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Why, I wonder do we associate lemons with spring? Like all citrus, lemons are freshest and most plentiful in the winter months, right? Not here of course – lemons are never fresh here, unless you own a greenhouse or have a conservatory or something.
Here, all the lemons are in the grocery store. Boo!
But, they are there all year long. Yay!
‘Cause we love our lemons and even if they are grown very very far away and have to be carried to us on the backs of baby seals, we aren’t giving them up. You can take this fresh and local thing too far sometimes, and I definitely draw the line at lemons. [and shrimp, and Shiraz, but those are posts for another day]
But then, once I was done wondering about lemons, I started to wonder about something else – what if I took my regular old chocolate chip cookie recipe and left out the chocolate chips? And left out the nuts? And what if, instead, I put in a bunch of lemon zest? And poppy seeds? And baked those babies up in the oven and then did it again, just to be sure it worked equally as well the second time? And what if I wrote a blog post, and told all of you about it, so you could make some too? Whoa, dude – then we would all have these Chewy Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies! And the world would be a very happy place indeed.
So, that is what I did and now we will all live happily ever after.
Or, at least until the cookies are gone. 
Chewy Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup [2 sticks] butter softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest
- 2 & 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º Line heavy baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream together the butter and sugars, until fluffy
- Beat in the eggs and vanilla, until completely incorporated
- Beat in the lemon zest.
- Add all of the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Portion dough using a medium cookie scoop [about 1 & 1/2 tablespoons each]
- Bake for about 14 minutes, turning halfway through. Edges should be browned.
- These are a little soft when they are hot. I just slide the whole sheet of parchment, cookies and all onto a cooling rack for about 10 minutes - by then they have firmed up nicely.
- Once cool, they can be stored at room temperature, in a sealed container for about a week or so.
But when those are all gone – we can just makes some more! Yay!
Lime Butter Cookies
Molasses Spice Bars
Whole Wheat Gingerbread Brownies
Valentine Sugar Cookies
Butternut Squash Quick Bread
Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
Stand Mixer Italian Bread
Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies
Ginger Nut Biscotti
Outrageous Chocolate Toffee Cookies
Brilliant! Poppyseed muffins are some of my favorite things in the world to eat…clearly these cookies would be winners in my book! Thank you so much for sharing. Delicious, as always…and inspiring! I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Thanks Monet – and enjoy your new house!
Lemon – anything lemon is good!
Oh yeah – have to agree with you there Elizabeth!
I think lemon is one of my favorite flavors. I know I would enjoy your cookies…a nice combination of tastes.
Thanks Karen – have a great weekend!
It is the same here. Lemons are never “fresh”…boo! I wish but, I have to accept that as part of country living 🙂 I associate lemons with spring too and another blogger friend just said the same thing a couple days ago! I said I couldn’t wait to make homemade lemonade come summertime. These cookies sound delicious and I love the addition of poppy seeds. One of my favs 🙂
Thanks Suzie – someone needs to breed a zone 5 lemon tree!
Lemon in cookies is one of the best flavours ever 😀
Cheers
CCU
I agree!
Lemon in baking is one of my favourite flavours. It’s always so fresh and uplifting. These look great! 🙂
Me too Lorraine – it brightens up everything!
I think it’s that lovely and vibrant color that brings on the spring association. Your cookies look perfect! I love chewy cookies. Thanks for sharing:)
Thanks Nancy – I think chewy is favorite texture too!
Fun way to work poppy seeds in – normally I see it in breads, quickbreads, muffins, etc rather than cookies. And I like how these stayed so chewy looking. Perfect!
Thanks Averie – it worked out even better than I hoped 🙂
Yum! I have been looking for a new flavour of cookie, I am so tired of the ones I usually make, these look fantastic, I love lemon and poppy seed cake so I am sure these will be delicious. Thanks for sharing 🙂
I hope you come back to say how they came out – thanks!
That’s chewy deliciousness!
Thank you Kiran!
All my life I’ve enjoyed lemon poppy seed muffins and now I find out I could have cookied them years ago? tsk. These look smashing.
Thanks Maureen – cookie away!
Oh, how yummy! I must make these for my daughter who eats lemon poppy seed muffins nearly every day for breakfast!
I bet she will love these then Liz 🙂
Chewy cookies are the best and I love anything with lemon 🙂
Thanks Jen – chewy cookies are definitely my fave!
I love lemon! And poppy seeds have such great flavor. This is an awesome combo. I’ve had lemon poppy seed cookies before, but it’s been ages. I definitely need to make some again! Great post – thanks.
Thanks John – I hope you love them
I absolutely love chewy cookies and these with poppy seeds and lemon sound perfect! Yumm…
Thanks Soni – I have to agree!
I love these cookies. I have made lemon cookies before, but never thought of putting poppy seeds with the lemon. Such a great combination.
Lemony, chewy and loaded with flavor! Would love these with my chai.
Hysterical! And absolutely true! Hooray for baby seals carting lemons to us! 😉 And love the recipe too–pinning!
Hey there i plan on making these cookies ASAP
i just wanted to know how long i cream the butter for? do i cream the butter then add the sugar?
please let me know
thank you!
Hi Maria – it’s not a time so much as the texture you are looking for, but it should take a couple minutes for it to become fluffy.