Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

There are certain cookies that just make sense with a given season. Gingerbread cookies are quintessential for winter, whereas pumpkin spice cookies are fall favorites. For those warmer months, though, we'd make the argument that these lemon white chocolate chip cookies are the ones to keep on standby. "These cookies are perfect for summer — they're the perfect balance of bright and lemony and sweet with white chocolate," recipe developer Katie Rosenhouse tells us. "This is definitely a bakery-style cookie, with crisp edges and chewy centers."

Another big selling point of these summery cookies, aside from their perfectly tart-sweet and citrusy flavor profile, is that they're easy to make (because no one wants to spend their summer afternoons in the kitchen for hours on end). The cookie dough consists mostly of pantry staples, and the only called-for chilling time takes place while the oven preheats — so you don't have to allot hours to make these cookies a reality. As written, this recipe yields pretty standard-sized cookies, but Rosenhouse notes that you could make smaller versions (with bake time reduced slightly) that would be an adorable addition to outdoor gatherings or picnics.

For the cookies themselves, you'll need unsalted butter, granulated sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, an egg, flour, salt, baking soda, and white chocolate chips. You'll drizzle the baked cookies with a lemony glaze for added sweetness, for which you'll need extra lemon juice and confectioners' sugar.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, and lemon zest to combine.

Beat in the egg, and ½ tablespoon of lemon juice.

Add the flour, salt, and baking soda, and beat to combine.

Gently beat in ½ cup of white chocolate chips.

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Portion 1-ounce (2-tablespoon) sized mounds of dough onto baking sheets, spacing them apart.

Chill the dough while the oven preheats.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes until they're lightly golden along the edges but still underbaked in the center.

Immediately top them with the remaining white chocolate chips, pressing them lightly to adhere.

Set aside to cool.

In the meantime, to prepare the glaze, stir to combine the confectioners' sugar with 2 teaspoons of lemon juice. Stir in the remaining lemon juice, if needed, to achieve a pourable consistency.

Drizzle the glaze over the cookies and serve.

• Copycat Starbucks Medicine Ball Drink Recipe
• From-Scratch Russian Tea Recipe
• Earl Grey Sweet Tea Recipe
• Extra Lemony Gelato Recipe
• Lemon Posset Recipe

There are quite a few tips and tricks to keep in mind when making cookies, and for this recipe in particular, butter temperature is important. Rosenhouse's recipe calls for room temperature butter — not butter straight from the fridge and not melted butter. "In the warmer months, leave your butter out on the counter just until you can press in and leave an indent, without it becoming greasy or overly soft," Rosenhouse advises. "This will prevent your cookies from spreading and coming out flat." If you're in a bit of a time crunch and don't have hours to wait for your butter to soften, check out some of the best ways to soften butter in a pinch. 

When it comes time to mix that softened butter with the sugar, make sure you're not overbeating, another common mistake that will introduce too much air and cause deflation and spreading down the line. Make sure to chill the cookie dough for at least 15 minutes, but if you have the time or enjoy preparing things ahead of time, overnight is even better. Consider using a portioned scoop or even weighing out each cookie dough ball for the most precise, equal cookies down the line. And, Rosenhouse saves her most crucial tip for last. "No matter what you do, don't overbake," she says. "The cookies will go from chewy and soft in the center to crisp with just a few additional minutes of baking time."

There are seemingly endless ways to elevate homemade cookies, and while these lemon white chocolate chip cookies lean into a more specific flavor profile (meaning you probably wouldn't want to toss extra dark chocolate chips into the mix), there's still plenty of room for customization. "The first option is to swap the lemon for lime, grapefruit, or orange for a different flavor profile," Rosenhouse suggests. Another easy swap would be to replace some of the granulated sugar with light brown sugar for an added molasses depth. 

The star mix-in here is the white chocolate chips, of course, but you could omit those entirely and just allow the lemon cookies to shine on their own. Rosenhouse also suggests swapping the chips out for almonds or other nuts, shredded coconut, or freeze-dried berries for a fruity twist. Finally, if you aren't a fan of glazes on cookies, you have options there as well. Opt for a drizzle of melted white chocolate instead, or skip any glazes or drizzles and simply sprinkle the final cookies with powdered sugar or sparkling sugar before serving (coarse sugar, like turbinado, would also be delicious). 

• Boozy Lemon Drop Martini Pie Recipe
• Lemon Mug Cake Recipe
• Frosted Lemonade Cookies Recipe
• Bright and Sunny Lemon Lavender Cake
• Best Lemon Bars Recipe