Easy Lemon-Blueberry Cookies

These delightful cookies are perfect for anyone who loves that sweet and tangy flavor combo! They’re soft, chewy, and packed with fresh blueberries that burst in every bite. Plus, they’re heart-healthy and diabetes-friendly, so everyone can enjoy them without worry.

Recipe Details

Timing & Servings: Active Time: 20 minutes, Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes, Serves: 36 cookies.

Nutrition Profile: Sesame-Free, Diabetes-Friendly, Nut-Free, Soy-Free, Heart-Healthy, Vegetarian.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 60 Calories, 2g Fat, 10g Carbs, 1g Protein.

Ingredients You’ll Need

All-purpose flour: You’ll need ¾ cup of regular flour. This gives the cookies their structure and helps them hold together perfectly.

Whole-wheat pastry flour: Another ¾ cup of this lighter whole wheat flour adds nutrition without making the cookies heavy. If you can’t find pastry flour, regular whole wheat works too!

Baking soda: Just ½ teaspoon helps these cookies rise and get fluffy. Make sure yours is fresh for the best results.

Cream of tartar: This ½ teaspoon is the secret ingredient that gives these cookies that amazing chewy texture, just like snickerdoodles!

Salt: A ¼ teaspoon brings out all the flavors. Don’t skip this little bit!

Granulated sugar: One full cup makes these cookies perfectly sweet. You can use regular white sugar here.

Unsalted butter: You’ll need 5 tablespoons softened at room temperature. This creates that tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Large egg: One egg binds everything together and adds richness to the cookies.

Lemon zest: One tablespoon of finely grated lemon zest gives these cookies their bright, citrusy flavor. Use a microplane grater if you have one!

Lemon juice: Just 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice adds that perfect tangy kick.

Lemon extract: One teaspoon really boosts that lemony flavor. You can find this in the baking aisle.

Fresh blueberries: A full 1½ cups of fresh berries make these cookies special. Try to pick plump, firm berries for the best results.

How to Make Easy Lemon-Blueberry Cookies

Step 1: Whisk together both flours, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt in a medium bowl. Set this dry mixture aside for now.

Step 2: Beat the sugar and softened butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed. Keep mixing until it looks light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.

Step 3: Add the egg, lemon zest, lemon juice, and lemon extract to the butter mixture. Beat everything until it’s well blended and smooth.

Step 4: Gradually add your flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Beat on low speed just until everything comes together. Don’t overmix or your cookies might get tough!

Step 5: Cover the dough and pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes. This chilling time helps the cookies keep their shape when baking.

Step 6: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.

Step 7: With slightly wet hands, roll the dough into 36 small balls using about 2 level teaspoons for each one. Gently press each ball to flatten it just a little.

Step 8: Place the flattened dough balls 2 inches apart on your prepared baking sheets. Press 3 fresh blueberries on top of each cookie.

Step 9: Bake one batch at a time for 8 to 10 minutes. The cookies are done when they’re puffed up and lightly golden around the edges.

Step 10: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Easy and Quick Lemon-Blueberry Cookies Version

Want to speed things up? You can skip the chilling step if you’re in a hurry! Just roll the dough into balls right away and bake them. They might spread a little more, but they’ll still taste amazing. You can also use frozen blueberries if fresh ones aren’t available – just don’t thaw them first!

Serving Ideas

These cookies are perfect on their own with a cold glass of milk or a cup of tea. They make a wonderful afternoon snack or light dessert. Try serving them at summer picnics or pack them in lunch boxes for a sweet surprise!

Storage

Store your cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, you can freeze them for up to 3 months. Just let frozen cookies thaw at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving.

Substitutions

No whole wheat pastry flour? Just use 1½ cups of all-purpose flour instead. You can swap the lemon extract for vanilla extract if that’s what you have. Frozen blueberries work great too – just use them straight from the freezer!

Pro Tips

• Keep hands moist: Wet your hands slightly when rolling the dough to prevent sticking.
• Don’t overbake: These cookies continue cooking on the hot pan, so take them out when edges are just lightly golden.
• Fresh zest is key: Use a microplane grater for the finest lemon zest that distributes evenly.
• Space them out: These cookies spread as they bake, so give them plenty of room on the baking sheet.

FAQs

Can I use dried blueberries instead of fresh?

Sure! Dried blueberries work well, but use about ¾ cup instead of 1½ cups since they’re more concentrated. You might want to soak them in warm water for 10 minutes first to plump them up a bit.

Why do I need to chill the dough?

Chilling helps the cookies keep their shape and prevents them from spreading too much in the oven. It also makes the dough easier to handle when rolling into balls.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

You bet! The dough can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept covered in the fridge. You can also freeze the dough balls on a baking sheet, then store them in freezer bags for up to 3 months.

What if I don’t have cream of tartar?

No worries! You can leave it out, though the cookies won’t have quite the same chewy texture. You could add an extra ¼ teaspoon of baking soda instead.

I hope you love these sunny, sweet cookies as much as I do! They’re such a treat and always make people smile. Let me know how yours turn out – I love hearing about your baking adventures!