These soft and chewy lemon lavender cookies are perfect for Spring! With tangy lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and a hint of lavender paste, the sugar cookies have the perfect blend of citrus and floral flavors. They're rolled in lemon sugar and dried lavender buds for crunch and extra flavor.
Lemon and lavender is one of my favorite flavor combinations. The soothing floral flavor pairs perfectly with citrus. You may have tried my lavender sugar cookies, lavender buttercream, and lemon lavender cupcakes, and these lemon lavender cookies are also perfect with cup of tea on a sunny Spring day.
While testing this cookie recipe, I made sure it had the perfect, delicate lavender flavor that isn't too overpowering or soapy. They're also easy to make- no chill time and they bake up in 10 minutes!
For more lemon recipes, try lemon bar cookies, lemon mascarpone cheesecake, lemon chocolate cake, or lemon berry mascarpone cake.
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Key Ingredients
- Unsalted butter- I prefer unsalted butter to have control over the amount of salt in the recipe.
- Egg and egg yolk- An extra egg yolk adds richness and makes the cookies super chewy!
- Lavender paste- Lavender paste infuses the cookies with a delicate floral aroma. You can also use traditional lavender extract, but you'll need double the amount.
- Lemon juice- Use freshly squeezed lemon juice to add a vibrant flavor. Don't use store-bought bottled lemon juice!
- Lemon zest- This is the yellow outer part of the lemon peel. It's full of lemon oil which adds a refreshing citrusy flavor and aroma. I used it to flavor these lemon rosemary cookies too!
- Dried lavender flowers- Lavender buds are in the sugar coating. Make sure it's labelled "culinary grade", meaning it's safe for human consumption. The best petals have a bright blue or purple hue, not gray or brown.
Flavor Variations
- Different citrus: You can make these cookies with any kind of citrus instead of lemon! Try lime, orange, grapefruit, or pomelo. And if you want to leave out the lemon, make these lavender sugar cookies.
- Lemon glaze: Mix ยฝ cup (60 grams) of powdered sugar with 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice and drizzle it on your baked cookies.
How to Make Them
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients. Then set the bowl aside.
Step 2: Whisk melted butter into the sugar. Make sure the butter has cooled to room temperature. If it's too hot, it will cause the cookies to spread a ton in the oven!
Step 3: Add the egg, yolk, and extracts. I like to add the egg and egg yolk one at a time. Mix in the lemon juice last so the mixture doesn't curdle.
Step 4: Fold in the dry ingredients and lemon zest. Fold just until the dry streaks disappear.
Step 5: Make the lemon lavender sugar. Then scoop the cookie dough with a cookie scoop and roll each ball into the bowl of sugar.
Step 6: Bake! Bake the cookies with 1-2 inches between each so there's room for spreading. Transfer to a wire rack and sprinkle with more lavender sugar before serving.
Expert Baking Tips
- Use room temperature eggs. The egg and egg yolk are easier to mix if they're room temperature. Pull them out of the fridge an hour or so before you start baking.
- Slightly underbake the cookies. The secret to getting super soft sugar cookies is to underbake them just a bit. Take your lemon lavender cookies out of the oven when the edges are slightly golden but the centers are puffy and look a bit raw. As they cool on the hot cookie sheet, they'll continue to bake slightly and get that perfect soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture!
- Scoot your cookies. For perfectly round cookies, reshape them as soon as they come out of the oven. Place a cup or biscuit cutter over each cookie (make sure it's slightly larger than the cookies) and swirl it around. This scoots the edges in, making the cookies a bit thicker and perfect circles!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can make the dough up to 24 hours ahead of time. After the dry ingredients are added, scoop the dough, roll into balls, place them in an airtight container or on a cookie sheet (cover the tray with plastic wrap after), and store in the fridge. Make the lemon lavender sugar right before you bake them.
I haven't tested any egg substitutes for this recipe, so I can't guarantee the results, but you can try using 2 flax eggs instead. Mix 2 tablespoons flax seed meal with 5 tablespoons of water and let it thicken for 5 minutes. Then follow the recipe as written, using the flax eggs in place of the egg and egg yolk.
Yes! To really amp up the lemon flavor, add ยผ-1/2 teaspoon of lemon extract. Start with ยผ and add more to taste.
More Cookie Recipes to Try
๐ Recipe
Lemon Lavender Cookies
Equipment
- 1 whisk
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Ingredients
Lemon Lavender Cookies
- 330 grams all purpose flour
- ยฝ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- 226 grams unsalted butter melted
- 200 grams granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 egg yolk room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lavender paste or 2 teaspoon lavender extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 13 grams lemon zest 3 lemons
Lemon Lavender Sugar
- 50 grams granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoon dried lavender
- 5 grams lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF (180ยฐC) and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.330 grams all purpose flour, ยฝ teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ยฝ teaspoon salt
- Whisk the melted butter and sugar together in a separate large mixing bowl.226 grams unsalted butter, 200 grams granulated sugar
- Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and lavender extract. Whisk until well combined. Then mix in the lemon juice.1 large egg, 1 egg yolk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon lavender paste, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Fold the dry ingredients and lemon zest into the wet ingredients with a rubber spatula until the dry streaks of flour disappear. Don't overmix.13 grams lemon zest
- In a small bowl, combine sugar, lemon zest, and lavender buds for the coating.50 grams granulated sugar, 3 tablespoon dried lavender, 5 grams lemon zest
- Scoop the cookie dough with a cookie scoop and roll each ball in the bowl of sugar. Place the dough balls on the baking trays about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10-13 minutes or until the edges are golden and set and the middles look slightly underdone.
- Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the hot tray for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool completely.
- Sprinkle the cookies with more sugar and lavender buds if desired and enjoy!
Dee
Beautiful recipe.
Cookies turned out simply amazing!