Next, I let the dough chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This is one of those steps you absolutely shouldn’t skip. When I made them without chilling once, the cookies spread too much and lost that beautiful soft texture. Chilling helps the butter firm back up and keeps the cookies thick and pillowy as they bake. Once the dough is cold, I scoop it into small balls, roll each one in sugar, and arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Then comes the fun part—baking. I pop the cookies into a preheated 350°F oven and let them bake for about 10–12 minutes. I always watch for the edges to turn just barely golden while the centers still look soft. That’s the key to getting the perfect texture: remove them before they look completely done. Once out of the oven, I let them rest for two minutes on the tray before transferring them to a cooling rack. They firm up beautifully as they cool, becoming soft, tender, and delightfully chewy.
Pro Tips for Best Results
I’ve tested these cookies in so many ways, and the biggest improvement came from using room-temperature eggs. Cold eggs can cause the butter to seize, which changes the dough texture. Let your eggs sit out for at least 20 minutes before using them—it really does make the dough smoother. I also discovered that freshly squeezed lemon juice tastes much better than bottled; it’s subtle, but you can taste that difference in brightness.
Another tip is to grate the lemon zest directly over the bowl. It might seem like a tiny detail, but zest contains aromatic oils that release instantly when grated. By holding the microplane over the bowl, all those fragrant oils fall straight into your dough instead of sticking to the cutting board. This intensifies the lemon flavor without needing extra juice.
If you want taller, puffier cookies, try refrigerating the dough longer—sometimes even overnight. When the butter is extra cold, the cookies spread more slowly, resulting in a thicker and softer center. On the other hand, if you prefer flatter cookies, just chill for a shorter amount of time or skip the chill entirely (though I only recommend skipping if you’re in a big hurry).
And one more tip I learned after a few test batches: don’t over-bake. These cookies can go from soft to dry within a minute. Remove them when the centers still look slightly underdone; they continue cooking from residual heat. This trick alone keeps them tender and dreamy every single time.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
I made the mistake once of using melted butter when I was in a rush, thinking it wouldn’t matter—and the cookies baked completely flat and crisp. Softened butter is key here. If it’s too warm, the dough becomes greasy and spreads too quickly in the oven. Always start with butter that is soft enough to press but still holds its shape.
Another mistake I used to make was adding too much lemon juice. I thought more juice meant more flavor, but too much liquid actually weakens the dough structure and leads to overly cakey cookies. Lemon zest is what provides the deep, aromatic lemon flavor; juice simply adds brightness. Stick to the measured amount unless you adjust the flour.(See the next page below to continue…)