Our lemon blueberry cookies are made with lemon zest, fresh lemon juice and lemon extract - all three working together to give you a bright lemon flavor that you just can't get from a single source. The result is a soft, tender cookie with crisp edges and a cake-like middle filled with fresh blueberries in every bite. With a homemade lemon glaze drizzled over the top, this is the best blueberry cookie I have ever developed - and one of the most popular cookie recipes on Maple and Thyme.
This lemon blueberry cookie recipe comes together in one bowl with no mixer needed - just melted butter, simple ingredients from your pantry, three types of lemon and fresh blueberries. Lemon is one of my favorite flavors to bake with, and if you love lemon as much as I do, be sure to check out our Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies or our Lemon Raspberry Loaf Cake.
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Quick Look: Lemon Blueberry Cookies
- Ready In: 25 minutes + 30-60 minutes chilling time
- Makes: 24 cookies
- Calories: 153 kcal (approximately)
- Add to Your Shopping List: 2 lemons, lemon extract and fresh blueberries
- Dietary Info: Contains gluten, dairy and eggs - see variations for a gluten free version
- Baker's Note: Freeze your fresh blueberries for 30-40 minutes before mixing up this cookie dough. This is the secret to keeping them whole so that your cookie dough doesn't turn purple.
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Key Ingredients
- lemon extract - deepens and intensifies the lemon flavor in these cookies
- lemon zest - always use fresh lemon zest - the oils from the lemon zest really make these lemon blueberry cookies pop!
- fresh lemon juice - squeeze and strain your juice from the same lemon that you zest - keep things simple and zest first, then squeeze
- fresh blueberries - the key to perfect blueberry cookies is freezing those fresh berries for 30-40 minutes before mixing up the dough - this keeps them whole and prevents purple dough
How to Make Lemon Blueberry Cookies
Be sure to see the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and detailed recipe instructions.
Combine the melted butter with the sugar in a large bowl - whisk until well combined.
Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk. Then add the lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon extract to the batter. Whisk again until nice and smooth.
Add the flour mixture to the cookie dough. Mix until just combined.
Gently mix in the frozen blueberries. Be careful not to over mix here. Try and keep the blueberries whole.
Immediately scoop the cookie dough into cookie dough balls and arrange on a quarter sheet pan. Cover with plastic wrap and move the dough to the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes.
Once the dough has chilled, bake cookies at 350° on a parchment lined sheet pan for 8-10 minutes.
While the cookies bake, make the lemon glaze. Drizzle the baked cookies with the lemon glaze.
Allow the glaze to set until dry. Store baked cookies for 1-2 days in an airtight container.
Notes from My Test Kitchen
Keeping the berries whole - When I tested this recipe, keeping the blueberries whole was my top priority - I was trying to prevent the dough from turning purple. When I chilled the dough first and then tried to scoop it, the berries had started to thaw and they broke apart. This is why I decided to add the blueberries when they are frozen solid and to scoop this cookie dough right away. As you are scooping, try not to break the berries apart - I even use my fingers to pick up a few berries and tuck them into the balls of cookie dough if needed. After you scoop and arrange your cookie dough on a sheet pan, then chill the dough - either in the refrigerator (1 hour) or the freezer (30 minutes).
Add the lemon after the eggs - When I tested this recipe, I discovered that adding the lemon juice and lemon extract right next to the eggs in the bowl causes the eggs to curdle a bit from the acidity of the lemon. I changed the recipe and now whisk the eggs and vanilla into the butter and sugar and then add the lemon zest, juice, and extract. This keeps the batter smooth and prevents the eggs from curdling.
Substitutions and Variations
Substitutions
Lemon Extract - lemon extract gives these cookies their serious lemon flavor! If you don't have lemon extract, you can either omit it or add an extra ½ teaspoon of lemon juice. The lemon flavor will be more subtle without the lemon extract.
Fresh Blueberries - fresh blueberries are strongly recommended for this recipe. Frozen, store bought berries tend to come out of the bag already mushy and covered in blueberry juice. These will definitely turn your cookies purple. Dried blueberries are another option - they won't turn your cookie dough purple and will give you little chewy pockets of blueberry flavor in your cookies.
Variations
Add White Chocolate - fold in ½ to ¾ cup of chopped white chocolate along with the blueberries for a creamy, sweet contrast to the bright lemon flavor in these cookies.
Add Dark Chocolate - fold in ½ to ¾ cup of chopped dark chocolate or dark chocolate chips for a rich, decadent twist on these blueberry lemon cookies.
Gluten Free Lemon Blueberry Cookies - swap the all-purpose flour for your favorite gluten free 1:1 flour blend - the rest of the recipe stays exactly the same. Make sure that your flour blend has xanthan gum for the best structure and texture.
Storing Your Lemon Blueberry Cookies
These cookies are truly best enjoyed the same day that they are made. As they sit, the berries begin to bleed and the cookies can become soggy.
Baked Cookies - Store your baked blueberry cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you want to enjoy a cookie, bring it to room temperate and enjoy.
Freezing the Cookie Dough - This lemon blueberry cookie dough freezes up beautifully as scooped balls of cooke dough. After scooping, arrange on a quarter sheet pan and freeze the cookie dough until it's solid. Transfer the frozen dough to a freezer bag or container. I recommend freezing the lemon glaze in a separate container and tucking it in with the cookie dough. You can store the cookie dough in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you are ready to bake the cookies, place the frozen dough right on a parchment lined Sheed pan and bake as directed, adding an extra 2-3 minutes of bake time.
Freezing Baked Cookies - These cookies freeze well after they are baked. Allow the cookies to cool completely before storing and don't glaze them. Arrange in a single layer in an airtight freezer container for up to 3 months. You may want to add a piece of parchment paper between the layers of cookies. Thaw at room temperature for 1-2 hours before serving and give them a drizzle of fresh lemon glaze.
Amanda's Top Cookie Baking Tips
Scoop the Lemon Blueberry Cookie Dough Right Away: Make sure that you scoop this lemon cookie dough right after you mix the blueberries in. The berries will still be frozen and you won't break them apart with your cookie scoop. Then arrange the balls of dough on a quarter sheet pan and move to the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes.
Use a Kitchen Scale: The most common reason for cookies that spread too much or come out too thick is too little or too much flour. The most reliable way to get the right amount of flour in your cookie dough is to use a kitchen scale. This recipe calls for 260g of all purpose flour. Weighing your flour takes all of the guesswork out of measuring and guarantees consistency when you are baking.
Chill Your Cookie Dough: Another common reason that cookies spread too much is because the dough was not cold enough when it went into the oven. This recipe calls for at least 30 minutes of chilling time right after you scoop the cookie dough. Be sure to chill your cookie dough or your cookies will be flat and will run together.
Lemon Blueberry Cookies FAQs
For the recipe you should use both lemon juice and lemon extract as this combination develops the intense lemon flavor of the cookies. In general, lemon extract has a stronger lemon flavor than lemon juice and you should not use lemon juice instead of lemon extract if the recipe calls for lemon extract.
Frozen blueberries often end up juicy and mushy so I do not recommend them for this recipe. Use fresh berries that you have frozen in a single layer for 30-45 minutes. These berries will stay whole when you mix them into the cookie dough.
After you mix in the frozen blueberries, you want to scoop this dough. Once the blueberries thaw, they will break apart when you try to scoop. Fo this recipe, mix the frozen blueberries into the cookie dough, scoop the dough right away, arrange the cookie dough balls on a quarter sheet pan and then chill the balls of cookie dough for at least 30 minutes before baking.
In general, when cookies flatten it's one of two things - either there was not enough flour (or too much moisture) in the dough, or the dough was not chilled before baking. I would recommend using a kitchen scale for measuring your flour - this recipe calls for 260g. Also be very precise with your measurements of lemon juice and lemon extract, too much liquid can make the dough too soft. And don't skip chilling the dough - this is one of the most important steps for preventing flat cookies.
More Lemon Baking Recipes
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Lemon Blueberry Cookies with Lemon Glaze
Equipment
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- large mixing bowl
- citrus zester
- glass measuring cup
- whisk
- spatula
- cookie scoop
- sheet pan
- parchment paper
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- ¾ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon lemon extract
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest zest of one lemon
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice juice squeezed from one lemon
- 2 cups (260g) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cup fresh blueberries frozen solid
For the Lemon Glaze
- 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice juice squeezed from one half of a lemon
- 1 cup confectioners sugar sifted
Instructions
For the Cookies
- In a large mixing bowl, melt your butter for 30-60 seconds in the microwave. Most of the butter should be melted but some lumps should remain. Allow butter to cool for a few minutes.¾ cup unsalted butter
- Add sugar to melted butter and mix until well combined.1 cup granulated sugar
- Add eggs and vanilla to the butter and sugar. Whisk until well combined.2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Next, add the lemon zest, lemon juice and lemon extract Whisk again. If you add the lemon flavors directly next to the eggs, the eggs will cook or curdle a little bit.2 tablespoons lemon zest, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, ½ teaspoon lemon extract
- Add flour, baking soda and salt to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined.2 cups (260g) all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt
- Fold in the frozen blueberries.1 ½ cup fresh blueberries
- Use a large cookie scoop to scoop the cookie dough into balls and arrange the cookie dough on a parchment lined sheet pan. Move tray to the refrigerator and chill the cookie dough for 30-60 minutes.
- While dough is chilling, preheat oven to 350°.
- Arrange the chilled balls of cookie dough on a parchment lined baking sheet leaving two inches of space between cookies. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are just golden brown.
- Remove from the oven. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
For the Lemon Glaze
- Combine the lemon juice and confectioners sugar in a small mixing bowl. Whisk until the glaze is smooth. If it's a little too thin, add a few additional tablespoons of confectioners sugar.1 cup confectioners sugar, 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Once cookies have cooled, drizzle them with the lemon glaze. Allow the glaze to set for 15-20 minutes before serving the cookies.
Rick Engerman says
Really delicious …. Well done
Amanda Smallwood says
I’m so glad that you enjoyed the recipe! xo Amanda
Malia says
I added more sugar and lemon juice! Love them. Easy and fun. I also used frozen blueberries so it didn’t turn as purple.
Amanda Smallwood says
Sounds great! So happy that they turned out well in the end!
M G says
Followed recipe. Cookies baked Flat and ran together. Unfortunately
Amanda Smallwood says
Hi MG - I'm so sorry to hear this. Were you able to chill the dough for the recommended 30-60 minutes before baking. Typically the dough spreads for one of two reasons - either you didn't have enough flour in the dough (calls for 260g) or the dough wasn't chilled before baking. Can you tell me a bit more about your baking process so that we can trouble shoot your cookies? Thanks so much! xo Amanda
Vicki Williams says
Was the butter measured by when it is melted or when it is solid
Amanda Smallwood says
Hi Vicki!
You want to measure the butter before you melt it. So you will use a stick and a half of butter, then melt it, and then proceed with the recipe.
Thanks!
Amanda
Barbara Lanza says
I made them but refrigerated them before I shaped them . I made 24 cookies . I’m taking them to church in the morning so my Bible study class can enjoy them . I did taste one and they were delicious! 😋
Amanda Smallwood says
Love hearing this Barbara! Thanks so much for the feedback! xo Amanda
Aiyana Thompson says
I tried the recipe! The cookies turned out well but I’m confused with the drizzle part.
1 cup of sugar to 1 tbsp of lemon juice caused it to be too clumpy.
Amanda Smallwood says
Hi Aiyana,
Thanks so much for your feedback! You may just have to add a little more lemon juice to the glaze. I'll adjust the recipe to say 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice.
xo Amanda
Cheryl says
My cookies were flat and undone in middle. What went wrong
Amanda Smallwood says
Hi Cheryl,
It's hard to know exactly what happened because I don't know all the details of your ingredients, etc. In general, when cookies flatten it's one of two things. There was either not enough flour (or too much moisture) in the dough or the dough was not chilled before baking. I would recommend using a kitchen scale for measuring your flour (for this recipe it should be 260g) and being very precise with your measurements of lemon juice and lemon extract. Also remember to chill your dough and this will help with flat cookies. Thanks of checking in! xo Amanda
Alma Montemayor says
How many cookies is this supposed to make?
Amanda Smallwood says
Hi! The recipe makes 24 cookies! Thank you! Amanda
Ashley E says
These were amazing and worth the extra steps of freezing fresh blueberries a bit, zesting, etc. Oddly, the whole cookie frozen is delicious too! I froze some to keep from eating the whole batch at once. But, I kept sneaking one out and taking a bite before it defrosted, because I just couldn't help myself!
Amanda Smallwood says
Thanks so much for your feedback! Love it! So glad that you enjoyed the recipe. xo Amanda
Diane says
I used frozen blueberries, mu cookies came out purple, but still tasted amazing.
Amanda Smallwood says
So glad they were yummy! Yes! I think sometimes the frozen berries release a lot of juice as they thaw so that makes sense. Thanks for the feedback!
Cat says
These cookies are delicious, I did make the mistake of using frozen blueberries instead of fresh and I agree with the notes that you should use fresh. It made the cookies a bit mushy and not nearly as pretty as the pictures, just means I need to make them again! Thanks for the great recipe!
Amanda Smallwood says
Thanks so for sharing Cat! So glad to hear that the cookies were yummy!!! - Amanda