Looking for the perfect cookie to brighten up your day? These soft and chewy blueberry lemon cookies are just what you need! With a delicious combination of fresh blueberries and tangy fresh lemon juice, each bite offers a burst of flavor. 

Baked to golden brown perfection, these cookies boast a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture that will have you reaching for seconds. Whether you enjoy them with a cup of tea in the afternoon or as a sweet ending to your day, these blueberry lemon cookies are sure to become a household favorite. 

Ingredients you’ll need for this Lemon Blueberry Cookie Recipe

You’ll need simple ingredients for this perfect summer cookie, found in any grocery store:

• All-purpose flour. Provides structure to the cookie dough.
• Cornstarch. Contributes to the soft and chewy texture for a chewy cookie.
• Baking soda. It helps the cookies rise and spread during baking.
• Salt. It enhances the flavor of the other ingredients and balances the sweetness.
• Brown sugar. Adds moisture, and richness, and contributes to the chewy texture of the cookies.
• Granulated sugar. It sweetens the cookies and contributes to their crisp edges.
• Lemon zest. Infuses the cookies with a bright, citrusy aroma and flavor.
• Unsalted butter. Adds richness and helps create a tender texture in the cookies.
• Egg. Binds the ingredients together and adds structure.
• Lemon juice. Freshly squeezed for a tangy lemon flavor that complements the sweetness of the blueberries.
• Pure Vanilla extract. Enhances the overall flavor of the cookies with its warm, aromatic notes.
• Blueberries. Provide bursts of juicy sweetness and give the cookies an intense blueberry flavor.

Take a look at the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full list of ingredients.

Add-ins and Substitutions for these Chewy Lemon Blueberry Cookies

Add-ins:

• White chocolate chips: Fold in a cup of white chocolate chips for a creamy, sweet contrast to the tartness of the blueberries and lemon.
• Lemon glaze: You can drizzle a lemon glaze over the cooled cookies for an extra burst of lemony sweetness. Just mix 1 cup sifter powdered sugar with 2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice
• Cream cheese frosting: Swap the lemon glaze for a decadent cream cheese frosting. Spread a generous layer of cream cheese frosting on top of each cookie for a rich and creamy finish.

Substitutions:

• Lemon extract: If you don’t have fresh lemons on hand, substitute 1-2 teaspoons of lemon extract for the freshly squeezed lemon juice for a concentrated lemon flavor.
• Frozen wild blueberries: If fresh blueberries are not available, you can use frozen wild blueberries straight from the freezer. There’s no need to thaw them before adding them to the cookie dough.

How to make these Soft and Chewy Blueberry Lemon Cookies

To get started, line your cookie sheet with parchment paper and set it aside. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, and then set them aside. 

In a large bowl, combine the sugars and lemon zest, massaging the zest into the sugar for about 30 seconds using the tip of your fingers.

Then, add the room temperature butter and cream it with the sugars at medium-high speed for 3 minutes.

Next, whisk in the egg, egg yolk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until everything is well combined, scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.

Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be cautious not to over-mix; a few streaks of flour are okay. 

Gently fold in the fresh blueberries using a rubber spatula to avoid breaking them and bleeding into the batter. 

Once the batter is ready, scoop it into 3-tablespoon-sized cookie dough balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Place the chilled dough balls on the baking sheet, ensuring they’re spaced 4 inches apart. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and crisp. While the first batch is baking, keep the remaining dough balls refrigerated. 

Optional, for perfectly round cookies: As soon as your cookies are out of the oven, use a circular cookie cutter slightly bigger than your cookies (or anything circular and hollow) and make a circular motion to swirl the cookies around inside the cookie cutter. You can also use a spatula to push in the uneven edges until you have a perfectly round cookie.

Once baked, let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring them. This ensures they are set properly and maintain their shape.

Expert Tips

• When you’re measuring flour with a measuring cup, make sure to do it with the spoon and level method. Just spoon the flour into the cup without pressing it down, then use a knife to level it off.
• If pressed on time, allow eggs to sit -completely covered- in warm (not hot) water for 3 minutes.
• After you’ve added the flour mix to the wet ingredients, be careful not to mix the dough too much. Once you mix the flour with the wet ingredients, the gluten starts to develop, and if you mix too much, the cookies might turn out hard and cakey.
• Make sure your blueberries are completely dry before adding them to the dough to avoid adding any extra moisture.
• Remember not to skip the chilling process for the dough. Chilling helps the flavors meld together and prevents the cookies from spreading too much while baking. So, even though it takes a bit of extra time, it’s worth it for better-tasting cookies.
• Check that your oven’s set to 350°F before you put the cookies in. Don’t start baking them until the oven’s heated up properly.
• For the best results, bake one tray of cookies at a time, and put it in the middle of the oven.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to chill the dough for the full recommended time?

Chilling the dough is crucial for preventing the cookies from spreading too much while baking and for allowing the flavors to develop. While you can bake the cookies sooner, chilling for the recommended time (1 hour to 24 hours) yields the best results.

My cookies turned out to be too soft or underbaked. What did I do wrong?

Underbaked cookies can result from several factors, such as inaccurate oven temperature or not baking them long enough. Ensure your oven is preheated to the correct temperature, and consider extending the baking time if needed.

Also, make sure your blueberries are completely dry before adding them to the batter to avoid adding any excess liquid, which can result in softer cookies.

How do I store any leftover cookies?

After your cookies have cooled completely, store any leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. 

To keep them fresh for longer, you can also store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. 

Can I freeze the cookie dough or the baked cookies for later?

Yes, you can freeze both the cookie dough and the baked cookies for later. To freeze the dough, shape it into balls and freeze on a baking sheet until firm, then transfer them to a freezer bag and keep frozen for up to 2 months. 

Baked cookies can be cooled completely, and then stored in an airtight container or freezer bag with layers of parchment paper between them. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Take a look at this link for more cookie recipes, or follow the links below for some lemon and lime-inspired dessert recipes:

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