Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies
Updated May 04, 2020
Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies with a sweet lemon glaze are the perfect dessert for any occasion. Everyone loves these soft lemon cookies!
Josh’s 40th birthday was yesterday and today I am taking him on a surprise vacation! It was SO hard to keep it a secret, but I did it! We are packing our bags this morning and flying out this afternoon for a few days of fun and relaxation. Papa is staying with our boys and they are very excited about that. I will share where we are headed on Instagram later today and in our weekly This and That post tomorrow. Stay tuned!
Before we leave, I wanted to share the recipe for these soft Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies. I made them for Josh’s birthday and they were a huge hit.
Josh is not a huge chocolate fan. He loves chocolate chip cookies and chocolate milk, but that is about it. Sure, he will eat chocolate cake or brownies, but they aren’t his favorite. He loves all things citrus though. Key lime pie is his jam and he loves all things lemon. I usually make him a key lime pie for his birthday, but this year I switched it up. He got chocolate chip cookies AND lemon poppy seed cookies. I like to shower people with cookies, especially on special occasions. Cookies are my love language:)
A few tips for making these delightful Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies:
- Rub the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingers until fragrant. This will bring out the best lemon flavor.
- Roll your lemons on the counter before juicing or place them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. This will make them extra juicy. I like to use this lemon juicer.
- You can find poppy seeds in the spice aisle at the grocery store.
- Let the cookies cool completely before you dip them in the lemon glaze. I like to dip the cookies so they are fully covered in glaze.
The Lemon Poppy Seed cookies are soft, tender, and bursting with lemon flavor in every bite. You will love the addition of poppy seeds and the sweet lemon glaze takes the cookies over the top! The cookies are perfect for parties, showers, or every day dessert. They were the perfect treat for Josh’s birthday!
If you like these Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies, you might also like:
Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
For the glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 4-5 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
- Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Whisk and set aside.
- In a small bowl, add granulated sugar and lemon zest. Rub the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingers, until fragrant.
- Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar mixture together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth.
- Slowly mix in dry ingredients on low speed until just combined. Stir in the poppy seeds. Drop dough by tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes or until cookies are just set and slightly golden brown. Cool cookies on baking sheet for 2 minutes and transfer to cooking racks. Cool completely.
- While the cookies are cooling, make the lemon glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice. Dip each cookie top into the lemon glaze. Let cookies sit until glaze has set.
Notes
Have you tried this recipe?
Leave a comment below and share a photo on Instagram. Tag @twopeasandpod and hashtag it with #twopeasandtheirpod
Woww.. love the combination.. yummy! 🙂
Maria! I love that you did that!! I can’t wait to see where you are! And these cookies look wonderful!
I’m a big fan of lemon poppy seed anything, so naturally I love this!
Perfection!!!
What amazing spring cookies!
I will need to make a double batch of these cookies as they will disappear fast in my house!
These cookies look delicious Maria!
I’ve had lemon poppy seed muffins and breads before but never a cookie. They look so soft and wonderful! You can’t go wrong with the old lemon/poppy seed combo.
These sound SO delicious! The more lemon the better!
I love all things citrus too and these look wonderful!
These look delicious! Hope yall have fun on your trip!! =)
Love the combination! So yummy
Can you substitute margarine for the butter?
I never bake with margarine, only butter.
LOVED this recipe! In “step” 4, the 2 tsp lemon juice needs to be listed. I’m going to serve these tomorrow to my wonderful Mom and Grandma. Happy Mothers Day!
Thanks for catching the typo! Fixed:) Glad you liked the cookies!
I just made these and they are yummy…unfortunately I left out the lemon juice in the recipe as it wasn’t originally listed and I didn’t notice. They are still good as the icing adds the lemony flavor, but next time I will definitely add the lemon juice in the cookie dough!
Wow…these are amazing. I made a half batch to sample them. I also left out the poppy seeds because I thought I had some and didn’t. They are delicate and surprisingly flavorful with lemon bursts. The only thing I couldn’t duplicate is your icing. Mine didn’t set up pretty like yours. I did follow your instructions and allowed them to cool first. They were still yummy though. We just had sticky fingers!
These were divine! Thanks for all your fabulous recipes. There are many that we return to regularly!
Very easy recipe and delicious.
Very easy to make and delicious.
Perfect combination!
These are delicious! Not too sweet and not too sour. Just right.
Since I LOVE lemon poppy seed muffins, I had to give these cookies a try. They are THE BEST cookies I’ve had the pleasure of baking this month, and along with my friends who got to feast on a few of these delicious cookies, we thank YOU! I would add that it’s best not to bake these cookies too long. Go for the lowest range of minutes in the oven and no browned edges. Use the picture shown with this recipe as the point to take the cookies out of the oven.
These are such nice and light cookies. I think the icing makes this cookie recipe. Thanks!
Could you sub the butter for something? Coconut or avocado oil?
Hi! Is it ok if I refrigerate the dough first? making the dough ahead for some friends 🙂 These look fantastic!
I am subscribing, recreating, and commenting strictly because cookies are your love language and I felt it in my soul. Giving cookies for a special occasion, my cookie scoops hear you!!
I love these cookies and very easy to make. Most times they do not get the glaze. Good both ways.
Glad you liked them!
I want to make this “delightful looking” recipe for a Christmas cookie exchange. I think they’ll bring a fresh appeal to all the winter flavors. How many cookies does this recipe make? I need dozen so I know I’ll probably need to triple it. Thanks!
It makes about 2 dozen cookies.
I need to make these yesterday! I LOVE lemon poppy seed muffins. First time I’ve seen a recipe for this combination in a cookie.
Just made these cookies — easy and delish!
Wonderful cookie, thank you. Have you ever made bars with this recipe rather than cookie? If so, was it successful?
Hello. Question: this recipe is similar to the glazed lemon cookies, but has an extra egg and some lemon juice in the cookie batter. How does the additional egg change the consistency/structure of this cookie versus the other lemon glaze cookie?
We loved this recipe, Maria! I had been craving something with lemon and these cookies hit the spot. My husband kept going back for more. I veganized by using Miyoko’s Butter and flax eggs and it worked perfectly. Thank you!
Tip: Keep poppyseeds in the fridge to keep them fresh because they can go rancid at room temperature.
Fan of lemon anything can’t wait to try it by
These are fantastic! Love the lemon flavor. Great texture and yummy icing. Very easy directions. Thank you for sharing. They were a bit hit with my family.
These were easy and delicious!!! But I could not get the glaze on easily. Not sure why
These are absolutely incredible! The glaze truly just pushes them over the top.
One thing I will add, is that the “drop” method didn’t work for my first batch – they came out misshapen and bumpy. Would highly recommend rolling them into balls and pressing down slightly with your palm. It made the cookie surfaces much smoother and easier to glaze.
Still – best lemon cookies ever!!
Hi. How many cookies does this make? Thanks.
These are absolutely delicious. People aak me to bake them regularly. I think I’ll try them with orange instead of lemon next time.
I am thrilled you love the cookies!
How many cookies does this recipe make? Can I double the recipe?