Description
These Lemon Blueberry Cookies are a delightful balance of tart lemon zest and juicy wild blueberries, baked into soft, flavorful cookies perfect for any occasion. The dough is chilled to enhance texture and then rolled in a fragrant lemon sugar for an extra citrusy kick. This recipe yields tender, slightly crisp-edged cookies that burst with fresh blueberry flavor and a refreshing lemon aroma.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup Unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups White granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup Light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Lemon zest
- 1 Large egg
- 1 tbsp Fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups All-purpose flour, sifted
- 1/2 tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 3/4 cup Wild frozen blueberries
Lemon Sugar Coating
- 1/2 cup White granulated sugar
- 2 tsp Lemon zest
Instructions
- Prepare the butter and sugars: In a large bowl, combine the softened unsalted butter, white granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon lemon zest. Using a handheld mixer, beat the mixture for 3 to 4 minutes until it becomes fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing.
- Add wet ingredients: Add the large egg, fresh lemon juice, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Mix again using the handheld mixer for another 1 to 2 minutes until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Sift dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to ensure even distribution and remove any lumps.
- Combine dry and wet ingredients: Gradually mix the sifted dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined. Be careful not to overmix to maintain a tender cookie texture.
- Fold in blueberries: Gently fold in the wild frozen blueberries, ensuring they are evenly incorporated into the dough without breaking them up too much to keep streaks of blueberries in the dough.
- Chill the dough: Using a 2-ounce ice cream scoop, portion the cookie dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 1 to 2 hours until completely chilled. This step helps the cookies hold their shape during baking.
- Prepare lemon sugar coating: In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup white granulated sugar with 2 teaspoons of lemon zest. Use your fingertips to rub the lemon zest into the sugar to release the natural oils and infuse the sugar with lemon flavor. Set aside.
- Preheat oven and coat cookies: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Remove the chilled cookie dough balls from the refrigerator and roll each ball in the prepared lemon sugar to coat completely. Arrange the cookies on a baking sheet, placing about 5 cookies per sheet to allow room for spreading.
- Bake the cookies: Bake the cookies at 350°F for 16 to 17 minutes. Halfway through the baking time, rotate the baking sheet to ensure even browning. The cookies should be lightly golden and set around the edges.
- Shape and cool: Remove the cookies from the oven and, while still warm, use a large cookie cutter slightly bigger than the cookie size to gently round out uneven edges for a uniform shape. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before handling or serving.
Notes
- Using frozen blueberries helps prevent them from bleeding into the dough too much, keeping the cookies beautifully marbled.
- Chilling the dough is crucial to help the cookies maintain their shape and develop better flavor.
- Rubbing lemon zest into sugar intensifies the lemon aroma and flavor coating on each cookie.
- For softer cookies, slightly reduce the baking time by 1-2 minutes.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 17 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: lemon blueberry cookies, lemon zest cookies, blueberry dessert, soft cookies, citrus cookies, berry cookies
