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These Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies have a soft and crunchy texture, accompanied by a bold and bright citrus flavor. Soft citrus cookies are the perfect thing to bring to a spring party or picnic.
Monday was 96 degrees in LA. I literally donโt understand anything anymore.
This week has been a doozy since the beginning of it was spent attempting to get my life in order (read: taxes), which I did and feel wonderful about! YAY! I feel like starting a blog is all fun and games until you have to file taxes, then owe $$$$ and then it gets very real. Now that that businass stuff is settled, I can go back to concentrating on more fun stuff, things I actually enjoy like cookies and cake and salads.
What are Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies?
Citrus Poppy Seed Cookies are super soft and cake-y in texture. They have crisped edges and a hint of zest–perfect for a hot summer day.
These Citrus-Poppy Seed Cookies come from my friend Melissaโs new cookbook The Minimalist Kitchen! Itโs a gorgeous book and the ingredients and recipe are about having a pared down, minimalist kitchen. The book guides you to create a framework that touches on everything from your ingredients, tools, pantry and cooking techniques. The idea is that if you are following them, then meals can be mere minutes awayโitโs a cool idea for a book!
How to Make Citrus Poppy Seed Cookies
- Mix the dry ingredients together.ย Set aside.
- Cream together the butter, sugar and zest.
- Add in the oil, egg and lemon juice.ย Continue mixing until pale and evenly mixed.
- Add the dry ingredients to the creamed ingredients.
- Scoop out the dough onto a prepared baking sheet.ย Bake for 12 to 13 minutes.
These are perfect for a brunch, spring get-together. Theyโre a little chewy, on the softer side and very bright! I love these little things. Recently, Iโve found myself putting poppy seeds in literally everything and love their floral quality to them.
Hereโs a link to Melissaโs book and blog!
Soft Citrus Poppy Seed Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Electric Stand-Up Mixer
- Oxo Medium Cookie Scoop
Ingredients
Dry:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Creaming:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup white granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Rolling:
- 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Set aside.
- In a stand-up mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar and zests on medium speed until well combined. Add in the oil, egg, and lemon juice. Continue mixing until pale and evenly combined, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides every so often.
- Add the dry ingredients to the creamed ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. The dough will be somewhat dense.
- Using a tablespoon-sized spring-release scoop (2-ounce scoop), scoop out the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Carefully roll or lightly sprinkle the cookies with sugar. Bake for 12 to 13 minutes. The cookies will seem like they need a minute longer, but take them out anyways. Let cool on the pan for 1 minute before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If you make these Citrus Poppy Seed Cookies, let me know on Instagram.
Looking for more cookie recipes? Here are some other favorites:
- Chewy Pistachio Oat Lace Cookies
- Berry Crinkle Cookies
- Bourbon Pecan Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
I am allergic to corn. What would you use to replace the corn meal? Tia!
hi melinda, i haven’t tested this without cornmeal – sorry. not sure.
I want to make these cookies for some quarantine baking, but I obviously donโt need all these cookies in my house . Can I use your cookie dough freezing technique with these? Should I roll them in the sugar before freezing them? Thanks!
yes you absolutely can! i would say to roll them in the sugar right before baking (so after the freezing) and since i haven’t tested these baking from frozen, i would say to bring them to room temp on a baking sheet before baking.
Perfect! Thank you!
I love, love, love these cookies. I’ve made them several times now. They’re easy to make and people really enjoy them!
Nha hang o Vinh – I love to keep things simple in the kitchen and your blog really helps me to accomplish my goals.
Hi Adrianna,
I would love to make these cookies but I have celiac :/ can you recommend a gluten free flour to replace the flour in the recipe?
I love to keep things simple in the kitchen and your blog really helps me to accomplish my goals.
Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies are everyoneโs favorite snack, comfort food and traditional dessert, too. Thank you for your hard work.
I just made these and am munching on my second cookie as I write. My cookies show more poppy seed specks than one ones pictured, but I’m fine with that. I amped up the lemon flavor with 1/4 tsp lemon oil, and now I think I’ll add 1/2 tsp next time for more lemony flavor. I got 24 cookies, using my #40 Piazza ice cream scoop.
Made these with some leftover meyer lemons – their texture reminds me of those muffin top cookies Panera sells, but with the citrusy brightness and depth of flavor Panera wishes their muffin top cookies had!
Great recipe – perfect for spring ๐ Thanks for sharing!