Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies
These Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies are soft, moist and incredibly delicious. The texture of the cookie perfectly complements the smooth and creamy vanilla buttercream frosting on top.
These are one of the BEST cookies that I have ever made.
With a delicious and bright lemon flavor in every bite, you won’t want to stop eating them.
However, the lemon flavor is perfectly contrasted with the smooth and silky vanilla bean buttercream frosting on top.
Trust me, each bite is better than the last!
Main Ingredients
- All Purpose Flour
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Salted Butter
- Granulated Sugar
- Vanilla Extract / Vanilla Paste
- Lemons
- Poppy Seeds
Why You Will LOVE This Cookie Recipe
The flavor. Each bite is bursting with an incredible lemon flavor.
By adding both lemon zest AND juice to the cookie, the lemon flavor is strong but not overpowering.
And when paired with the vanilla frosting, it has a flawless balance of flavors.
Perfect texture. The cookie is soft and tender in every bite.
It is perfectly crumbly while still being moist. The cookie melts in your mouth and pairs well with the smooth vanilla buttercream frosting on top.
Simple. Both the cookie batter and frosting are incredibly easy to make.
The cookie batter requires just one bowl and an electric hand mixer to bring it all together.
How to Make Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
- To a large mixing bowl, add the granulated sugar and lemon zest
- Rub the zest into the sugar using your fingers to release the oils
- Add the softened butter and mix until smooth and creamy using an electric hand mixer
- Next, add in the lemon juice, egg, and vanilla extract
- Mix until fully combined
- Add the poppy seeds and mix into the wet ingredients
- Now, add in the flour, baking powder and baking soda
- Mix using the electric hand mixer until combined
- Use a 2 tbsp cookie scoop to portion out the dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper
- Bake for about 15 minutes until the cookies rise with golden edges/bottom
- Remove from the oven to cool on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack
- Repeat for other cookie tray if needed
- While the cookies cool, make the vanilla buttercream frosting
- To a large/tall mixing bowl, add the softened butter
- Add in the vanilla (extract or paste) and powdered sugar
- Blend until smooth and creamy. The frosting should be thick enough to pipe onto the cookies and hold its shape
- Once ready, transfer the frosting to a piping bag or Ziplock bag
- Cut the tip of the bag and pipe swirls on the top of each cookie
- Serve and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Swap the flour for Gluten Free All Purpose Flour at a 1:1 ratio.
(Note: I haven’t tested this swap in this specific recipe but has typically worked in other cookie recipes. To be safe, start by adding only 1 1/4 cup of flour then slowly add in the rest until it reaches the desired texture).
Both vanilla extract and paste have similar vanilla flavor profiles, however, they differ in consistency and flavor intensity.
Vanilla paste is a thicker, more concentrated blend, often including ground vanilla beans, and has a more intense vanilla flavor than vanilla extract.
Vanilla extract, on the other hand, is a liquid infusion of vanilla bean flavor.
Of course, if you prefer to not add them into the batter, it will not impact the final result of the cookie. They will still be delicious!
Store in a sealed, airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the fridge for 7 days.
You can wrap each cookie individually in plastic wrap before placing them in an airtight container to store in the freezer (up to 1 month for ultimate freshness).
Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies
Ingredients
Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies
- 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 tbsp Lemon Zest, zest of 2 lemons
- 1/2 cup Salted Butter, softened to room temp
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice, use juice from lemon
- 1 large Egg, room temperature
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 tsp Poppy Seeds
- 1 3/4 cup All Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 1/2 cup Salted Butter, softened to room temp
- 2 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 tbsp Vanilla Paste, or 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
- To a large mixing bowl, add the granulated sugar and lemon zest
- Rub the zest into the sugar using your fingers to release the oils
- Add the softened butter and mix until smooth and creamy using an electric hand mixer
- Next, add in the lemon juice, egg, and vanilla extract
- Mix until fully combined
- Add the poppy seeds and mix into the wet ingredients
- Now, add in the flour, baking powder and baking soda
- Mix using the electric hand mixer until combined. The batter should be somewhat thick
- Use a 2 tbsp cookie scoop to portion out the dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (I do 6-8 cookies on a baking sheet and bake one tray at a time)
- Bake for about 15 minutes until the cookies rise with golden edges/bottom (The cookies should still be soft in the middle)
- Remove from the oven to cool on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack
- Repeat for other cookie tray if needed
- While the cookies cool, make the vanilla buttercream frosting
- To a large/tall mixing bowl, add the softened butter
- Add in the vanilla (extract or paste) and powdered sugar
- Blend until smooth and creamy. The frosting should be thick enough to pipe onto the cookies and hold its shape
- Once ready, transfer the frosting to a piping bag or Ziplock bag
- Cut the tip of the bag and pipe swirls on the top of each cookie
- Serve and enjoy!