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Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies

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Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies – crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, lemony sweet treat. If you love lemon, these are the cookies for you.

Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies, a light and lemony sweet treat!

Shawn’s new job has made us a very early morning house.

He now works 6:30-3:00. Great because he’s off work so early. Bad because our alarm is now set for 5:30. Am. In the morning. When it’s still dark out.

It’s been quite the adjustment.

Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies, a light and lemony sweet treat!

And since I’m such a light sleeper nice wife, I wake up with him and make his breakfast and coffee so it’s ready for him after he’s done showering and getting dressed.

To help wake us up in the morning, I’ve been putting on the news to play in the background, which I’m quickly realizing isn’t not the most pleasant morning viewing. Have you watched the morning news lately?! So many horrible things to report on every day! Murders. Major draught here in California. And many, many car accidents all around the Bay Area that are jamming up the freeways.

I need something a little more gentle for the morning time. I may have to switch us to children’s cartoons.

{recipe video!}

Don’t you just crave lemony desserts come spring time? As soon as the sun is out and shining, I want to make all things bright and lemony. And these lemon poppy seed cookies are the perfect sweet treat to curb that craving.

These sugar cookies have both lemon zest and lemon juice for lots of lemon flavor. The poppy seed give them cute little blue speckles, and a nice little pop of flavor.

Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies, a light and lemony sweet treat!

I love these lemon poppy seed cookies because they are so EASY! No need to chill the dough or roll them out. No chilling means I can have these cookies within 30 minutes! Just make the dough and scoop them out. I am obsessed with my medium size cookie scoop. Now all of my cookies turn out the same size and bake evenly.

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Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies

★★★★★ 4.8 from 6 reviews
  • Author: Tastes Lovely
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 25 mins
  • Yield: 24 cookies 1x
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 sticks (16 tablespoons) butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • zest from 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (about half a lemons worth)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees, with the racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
  3. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or large mixing bowl with a hand mixer) beat the butter and sugars at medium speed for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary. Add the egg, vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice and beat for over medium speed for 1 minute, until combined. Add in the flour mixture, and beat of low speed until just combined. Scrape down the bowl if necessary.
  4. Use a medium cookie scoop* (or manually measure 1.5 tablespoon balls), scoop out the cookies and transfer to parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake in the oven for 16 minutes, rotating the trays half way thru baking. Cool for 3 minutes before eating. Will keep in an airtight container for 1 week.
  5. This dough freezes beautifully. Just freeze the scooped dough on a cookie sheet. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer safe container. Bake an additional 2-4 minutes than when baked raw.

Notes

*This is the the medium size cookie scoop I use and LOVE!

Adapted from Cooks Illustrated

Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies, a light and lemony sweet treat!

More Sweet Treats

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Lemon Poppy Seed Recipes from my Food Blogging Friends

Mini Lemon Poppy Seed Loaves by Pumpkin N Spice
Lemon Poppy Seed Granola Bars by Maebells
Baked Lemon Poppy Seed Donuts by Live Well Bake Often

This post contains affiliate links, which means anything you buy at Amazon after following that link will make me a few pennies. Thanks for the love!

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Lovely comments so far...

  1. Bring on ALL the lemon-y things! These cookies look absolutely perfect, Natalie! Lemon poppyseed cookies have been something I’ve been wanting to try for a loooong time. It’s been on my to-do list for practically forever and I think you just convinced me! These look like they would go so great with my coffee this morning. ;)

    Reply

  2. Oh I love anything with lemon! The cookies look so delicious, Natalie! I love lemon poppyseed and cookies, but never thought to combine them. Such a great idea!

    Reply

  3. Ugh, I know how you feel. Seth has to wake up at 4:30 for work. You are a way better wife than me to get up and make his breakfast and coffee!! These cookies look spring-y and amazing :). Can’t wait to try.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  5. I can relate to the early mornings as well now since we got the puppy, especially with crate training. Oh boy, sleep is not something I have any more. It’s been raining for a few days here in Jersey, I wis I could send it your way knowing how bad you guys need it.
    I definitely don’t cook with poppy seeds often or ever, but these cookies sound like they are light and might be just what I need today. Can you overnight me a few? :)

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  8. I adore these pretty little cookies! I am SUCH a sucker for lemon poppy seed, it is certainly one of my favorites! Actually we had a lemon flavored wedding cake!

    And I totally know what you mean about being an early riser, my husband gets up at 5:30 too and for like a week I did it with him…..but it didn’t last long! I need my sleep! :)

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  9. Wow that is quite a schedule! You two must be early to bed. My roommate used to listen to the news in the morning, but it’s definitely not for me..can’t handle so much bad stuff that early! These cookies look yummy! I started drinking lemon water in the morning, and ever since then, I crave lemon a lot more often. Weird, but makes me want these cookies even more!

    Reply

  11. Aaah you’re an amazing wife! Never could I get up with my husband at 6am, but then again I’m up half the night nursing so I feel like I deserve the extra few minutes, haha! And yes, you definitely need a brighter morning background noise, children’s cartoons sound perfect, no? ;) Love the cookies and how simple they are – even though they’ve got poppy seeds :P They look delicious!

    Reply

  12. I’m definitely a morning gal. But the watching the news sounds like surefire way to make me not like the mornings.
    My days start with coffee and prayer. Ahh…and maybe a few of these delish cookies. That would be extra fine!

    I never tried lemon poppy seed cookies. They look outstanding!

    Reply

  15. Oh that news… yuck. Not a good way to start the day for sure! As if there’s no good news to report, gah! You do have an early morning, but isn’t that a great way to start the day.. with the one you love? Rob’s day starts at 3:30 am.. and yes, I get up with him too. It took some adjusting when that all started, but I find I’m much more productive in the morning than in the afternoon! So It’s a win win! These cookies are so fresh and just adorable. The sunshinyness of the lemon and texture of the poppy seeds sound perfect! And I see those crisp edges.. lovely! Thank you for this, Natalie!

    Reply

  17. These cookies look absolutely perfect, Natalie! Lemon anything is my favorite especially once spring arrives! I love that they have crispy edges and a soft center and the no chilling part makes them even more irresistible! Hope they help make your earlier mornings a little bit easier :)

    Reply

  18. There was this time when I felt the need to wake up early and go to the gym (that didn’t last long) and whenever I’d come home, I’d sit with my coffee and watch the news…and was horrified about everything. I’m not horrified by these cookies though. In fact, I might be in love with these. As a lemon fanatic, I want these now–they look amazing! Plus, your pictures. Love!

    Reply

  19. I am a lemon obsessed person – lemon desserts are my weakness. These cookies look amazing! I wake up around 5:30 without an alarm – I’m a morning person. Plus, I used to work early hours and was up at 3:30am everyday – I definitely don’t miss that! I love that you get up with Shawn and have his breakfast ready, I’m sure he appreciates it :)

    Reply

  21. Oh gosh, I am SO not a morning person. You are the cutest, I can’t believe you wake up and make him breakfast! I am NOT going to tell Nick, I don’t want him to get any ideas! lol
    I am with you for the morning cartoons lol. The news is SO negative!
    Okay and these cookies are TOO perfect for words! I love anything lemon!! I don’t think I would be able to stop at just one!
    Pinned!

    Reply

  25. I definitely crave lemon in the Spring! I think the cartoons are a good idea. I mean, I don’t really enjoy the news regardless of time of day! Lol. I’d definitely need some of these cookies to cheer me up :)

    Reply

  26. OY VEY! I can’t even IMAGINE getting up at 5:30am!!! I’m ashamed to even whisper what time I wake up every morning.

    These cookies are so pretty – I love the poppy seed speckles – and your video! I feel like I was in your kitchen making them with you:)

    Reply

  27. I was at a conference and they set out these cookies for a snack. All i could think about the rest of the day were these cookies. I found your recipe and they resembled the conference cookie the most.
    I made them this past weekend and mine spread like a cookie while cooking. I’m wondering if refrigerating the dough and then cooking would help keep the thicker look? And if not then not cooking for as long, maybe 10 minutes otherwise the cookie isn’t soft, but got crisp with cooking for 16 minutes.

    Reply

    • I’m so glad you liked them Cecily! Sorry yours got thin. Do you have a cookie scoop? I have the medium size by OXO. I think that really helps them stay “thick”. Chilling the dough would help too, but then it’s really hard to scoop out the cookies. Maybe try adding an extra 2 tablespoons of flour. Maybe that will keep them thicker. Hope it helps! Now I’m craving these. I always make them when spring comes : )

      Reply

    • Just made these! Love them. SUPER delicious. Mine spread, too. I didn’t use a scoop, but the balls of dough were v rounded pre-bake – similar to a scoop. I don’t mind, but next time I’m going to refrigerate the dough for 15 mins before baking. What a treat, though!

      ★★★★★

      Reply

      • I just made these a few times in the past few weeks, and they didn’t spread. But if yours are, definitely chill the dough! That will keep them from spreading. These are my favorite cookies for spring! Glad you found them delicious! Hugs Melissa!

        Reply

    • If you love lemon and poppy seeds, then you’ll LOVE these cookies! They’re my absolute favorite for spring. Hope you love them if you make them!

      Reply

  29. Lemon is really good for health and skin :d I love lemon like you but actually I don’t know how to make some cake with lemon. Thank you for your recipe that can help me make 1 cookie 😀

    ★★★★

    Reply

  30. I’m all set to make the cookies but now have a silly question. I believe you said to position the oven rack on the upper and lower third of the oven. Do you bake two trays of cookies at a time, one on each rack? And then half way through baking, move the trays top to bottom and bottom to top and front to back? Am I over thinking? Hate to “mess up” when baking — love everything lemon!

    Reply

    • Yes! That’s exactly how I do it! I bake 2 trays at once. Then half way through baking, I rotate the trays on the shelves, just for even baking.

      Reply

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