These vibrant Lemon Raspberry Cookies are bursting with bright citrus and sweet-tart raspberries, creating a soft, chewy cookie that tastes like sunshine in every bite.
These Lemon Raspberry Cookies bring me right back to summer afternoons on the porch of our Michigan cottage. My daughter, Lily, and I had just come back from the local berry patch, our baskets overflowing with plump, juicy raspberries. We also had a bowl of lemons from a recent grocery run, and Lily, ever the creative baker, suggested, “Mom, what if we put them together in cookies!” It was a brilliant idea, a fusion of tart and sweet that I knew would be a winner. I started experimenting, aiming for that perfect balance, inspired by the scientific approach to cookie chemistry from resources like Serious Eats on cookie baking. The result was this recipe—a batch of vibrant, tender cookies that instantly became a summertime favorite in our family.
🟫 Why This Is So Good
- Bursting with Fresh Flavor – The combination of bright lemon zest and juice with sweet-tart raspberries creates an incredibly fresh, vibrant flavor profile that truly sings.
- Perfectly Soft and Chewy – These cookies have that ideal balance: slightly crisp edges with a wonderfully soft, tender, and chewy center.
- Beautiful Presentation – The flecks of red raspberry against the sunny yellow dough, often sprinkled with flaky salt, make these cookies absolutely gorgeous and inviting.
- Refreshing Year-Round – While they scream summer, these cookies are a welcome burst of freshness any time of year, especially on a dreary winter day.
The first time these came out of the oven, the entire kitchen filled with the most incredible citrus and berry aroma. Lily practically danced around the cooling rack, eager for a taste. When they were finally cool enough, she bit into one, and her eyes sparkled. “Mom, it tastes like summer!” she exclaimed. Mark, always a fan of anything lemony, declared them “dangerously addictive.” That day, these Lemon Raspberry Cookies cemented their place as a cherished family recipe, embodying the joy of those sun-drenched summer days. The secret to those bursts of flavor is all in the zest, which is where most of the lemon flavor truly lies. For more advanced recipes, visit Bake Warely.
🟫 Getting Your Ingredients Right
- Fresh Lemon Zest and Juice: Do not use bottled lemon juice for this recipe; fresh is absolutely essential for that vibrant, bright flavor. Zest your lemon before you juice it.
- Room Temperature Butter: Properly softened butter is crucial for creaming with the sugars to create a light, airy dough structure that will result in soft cookies.
- Frozen Raspberries (Chopped): Using frozen raspberries, chopped small, prevents them from bleeding excessively into the dough and keeps their shape better, giving you lovely pockets of fruit.
- Flaked Sea Salt: A sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top before baking is optional but highly recommended for this Lemon Raspberry Cookies recipe. It enhances the sweetness and tartness beautifully.
🟫 Making It Step by Step
Prepare the Lemon-Infused Dough
First, in a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and the lemon zest. Use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar for about 30 seconds. This simple step, called “zest-infusion,” releases the lemon oils and intensifies the flavor. Set this aside. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. In a large mixing bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the room-temperature butter with the lemon-infused sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy, usually about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the egg yolk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until well combined.
Combine and Chill
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the dough. Gently fold in the chopped frozen raspberries until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough. The dough will be soft. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours. This chilling step is crucial for the Lemon Raspberry Cookies to prevent excessive spreading and to deepen the flavors.
Bake to Perfection
When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the chilled dough into 1.5-inch balls and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. If you like, sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt on top of each dough ball. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers still look soft and slightly puffed. They will set as they cool. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
🟫 Making Sure It Turns Out
- Don’t Overmix the Dough: Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can lead to tough cookies. Mix only until the dry ingredients are just incorporated.
- Chill the Dough: Do not skip the chilling step! It helps the butter firm up, preventing the cookies from spreading too much and resulting in a chewier texture.
- Don’t Overbake: For soft and chewy cookies, pull them from the oven when the edges are just barely golden. The centers will still look a little soft, but they will continue to bake on the hot sheet.
My very first attempt at these Lemon Raspberry Cookies was a bit of a spread-out disaster. I was so excited to get them in the oven that I skipped the chilling step entirely. The dough was too warm, and the cookies baked into flat, crispy discs, with the raspberries bleeding all over. They tasted fine, but they certainly weren’t the beautiful, chewy cookies I had envisioned. That one mistake taught me the invaluable lesson that sometimes, patience (and a little chill time) is truly a virtue in baking.
🟫 Perfect Serving Ideas
These Lemon Raspberry Cookies are a delightful treat on their own, perfect for brightening up any afternoon. They are wonderful served with a cup of tea or a glass of lemonade for a refreshing snack. They also make a gorgeous addition to a dessert platter for summer parties, baby showers, or brunches. Their bright flavor means they pair beautifully with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream too.
🟫 Making It Different
Feel free to experiment with other berries in this recipe. Blueberries or chopped blackberries would be delicious alternatives to raspberries. You could also add a white chocolate drizzle after the cookies have cooled for an extra touch of sweetness, or even incorporate a teaspoon of poppy seeds into the dough for a classic lemon-poppy seed twist.
🟫 Storage and Leftovers
Store the cooled Lemon Raspberry Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. For longer storage, you can freeze the baked cookies for up to 2 months. Thaw them at room temperature, or warm them slightly in the microwave for a fresh-baked experience.
🟫 Tips That Actually Help
- Zest Directly into Sugar: Rubbing the lemon zest directly into the granulated sugar helps to release the lemon oils, infusing the sugar with more intense flavor.
- Chop Raspberries Small: Chopping the frozen raspberries into smaller pieces ensures they distribute more evenly throughout the dough and don’t create overly large pockets of moisture.
- Use a Cookie Scoop: A cookie scoop ensures that all your cookies are the same size, which helps them bake evenly and look consistent.
The “zest-infusion” trick was a revelation for me. I used to just throw the zest in with the wet ingredients, and while it tasted good, it never had that incredibly bright, intense lemon flavor I was craving. Taking that extra minute to rub the zest into the sugar truly awakens the citrus oils and makes a remarkable difference in the final flavor. It’s a small step that makes these Lemon Raspberry Cookies truly shine.
These Lemon Raspberry Cookies have become a constant source of sunshine in our home. They remind me of those carefree summer days, of simple joys, and of the magic that happens when you bake with love (and a little help from your kids’ creative ideas!). I hope they bring a little bit of that bright, happy feeling into your kitchen too.
🟫 Frequently Asked Questions
→ Can I use fresh raspberries instead of frozen? You can, but I recommend freezing them first and then chopping them small. Fresh raspberries tend to break down more and release more moisture, which can affect the cookie texture.
→ What if I don’t have cream of tartar? Cream of tartar is actually not in this specific recipe, unlike snickerdoodles. So, no need to worry about it here!
→ Why did my cookies spread too much? This is usually due to the butter being too soft or the dough not being chilled enough. Make sure your butter is at room temperature and chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.
→ Can I freeze the cookie dough? Yes! You can freeze the rolled cookie dough balls on a baking sheet until firm, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding a minute or two to the baking time.
→ Can I make these Lemon Raspberry Cookies gluten-free? You can try substituting a good quality 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, but the texture may be slightly different.
→ How do I get the lemon zest off the lemon easily? Use a microplane grater for the finest zest. Roll the lemon on the counter before zesting to release the oils.
Print
Lemon Raspberry Cookies
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
Description
These vibrant Lemon Raspberry Cookies are soft, chewy, and bursting with bright citrus and sweet-tart raspberry flavor.
Ingredients
→ For the Cookies:
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large lemon, zested
- ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¼ cup (55 g) brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (about half a lemon)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1¼ cups (175 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (75 g) frozen raspberries, chopped small
- Flaked salt for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Infuse Sugar: In a small bowl, rub the lemon zest into the granulated sugar with your fingertips for about 30 seconds.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Cream Butter & Sugars: In a large bowl, beat the room-temperature butter with the lemon-infused sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes).
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg yolk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Combine Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low until just combined. Gently fold in the chopped frozen raspberries.
- Chill: Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Roll & Bake: Scoop 1.5-inch dough balls, place on prepared baking sheets, and sprinkle with flaked salt if desired. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until edges are lightly golden and centers are soft.
- Cool: Let the Lemon Raspberry Cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Zest Infusion is Key: Rubbing the lemon zest into the sugar first extracts more flavor and makes these cookies truly sing.
- Don’t Overbake: For soft and chewy cookies, pull them from the oven when the centers still look slightly soft. They will continue to set as they cool.
- Chill the Dough: Do not skip chilling the dough. This helps prevent spreading and results in a thicker, chewier cookie.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 140 kcal
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 19g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
Keywords: Lemon Raspberry Cookies
