recommend using a cookie scoop. This will ensure that all your cookies bake evenly.
  • Use room temperature ingredients. You need your eggs and butter to be at room temperature so they blend easily into the batter and incorporate air properly so you cookies don’t spread too much in the oven. Take them out of the fridge about an hour before you plan to bake with them.
  • Use parchment paperโ€“ I prefer using parchment paper on my baking sheet for easy cleanup and no sticking, but a silicone baking mat or lightly greasing with cooking spray also works (although over time the cooking spray can begin to leave a film/residue).

Recipe Variations

  • Add Lemon Extract โ€“ If you want to add a little more lemon flavor to the cookie dough you can add 1/2 teaspoon of lemon extract. 
  • Use gluten free flour – This cookie recipe would work beautifully with a 1:1 gluten free flour! 
  • Swap and use a different citrus โ€“ Make an orange or lime glaze cookie instead of lemon for a fun twist!
  • Roll in a lemon sugar – Instead of a lemon glaze, you can roll the cookie dough balls in a lemon sugar before baking. Simply add a tablespoon lemon zest to some granulated sugar and rub it between your fingertips to release the oils. Then roll the cookie dough balls in the sugar.
  • Add white chocolate chips – Try stirring in a cup of white chocolate chips for a little extra sweetness!
lemon poppyseed cookie broke in half

Recipe FAQโ€™s

How do I store these chewy lemon poppy seed cookies?

Keep stored at room temperature, covered for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the cookies for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature before enjoying

Why did my cookies go flat?

Most likely this is because your butter was too warm, or you over-creamed your butter and sugar. Here areย 10 reasons why your cookies are flat, and how to fix them.

Can I make these cookies ahead of time?

Yes you can make the dough up to 2 days ahead of time, and keep covered in the fridge. Let sit at room temperature for several minutes before scooping.

lemon poppy seed cookie with a bite missing

 

More Recipes To Try

lemon poppy seed cookie with a bite missing

Lemon Poppyseed Cookies

Calling all lemon lovers with these lemon poppyseed cookies are soft and chewy and topped with a tangy lemon glaze. The cookie dough comes together in minutes and is made with fresh lemon juice and lemon zest, and lots of crunchy poppyseeds!
5 from 12 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 209kcal

Ingredients

For The Cookies:

  • 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ยฝ teaspoon baking soda
  • ยฝ teaspoon salt
  • 2 Tablespoons poppyseeds
  • 1 cup (2 sticks, 226 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ยผ cups (250 g) granulated white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1 large egg room temperature

For The Icing:

  • 2 cups (228 g) confectioners sugar
  • 3-4 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
  • poppyseeds for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat and prepare cooking sheets. Preheat the oven to 375ยฐF (190ยฐC). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mat (or lightly grease with non-sticking cooking spray).
  • Whisk dry ingredients together. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and poppyseeds. Set aside. 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder ยฝ teaspoon baking soda ยฝ teaspoon salt
  • Cream butter and sugar. In a large bowl using an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. 1 cup (2 sticks, 226 g) unsalted butter, 1 ยผ cups (250 g) granulated white sugar
  • Add remaining wet ingredients. Add egg and beat to combine. Add vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Scrape down bowl as needed. 1 large egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • Add dry ingredients. Add flour mixture, and mix at low to medium speed just until no flour streaks remain.
  • Scoop cookie dough. Using a cookie scoop, or tablespoon to portion into 1 ยฝ inch balls. Place on prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between them.
  • Bake and cool the cookies. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The edges will look done, but the center will still look slightly soft. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
  • Make icing. In a small mixing bowl, combine icing ingredients. With an offset spatula, ice the top of each cookie. Top with additional poppyseeds. 2 cups (228 g) confectioners sugar 3-4 tablespoons lemon juice 2 teaspoons lemon zest

Notes

  • Make ahead/Storage: You can make the dough up to 2 days ahead of time, and keep covered in the fridge. Let sit at room temperature for several minutes before scooping.ย  Keep stored at room temperature, covered for up to 5 days.
  • Freezing: You can freeze the cookies for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
  • Lemon flavor: If you want more lemon flavor, you can add 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract to the cookie dough.ย 

Nutrition

Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 76mg | Potassium: 45mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 249IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg
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20 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Absolutely delicious! Soft, super lemony, just delightful. And they freeze beautifully! I received so many compliments with these!

    1. Thank you so much! I’m thrilled to hear they were such a hit and that freezing them worked well for you. I appreciate you sharing your experience! ๐Ÿ˜Š

  2. Harriet Young says:

    5 stars
    Full of lemon flavour and the texture is amazing. Thanks so much!

    1. Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed the lemon flavor and texture of the cookies. Happy baking!

  3. 5 stars
    Oh wow – the icing really makes a difference in these cookies! I loved the taste and I even use the icing on my pancakes!

    1. Thank you for your wonderful feedback! Iโ€™m so happy to hear that you loved the icing and found a delicious way to enjoy it on your pancakes too!

  4. 5 stars
    How wonderful this lemon poppyseed cookies recipe is, we love cookies in my family, so I will be making this with the kiddos. Thanks for sharing ๐Ÿ™‚

    1. Thank you for your lovely comment! Iโ€™m so glad to hear youโ€™re planning to make the lemon poppyseed cookies with your family. I hope you and the kiddos have a great time baking and enjoying them together!

  5. Jen Vinuya says:

    5 stars
    I love how refreshing these cookies are! They are so perfect for my kids! So yummy!

    1. Thank you, Jen, they are kid-approved for sure! Thanks so much for letting me know!

  6. 5 stars
    I adore how these cookies are so refreshing! They’re absolutely perfect for my kids, and super tasty too!

    1. So happy that you all enjoyed them, thank you!

  7. 5 stars
    My kids really loved it! Thanks for the recipe! Will definitely make it again!

    1. That’s wonderful to hear, I’m so glad your kids enjoyed them too! Thank you!

  8. 5 stars
    The zesty lemon flavor combined with the crunch of the poppyseeds makes for a perfect bite. The cookies come out soft and chewy every time. A definite crowd-pleaser!

    1. Hey Gianne, this is fantastic news! I’m absolutely thrilled that they’ve been a hit! Thanks a bunch for taking the time to share this with meโ€”it means a lot!

  9. TAYLER ROSS says:

    5 stars
    I made a batch of these cookies yesterday and they were incredible! So full of lemon flavor!

    1. Thank you so much, Tayler, I’m so happy that you loved them!

  10. 5 stars
    These lemon cookies were so tasty! Truly the perfect cooking for springtime. Yum!

    1. So happy to hear that you loved them, Paula! Thank you so much for letting me know!

5 from 12 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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