Description
Delight in these soft and flavorful Lemon Blueberry Cookies, featuring fragrant lemon zest and juicy wild blueberries rolled in a zesty lemon sugar coating. Perfectly balanced with a hint of vanilla and fresh lemon juice, these cookies offer a refreshing twist on a classic treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups white granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour, sifted
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup wild frozen blueberries
Lemon Sugar Coating
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
- 2 tsp lemon zest
Instructions
- Prepare the Butter Mixture: In a large bowl, combine softened butter, white sugar, brown sugar, and lemon zest. Using a handheld mixer, beat for 3-4 minutes until the mixture is fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary to ensure even mixing.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the egg, fresh lemon juice, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Mix again for 1-2 minutes until fully incorporated.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: Sift together all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually mix the sifted dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined. Be careful not to over mix. Then gently fold in the frozen wild blueberries, leaving visible streaks of blueberry throughout the dough.
- Chill the Dough: Using a 2 oz ice cream scoop, portion the cookie dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate the dough for 1-2 hours until completely chilled and firm.
- Prepare Lemon Sugar: In a small bowl, combine white granulated sugar and lemon zest. Use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar to release the natural oils and enhance flavor. Set aside.
- Preheat Oven and Coat Cookies: Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Take each chilled cookie dough ball and roll it in the prepared lemon sugar, coating evenly. Place 5 cookies per baking sheet to allow for spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake for 17 minutes, turning the baking sheet halfway through for even browning. Remove cookies from the oven once edges are set and centers are slightly soft.
- Shape Cookies: While still warm, use a large cookie cutter slightly bigger than the cookie to gently round out any uneven edges for a uniform appearance.
- Cool Before Serving: Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet or a wire rack before handling or serving.
Notes
- Spoon and level the flour instead of scooping it from the bag to prevent packing and ensure accurate measurement. Use the back of a butter knife to level off the flour.
- Use a round cookie cutter to shape cookies right after baking while they are still warm. This simple step helps achieve perfectly round edges for a professional look.
- Refrigerating the dough is essential to maintain shape and prevent excessive spreading during baking.
- If wild frozen blueberries are unavailable, fresh or regular frozen blueberries can be substituted carefully to minimize juice leakage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
