Lemon raspberry cookies are a one bowl, no mixer, no chill recipe. This means you’ll have fresh cookies cooling on the counter in about 30 minutes. They are soft in the middle with a slightly crisp edge and a lemon sugar topping that takes them from simple to fantastic with next to no extra work. If you love citrus mixed with berries, this is the cookie for you.
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I do love a good lemon dessert! I created these cookies because I wanted something bright and fruity. Lemon raspberry definitely delivers on the flavor, just like my lemon raspberry cupcakes and lemon raspberry tart. The freeze dried raspberries add real raspberry flavor without adding extra moisture to the baked cookies.
If you love the lemon and berry combo as much as I do, you will want to add my lemon blueberry cookies to your list; they have the same citrus flavor with a different vibe.
🛒 ingredient notes
I tested this easy cookie recipe with fresh raspberries, with frozen raspberries and with freeze dried raspberries. They all work, but my taste testers preferred the cookie texture best with freeze dried raspberries. To bring in the bright lemon flavor, I use both the zest and juice of fresh lemons. The cookie dough is made without brown sugar so the lemon can really shine. And for a pretty finish and more lemon flavor, a lemon sugar topping goes on top before baking.
Please scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the full list of ingredients and baking directions.
Lemons ~ fresh lemons bring the flavor without lemon extract. You need the zest of two lemons for the cookie dough and the zest of another lemon for the lemon sugar topping. Be sure to zest first and then squeeze for the juice. Trust me on this one, I learned my lesson the hard way.
Freeze dried raspberries ~ these are my first choice for this recipe because they bring bold raspberry flavor without extra moisture. You can find them in most grocery markets near the dried fruit or in the snack aisle. Fresh or frozen raspberries can also be used, see the notes in the recipe card for how to adjust the flour if you go that route.
Cornstarch ~ adds softness and keeps the cookies thick. My lemon bar cookies uses the same trick and they are so fantastically soft.
Granulated sugar ~ no brown sugar in this recipe and that was done intentionally. Granulated sugar keeps the cookies light in color and lets the lemon flavor really shine through.
Melted butter ~ starting with melted butter lets this be a one bowl recipe. Let it cool for about five minutes before adding the other ingredients. This keeps it from melting the sugar, but keeps it liquid enough to easily add the other ingredients.
🍋 how to get the best lemon flavor
Fresh lemon zest is what gives the best lemon flavor. The oils in the zest are much more intense than lemon juice alone.
Here’s my trick for enhancing that lemon, work the zest into the sugar with your clean fingers before adding the rest of the ingredients. This releases the oils right into the sugar and lets the lemon flavor come through in every bite. I use this in my lemon coconut cookies and orange creamsicle cake too, it truly makes a difference.
If your lemons are cold from the refrigerator, roll them firmly on the counter with the palm of your hand for about 15 seconds before zesting and juicing. It helps to break down the inside and you’ll get more lemon juice out of them.
🥣 how to make in photos
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two half sheet pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
Melt the butter and let it cool for 5 minutes.
While the butter is cooling, use your clean fingers to work the lemon zest into the granulated sugar.
Then add the lemon sugar and kosher salt to the melted butter. Stir or whisk until the mixture becomes smooth.
Now add the egg, vanilla, and lemon juice and stir/whisk to combine.
Then stir/whisk in the baking soda and cornstarch until combined.
Add the flour and mix in with a spatula until some large streaks of flour are showing in the cookie dough.
Then add the freeze dried raspberries and stir until the dough comes together.
Now use your clean fingers to work the zest of one lemon into ½ cup of granulated sugar.
Use about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie (I like using a size 30 scoop) and place the dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Then lightly dip each cookie dough scoop into the lemon sugar, lightly coating each cookie and place back on the prepared pan. Now use a flat bottomed glass or your clean hand to flatten each cookie to about ¼ to ½ inch thick.
Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are set. They will look quite pale. Add a sprinkle of the remaining lemon sugar on the tops of the hot cookies.
Allow the cookies to rest on the pan for 2 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
💬 can I use fresh or frozen raspberries instead of freeze dried?
Yes! If using fresh or frozen raspberries increase the flour to 1 ¾ cups to account for the extra moisture. If using frozen raspberries, chop them into small pieces and add them while still frozen. You may also need to add a minute or two to the baking time.
👩🏻🍳 expert tips for the best chewy lemon cookies
Use a kitchen scale. I know I say this with every recipe, but measuring by weight will make you a better baker. Too much flour will result in dry, crumbly cookies. This is the kitchen scale I use, but this Escali scale is a great option as well.
Do not skip working the zest into the sugar. It takes about 30 seconds and makes the lemon flavor so much better. Totally worth it!
Flatten the cookies before baking. This dough does not spread as much as some cookies do, so give them a gentle flatten before going in the oven.
Do not overbake. The cookies will be pale when done. The edges will be set and a slightly soft center is what you are going for. They will firm up as they cool.
Add the additional lemon sugar topping while the cookies are still hot. It will stick better and give you that sparkly, bakery-style finish.
Remember to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram if you make these Soft No Chill Lemon Raspberry Cookies. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!
If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating. I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!
📖 recipe
Soft No Chill Lemon Raspberry Cookies
recipe created and tested by:
I highly recommend using weight (metric) measurements when available for more accuracy and the best results.
Please note
When using 2x or 3x ingredients, the grams DO NOT adjust, you will have to manually do that.
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted, 113g
- ¾ cup granulated sugar 150g
- Zest of two medium/large lemons
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg room temperature preferred
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice 15mL
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour* 188g
- 1.2 ounces freeze dried raspberries** 34g
lemon sugar topping
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100g
- Zest of one lemon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare two sheet pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
- In a medium to large bowl, melt the butter (½ cup/113g) and allow it to cool for 5 minutes.
- While the butter is cooling, use your clean fingers to work the lemon zest (from two lemons) into the granulated sugar (¾ cup/150g).
- Then add the lemon sugar and kosher salt (½ teaspoon) to the melted butter. Stir or whisk for about 1 minute, until the mixture becomes smooth.
- Now add the egg (1 large), vanilla (½ teaspoon), and lemon juice (1 tablespoon/15mL) and stir/whisk to combine, about 30 seconds.
- Then stir/whisk in the baking soda (¾ teaspoon) and cornstarch (1 teaspoon) until combined, about 30 seconds.
- Add the flour (1 ½ cups/188g) and mix in with a spatula until some large streaks of flour are showing in the cookie dough. Then add the freeze dried raspberries (1.2 ounces/34g) and stir until the dough comes together.
- Now use your clean fingers to work the zest of one lemon into ½ cup of granulated sugar.
- Use about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie (I like using a size 30 scoop) and place the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. You should get 15-16 cookies. Then lightly dip each cookie dough scoop into the lemon sugar, lightly coating each cookie and place back on the prepared pan. Then use a flat bottomed glass or your clean hand to flatten each cookie to about ¼ to ½ inch thick.
- Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are set. They will look quite pale. Add a sprinkle of the remaining lemon sugar on the tops of the hot cookies.
- Allow the cookies to rest on the pan for 2 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition information is based on third-party calculations, is an estimate only and may not be entirely accurate. Actual nutritional values will vary based on brands used and portion sizes.
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