These Lemon Blueberry cookies are made with plump, juicy blueberries and 1 tablespoon of lemon zest for a fresh flavor. I’ve created soft-baked cookies with chewy centers and slightly crispy edges. Light brown sugar adds moisture and chewiness, while granulated sugar helps spread the cookies into the perfect size.
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Lemon desserts are my favorite in every variation, like lemon bars and lemon cheesecake. These lemon blueberry cookies have quickly made the list, with fresh blueberries in every bite.
These soft and chewy cookies use simple ingredients and only need 15 minutes of prep time, a must for a busy mom like myself. While the cookies are chilling to develop their flavor and hold their shape, I set my oven temperature and quickly clean my kitchen.
In no time, you’ll be serving these summery lemon blueberry cookies. And if you love lemon-flavored desserts as much as I do, you’ll want to try these poppy seed cupcakes too!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Packed with fresh flavors. Lemon zest and fresh blueberries add an unexpected pop of flavor that you’ll love!
- Soft & chewy. Here at The Sweet Occasion, we love soft and chewy cookies like these strawberry cheesecake cookies. After numerous tweaks to this lemon cookie recipe, I created the perfect soft and chewy texture.
- Spring and summer. Although perfect for any occasion, these lemon blueberry cookies are ideal for spring and summer baking. Serve them at a barbeque, Mother’s Day brunch, or for a weekend treat.
Ingredients You'll Need
- All-purpose flour. Creates the perfect cookie texture (not dense or too chewy)!
- Baking soda and baking powder. Leavening agents that help the cookies spread and add chewiness.
- Salt. Enhances the sweetness of the cookies.
- Butter. Use unsalted butter to control the amount of salt added to the dough. Bring your butter to room temperature to properly cream with the sugars. This will help create the ideal soft and chewy cookie consistency.
- Sugar. Adds sweetness to the cookies. Brown sugar adds a slightly caramelized flavor. Granulated sugar contributes to the cookies’ spread.
- Lemon zest. Adds a lovely flavor that pairs well with blueberries. To get 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, use about two medium-sized lemons.
- Egg. Binds the ingredients together in the cookie dough and holds the cookies' shape.
- Vanilla. Always use pure vanilla extract when possible for the best flavor!
- Blueberries. Select firm, dry, plump, and smooth-skinned blueberries. Smaller berries are ideal.
Tip: If you don’t have fresh blueberries, substitute them with frozen wild blueberries. They are smaller than traditional blueberries (smaller means better cookie spread!). Do not thaw before adding to the dough, and increase your baking time.
Equipment & Tools
- Digital kitchen scale or measuring cups. Using a scale will give you the most accurate measurements.
- Measuring spoons.
- Baking sheet pan. An aluminum sheet pan works best. If using a dark-coated pan, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F/163°C.
- Parchment paper. Prevents the cookies from sticking to the pan
- Medium bowl. Used to mix the dry ingredients.
- Whisk.
- Handheld mixer or stand mixer. Used to mix your dough ingredients. Follow the directions in the recipe card for the proper mixing method and times.
- Rubber spatula.
- Cookie dough scoop. I used a 1 ½ ounce portion scoop for this recipe, but feel free to use whatever size you have.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Before you begin: Bring all of your ingredients to room temperature. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside, and read the recipe from start to finish. Wait to preheat the oven until your dough is mixed and chilling in the refrigerator.
Whisk dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Cream butter and sugar. Using a mixer, beat the butter, sugars, and lemon zest for 2 minutes.
Add egg and vanilla. Mix in the egg and vanilla until incorporated.
Add dry ingredients. Carefully dump the dry ingredients into the mixing bowl and beat just until combined. Gently fold in the blueberries.
Divide dough. Scoop and roll the dough into 1 ½ ounce balls. Place on the baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Place 3 inches aprat on a cookie sheet and bake.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
As a trained pastry chef, I’ve made my fair share of cookies. After testing this recipe multiple times, I’m sharing these tips so you can bake the perfect cookies every time!
- Weigh your ingredients. It is more accurate to weigh your ingredients. Over or under-measuring your ingredients will affect the texture of your cookies.
- Use smaller-sized blueberries. Select smaller blueberries. Doing this will help allow the cookies to spread more evenly.
- Don’t overload with blueberries. We love blueberries too, but adding too many will make it difficult for the cookies to spread evenly. It’s best to stick with the suggested amount in the recipe.
- Gently mix in blueberries. Carefully mix the blueberries into the dough. Overmixing will cause the blueberries to burst and bleed into the dough.
- Perfectly round cookies. Use a round cookie cutter to shape the hot baked cookies. Place the cutter around the cookies on the sheet pan and shape the cookie into a perfect circle.
Recipe Variations
- Super chewy and soft cookies. Typically I love adding an extra egg yolk to cookies like in these chocolate chip cookies for a chewy texture. For this recipe, I left the yolk out since the blueberries add moisture. But if you love doughy cookies, add one extra yolk to the recipe.
- Thin and crispy cookies. Add an additional ¼ cup granulated sugar to the recipe to create thin and crispy cookies.
- Larger cookies. Use a 3-ounce scoop to portion the dough into 16 larger cookies.
Storage & Freezing Tips
These lemon blueberry cookies are best enjoyed fresh while the edges are crispy. They will soften over time.
- At room temperature. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- In the refrigerator. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- In the freezer. Store completely cooled cookies in a freezer-safe container and freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Make-ahead: Store the cookie dough balls in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake frozen balls in a preheated 350°F/177°C oven for 12-14 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but do not let them thaw. Otherwise, your dough will become streaked with blue. Bake straight from the freezer for 11-13 minutes. Note that frozen berries will create a more wet and cakey texture.
You could substitute with diced strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries.
Because these cookies soften over time, I suggest making them the day you want to serve them while the edges are still slightly crispy.
Please leave a starred rating and comment below if you make these Soft & Chewy Lemon Blueberry Cookies. I love reading your feedback! And if you’d like to make this recipe later, don’t forget to pin it on Pinterest! Happy Baking!
Print
Soft & Chewy Lemon Blueberry Cookies
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 30 cookies 1x
Description
These Lemon Blueberry Cookies are made with plump, juice blueberries and 1 tablespoon of lemon zest for a fresh flavor. I've created soft-baked cookies with chewy centers and slightly crispy edges. Light brown sugar adds moisture and chewiness, while granulated sugar helps spread the cookies into the perfect size.
Ingredients
- 260 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 170 g (¾ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 165 g (¾ cup) light brown sugar
- 55 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 145 g (1 cup) fresh blueberries
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugars, and lemon zest on medium-high speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Mix in the egg and vanilla until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
- Gently fold in the blueberries.
- Scoop the dough into 1 ½ ounce portions, roll into balls, and place on a parchment-lined sheet pan, dish, or platter. Refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C.
- Arrange the cookies 3 inches apart on a large parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are lightly golden brown.
- Allow to cool 5 minutes on the hot pan and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Super chewy and soft cookies: Add 1 large egg yolk.
Thin and crispy cookies: Add 55 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar.
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Store completely cooled cookies in a freezer-safe container and freeze them for up to 3 months.
Make-ahead: Store the cookie dough balls in a freezer-safe container and freezer for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen in a preheated 350°F/177°C oven for 12-14 minutes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Chill Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
S says
These look absolutely amazing & I can't wait to bake! But I have a hard time zesting lemons. Is there any way to incorporate lemon juice into this recipe, giving the juice's liquidity? Thanks!
Maria Pagiotas says
Hi! I highly recommend a microplane grater for zesting lemons. It makes it very easy to zest. Adding lemon juice will affect the consistency of the batter plus it won't give you as much flavor as the zest. Perhaps you could try adding a couple of tablespoons, but for the best flavor stick with the zest 😉
Kristen says
These cookies were a hit! Will be making them again before the fall!
Maria Pagiotas says
Hi Kristen! So happy you enjoyed these cookies! Happy Baking!
Sherri says
Loved these cookies! A new family favorite. You can really taste the lemon zest in the cookies.
Maria Pagiotas says
Hi Sherri! So happy you love this cookies! Thank you for sharing 🙂