Description
Soft, buttery cookies filled with bright lemon flavor and speckled with poppy seeds, topped with creamy lemon-vanilla icing for a sweet, citrusy indulgence.
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
Zest of 2 lemons
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (about ½ lemon)
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon extract
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1½ Tbsp poppy seeds
Icing:
1 cup (250 g) cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1–2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (adjust for consistency & tang)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 °F (175 °C).
- Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds in a bowl.
- Cream butter, sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy (~2–3 minutes).
- Mix in lemon juice, egg, vanilla, and lemon extract until combined.
- Gradually add dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Chill dough 30–60 minutes if desired.
- Scoop dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets (makes 12 large or 24 small cookies).
- Bake 12–15 minutes for large or 10–12 minutes for small cookies, until edges are set and centers soft.
- Let cookies rest on baking sheet until nearly cool, then transfer to a wire rack.
- Beat icing ingredients until smooth, adjusting lemon juice for consistency.
- Spread icing over cooled cookies and garnish optionally with poppy seeds or thin lemon slice. Chill or serve at room temperature.
Notes
- Chill dough for thicker cookies and neater baking results.
- Increase lemon zest or juice for extra citrus intensity.
- For gluten‑free: use a 1:1 gluten‑free flour blend.
- Swap poppy seeds with chia or sesame for different texture.
- Substitute icing with lemon glaze or whipped buttercream if preferred.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (+ optional chilling time)
- Cook Time: undefined
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 large cookie (with icing)
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 16g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
