Soft Lemon Cookies with olive oil are the perfect cookie for any occasion! This simple one bowl recipe comes together in just minutes giving you the best lemony treat.
If you love lemon, these cookies are for you! Soft lemon cookies are the perfect simple recipe to have on hand when you’re craving a lemony sweet.
And, if you love lemon desserts, be sure to try Lemon Polenta Cake made with cornmeal, or my fan-favorite Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake. And, for a real simple treat, try these delicious Lemon Blondies! If you love soft cookies, be sure to check out my Apple Spice Cookies or these Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe!
Why these Soft Lemon Cookies are the BEST!
Delicious recipes don’t have to be complicated or full of ingredients. That’s what makes these cookies so special. Just a few ingredients and you have the softest and fluffiest lemon cookie that’s sure to be your new favorite.
This recipe is full of pantry staples. And, since it’s made with olive oil instead of butter, you don’t have to wait for the butter to soften.
Also, with this recipe, there is no special equipment required. All you need is a bowl, spoon, and baking sheet. No hand mixer or even a second bowl for the dry ingredients.
Here, lemon is the main ingredient so you really get that lemony flavor in each bite. The recipe calls for the zest and juice of a lemon, but if you really love lemon, you could double the zest.
Lastly, this recipe is super easy to make. It’s a one-bowl cookie that comes together quick with no need for a hand mixer. Just stir together the ingredients and scoop into balls.
Ingredients
Only seven ingredients required to make these delicious soft lemon cookies! You probably have most of them on hand already too! All you need is: flour, baking soda, lemon, egg, sugar, olive oil, and powdered sugar.
- Olive oil: this recipe reminds me of an Italian cookie I used to make which is why I opted to include olive oil instead of butter. It gives the cookie a moist and sweet flavor. Opt for a neutral extra virgin olive oil rather than a heavily flavored one.
- Lemon: an entire lemon (zest and juice) is needed for this recipe. If you happen to really love lemon, you can double the amount used. Or, if you wanted to try with a different flavor, orange juice and zest could be used instead.
- Powdered sugar: to finish off this cookie, I roll the dough balls in powdered sugar before baking. You can, however, omit this step altogether. Alternatively, you can sprinkle powdered sugar on the cookie before serving.
Read on to see how simple and easy this recipe really is!
How to make soft lemon cookies
This recipe comes together quick and is great if you need a quick cookie for entertaining or just to snack on. All you need is a mixing bowl, spoon, and baking sheet (bonus points for a cookie scoop!)
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Step 1: mix together the egg, sugar, olive oil, lemon zest and juice in a mixing bowl. No need to use a mixer for this. Just stir together until combined.
Step 2: stir in the baking soda until it is dissolved. Then add in the flour and mix until combined. You will have a thick batter.
Step 3: Using a cookie scoop or spoon, measure out equal amounts of the batter and roll into balls. Toss the dough balls in the powdered sugar and place on baking sheet spaced about two inches apart.
Step 4: bake in preheated oven for about 12 minutes, until the tops are cracked and puffed. Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then move to a cooling rack to cool completely.
These soft lemon cookies make a great after dinner treat! I like to serve mine with coffee or tea. They are also a great midday treat or snack to have on hand.
Recipe Tips and FAQs
These deliciously soft lemon cookies are so easy to make and guaranteed to turn out perfect every time if you follow these tips!
- Always weigh your flour to get a more accurate amount. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, spoon the flour into your measuring cups rather than scooping the flour straight from the container.
- Use a mild-flavored olive oil in the recipe. Canola oil can be substituted in a pinch.
- Once you add the flour to the batter, the dough will be thick. Continue stirring just until the flour is fully incorporated.
- Use a cookie scoop to ensure even-sized cookies.
In recipes that call for the juice and zest of a lemon, you can use whatever lemon you have on hand. However, to be more exact, a medium-sized lemon will yield about 1 tablespoon of zest and about 4 tablespoons of juice.
Lemon cookies are going to have a stronger more pronounced flavor so it’s always a good idea to store them separately from other cookies and food. You can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a month.
Related Recipes
If you love lemon treats, be sure to check out these lemony favorites!
Soft Lemon Cookies
Equipment
- baking sheet
- mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or baking mats; set aside.
- In a bowl, stir together the egg, sugar, olive oil, lemon zest and lemon juice until well combined. Stir in the baking soda until combined. Add in the flour and stir until the mixture forms a batter.
- Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl. Using a small scoop or spoon, measure out the dough and roll into balls. Roll the balls in the powdered sugar and place on the baking sheet about two inches apart.
- Bake in preheated oven for about 12 minutes. Let cool for five minutes before removing to cooling rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
- Olive oil: the olive oil gives the cookie a moist and sweet flavor. Opt for a neutral extra virgin olive oil rather than a heavily flavored one.
- Lemon: an entire lemon (zest and juice) is needed for this recipe. If you happen to really love lemon, you can double the amount used. Or, if you wanted to try with a different flavor, orange juice and zest could be used instead.
- Powdered sugar: to finish off this cookie, I roll the dough balls in powdered sugar before baking. You can, however, omit this step altogether. Alternatively, you can bake and then sprinkle powdered sugar on the cookie before serving.
- Storage: store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Or you can freeze in an airtight container for up to a month.
Nutrition
I liked the appearance and consistency of these cookies but I didn’t think they tasted like much and I even used extra lemon juice.
Made these today and they are so easy and delicious. I love lemon so would use 2 lemons next time. ❤️
The cookies turned out fine but you really need to add lemon extract even with the extra lemon.
Simple excellent. Will be making them on regular basis and recommending them to everyone.
Simple excellent. Will be making on regular basis and recommending them to everyone.
one of the best cookies ive ever had, and I made them! I felt very proud to share them over the holidays. A nice break from chocolate.
Hi. Great recipe. Could I replace almond meal for flour?
Thanks so much.
That should work! Enjoy 🙂
These are delicious!. I tried them with lemon and then a batch with orange juice and rind. My family preferred the orange variety. So easy to make!
Cookies are really good, a bit of crunch on the outside and soft inside. Next time I will use more lemon. I had to put the dough in the fridge for a little bit because it was too sticky, and it was difficult to make into balls. Great flavor and texture!
These lemon cookies are very good. I have a lot of lemons this year and will be making these cookies often. I did, however, find the dough too soft to roll so I put it in the refrigerator for several hours. It worked perfectly. The cookies have a great texture and I love the crackle top. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
I added vanilla and they were amazing!
So delicious!! Thank you.
So simple to make and sooo yummy 😋
These cookies are AMAZING! Personally I’m not a big fan of lemon but while creating cookies boxes for the holidays I stumbled across this recipe and decided to give it a try especially because it’s a no butter cookie!!!! Zero regrets, the flavour Is amazing and the texture is even better. will 100% be keeping this recipe in my book 🙂
Can I put poppyseeds in these without ruining the texture?
I’ve never tried that but it sounds delicious!
Can I prepare the batter the night before and bake the next day?
Yes, that works!