Easy Lemon Blueberry Cookies

Jump to Recipe

From strawberry filled cupcakes to this lemon berry mascarpone cake, I'm a big fan of adding and using fruits in baked goods. Using fresh blueberries and simple ingredients, these soft lemon blueberry cookies are another favorite berry-themed treat. The berries bake up beautifully here, and the tangy fresh lemon flavor pairs so nicely with them. Unlike many of my cookie recipes, this one is chewy but has a more cakey texture. It's also a no-chill cookie dough, so you don't have to spend any time waiting to pop these cookies in the oven once you've combined all the ingredients.

overhead image of the ingredients for citrus berry cookies

Below are a few of the key ingredients that bring flavor and character to these cookies:

Triple the lemon with lemon zest, extract, and juice - Lemon zest is the outermost layer of the lemon peel, which contains flavorful essential oils. You'll use a grater to remove this layer from the lemon and when you do, that releases oils and adds a lemony aroma to your baked goods. Lemon juice is a natural acid. It reacts with baking soda, which helps these cookies rise and also gives them a more cake-like texture. And lemon extract is a concentrated flavoring. It only enhances the lemon flavor here. It's generally available in the baking aisle of your grocery store.
Baking baking powder and baking soda - Baking soda helps a cookie spread while baking, but too much soda can lead to a thin, crispy cookie. As a result, this recipe also uses baking powder. It helps the cookie rise and prevents excessive spreading.
Blueberries - Instead of using frozen blueberries, I worked with fresh blueberries here and recommend doing the same. They go well with the lemony base of the cookies.

Preheat oven to 350˚F.

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the granulated sugar and lemon zest. Beat for one minute to release the lemon’s natural oils.

mixing bowl with lemon zest and sugar in it

Add butter, vanilla extract, lemon extract, almond extract, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Start on a low speed to moisten, then increase speed to medium until batter is well combined, about 5 minutes. You may need to pause the mixer and scrape down the sides of your bowl halfway through the process to ensure your ingredients are incorporated.

mixing bowl with dough for blueberry lemon cookies

Stop the mixer and add your egg, lemon juice, and flour. Beat until smooth, about 45 seconds.

Stop the mixer to add your fresh blueberries and gently mixing with a spatula until they’re incorporated throughout the dough.

mixing bowl with dough for cookies, after fresh blueberries have been added

Scoop golf-ball sized portions of your cookie dough onto ungreased aluminum baking sheets, with about 2 inches between each of them. Bake for 17-19 minutes. Transfer them to cooling racks after they’ve sat on the baking sheets 5 or so minutes outside of the oven and are firm enough to handle.

blueberry and lemon cookie dough balls on a baking sheet

No-Chill Dough for this Blueberry Lemon Cookie Recipe

Some cookie recipes call for resting your cookie dough before baking it. This generally means setting your cookie dough balls in the refrigerator for maybe a half hour or even overnight before popping your cookies into the oven. The end result can be a more flavorful cookie.

Here, though, you don't need to chill or rest the dough ahead of baking these chewy blueberry and lemon cookies.

You can learn more about resting your dough in this post also from Bon Appétit. The bottom line is that if a recipe does ask you to rest your dough, do it.

baked blueberry cookies on a cookie sheet

FAQ for Blueberry Lemon Cookies

I have a cookie recipe that calls for lemon zest. Can I just use lemon juice instead?

This could create issues for your cookie because lemon juice is adding moisture to your dough. In turn, the cookies may be too wet and not bake properly. Use lemon zest when a recipe calls for it.

If you don't have it, you could add a bit more lemon extract. It's more concentrated than lemon juice, so you can add a lot of flavor without adding an excessive amount of moisture.

How do you keep cookies from spreading?

Cookies can spread if the dough is too moist, without enough dry ingredients to hold it together. It can also spread due to an excessive amount of baking soda.

If you follow the steps in this recipe, though, you won't have that issue.

In general, adding a bit of baking powder or flour to a cookie's dough can help prevent them from spreading as much.

Should you refrigerate this cookie dough before baking it?

If a recipe calls for you to refrigerate any kind of dough before baking it, do it! This is a no chill recipe, though, so that isn't necessary here.

What other fruits pair well with lemon flavor in baking?

Among other fruits, lemon pairs well with berries. I use it to brighten up the flavor of the roasted strawberry filling in these strawberry cake and cupcake recipes.

overhead shot of baked blueberry cookies on a wooden cake stand with lemon apron in the background

Tips for Best Cookies

Below are some general tips to keep in mind when baking:

If you aren't already, use a scale for accuracy in your baking. This ensures you're following the exact measurements and your cookies will turn out how the recipe intended them.
Periodically check the freshness of your leavening agents. Mix a pinch of baking powder with hot water to see if it reacts. For baking soda, you can mix a pinch of it with a few drops of something acidic, like vinegar or lemon juice. If your leavening agents have no reaction, it means they also won't help your ingredients rise during the baking process.
Before diving into this lemon blueberry cookie recipe, clear your workspace and set out all your ingredients in front of you. This will make it less likely that you'll forget to leave something important out of your mixing bowl!

Tips for Storing and Freezing Your Lemon and Blueberry Cookies

This batch of cookies will still taste fresh for 2-3 days at room temperature in an air-tight container.

I find that they're best if stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container, though, and brought out about half an hour before serving.

If you forget that step before you want one, you can also place them in the microwave on a low setting for about 10 seconds to warm them just a bit.

You can also store these cookies fully baked in your freezer for up to 3 months.

baked blueberry cookie split in half, sitting on a cookie sheet

More Dessert Recipes

Looking for more recipes like these lemon cookies? Check out these Biscoff butter cookie sandwiches. They're thick, chewy, and have Biscoff flavor throughout them.

Still craving blueberry? Try my blueberry cake frosting on your next cakes or cupcakes!