Soft and chewy blueberry lemon cookies
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.
Servings: cookies
Equipment
- 1-2 Cookie sheet
- 1-2 sheet parchment paper
- 1 Electric mixer
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 large yolk room temperature
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup fresh blueberries washed and dried
Instructions
- 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.2 1/4 cup (281.3 g) all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 3/4 teaspoons (0.8 teaspoons) baking soda, 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) salt
- 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.1/2 cup (110 g) brown sugar, 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- Then, add the room-temperature butter and cream it with the sugars at medium-high speed for 3 minutes.1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter
- 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.1 large egg, 1 large yolk, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 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.1 cup (148 g) fresh blueberries
- 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.
Notes
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.
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.
