These easy, soft, homemade lemon and white chocolate cookies are flavored with fresh lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and white chocolate chips.
These lemon white chocolate chip cookies are for those lemon lovers, filled with that fresh lemon flavor. However, these sunny lemon cookies white chocolate cookies can also be made with lemon extract.
This easy lemon cookie recipe comes together fairly quickly, with no special equipment required.
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Recipe Development Notes
When I decided I needed to make a lemon and white chocolate chip cookie, I started with my base recipe of vanilla cookies and espresso chocolate chip cookies.
I immediately knew that I wanted to use fresh lemons for the juice and zest, but also wanted to test out flavoring with lemon extract. We preferred the combo of lemon juice and zest, but the lemon extract was also good and this combo reminded me of lemon cream biscuits.
And then when it came to the butter and sugar content, we preferred the lower sugar and butter content - simply because when using lemon zest it does add a touch of oil to the cookie dough, and white chocolate chips can taste sweet by themselves.
However, the additional sugar and butter resulted in a chewier cookie that spread out a bit more during the baking process. If that is what you are looking for, then increase the butter and sugar to 225 grams and 300 grams respectively.
This is the best soft yet slightly chewy homemade lemon cookie I have had. These lemon and white chocolate biscuits pair really nicely with a cup of hot tea!
Ingredients
Here are notes on the ingredients used, please refer to the recipe card for full quantities.
- Lemon zest and lemon juice for the bright, fresh lemon flavor. This can be replaced with 2 teaspoons of lemon extract. I used the lemon zest of a large lemon which comes to about 1.5 tablespoons of lemon zest.
- Plain flour (all-purpose flour, or standard-grade flour) is used to make these delicious cookies.
- Baking soda as the leavening agent. Baking soda also allows the cookies to spread during the baking process.
- Melted butter gives these cookies a delightful butter flavor. I use New Zealand butter, similar to Irish or European butter. The butter can be replaced with baking margarine.
- White granulated sugar to sweeten and give the cookies their texture. In an earlier test, I tried out a 50-50 of white sugar and brown sugar but felt the brown sugar almost overpowered the flavor of the lemon.
- Salt evens out the sweetness, and brings out the flavor of the other ingredients in this cookie.
- A single egg binds these cookies together. I use size 6 New Zealand eggs, similar to an Aus/Sa large egg, or a US/Euro medium egg. Bring the egg to room temperature before baking.
- Sweet white chocolate chips add a delicious contrast to the lemon flavor. I prefer using white chocolate chips over a block of chocolate, however, you can use white chocolate chunks or a chopped white chocolate bar.
Weighing and Measuring Ingredients
All my recipes are tested using weight/grams and I highly recommend investing in a kitchen scale for accuracy - I have included a conversion button to cups in the recipe card. These conversions assume cups are 240mL/8 fluid ounces, tablespoons being 15mL, and teaspoons 5mL.
Reduced-Sugar Variation
I would not reduce the actual amount of sugar in the cookie dough as it would change the texture of these cookies. However, you can skip the white chocolate chips.
Small-Batch
For a small batch of cookies, simply click on the "½x" button. You can either just use the egg yolk, or be the whole egg and then weigh out half of it into the mixture when it is called for.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1 - Melt the butter in a heat-proof bowl in the microwave, or in a small saucepan over a low heat. Allow to cool while continuing to the next step.
Step 2 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the white sugar and the lemon zest. Rub the lemon zest into the sugar. This releases the oils and flavoring into the sugar.
Step 3 - Add the cooled melted butter to the sugar-lemon mixture and whisk together to combine.
Step 4 - Add in the lemon juice and egg. Whisk vigorously to combine.
Step 5 - Add half the flour, baking soda, and salt to the butter-sugar mixture. Stir together with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until fully combined.
Step 6 - Add the rest of the flour and the white chocolate chips to the mixture, and then fold in until all the flour has been incorporated.
Step 7 - Line a plate or a baking tray with baking paper or parchment paper. Using a cookie scoop (I used a size 3 or 2 tablespoons cookie scoop). Portion the dough out onto the baking tray. Refrigerate for 25 minutes.
Step 8 - While the cookies are chilling, preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line two large baking trays with baking paper or parchment paper.
Step 9 - Place the chilled cookie dough balls onto the prepared baking tray about 2 to 3 inches apart. Bake for 13-18 minutes. Mine were done at 15 minutes.
Note - I do not flatten my cookies before baking, as they will flatten and spread during the baking process. For 1 tablespoon-sized cookie, bake for 9-11 minutes, for a larger cookie extend the baking time up to 20 minutes.
Step 10 - Allow the baked white chocolate lemon cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before lifting onto a wire rack to cool completely. If you want you can decorate the cookies with a few more chocolate chips while they are still warm.
Expert Tips for This Recipe
- Let the oven preheat fully while the cookies are chilling in the fridge.
- Chilling is required as we used melted butter in this cookie recipe. If the cookies aren't chilled then they may spread into each other on the baking tray.
- If using a fan-assisted, convection, or air-fryer, reduce the temperature by 20°C/25°F
- Remember that all ovens work slightly differently and bake times may need to be adjusted for your specific oven.
- I recommend using an oven thermometer for increased accuracy.
Storage and Freezing
These cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week. Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Lemon White Chocolate Cookies FAQ
Yes. Add a cup of chopped nuts (pecan, walnut, macadamia, cashew) to these cookies. If using walnuts, I would remove the skins to reduce potential bitterness in the cookie.
I would not, as it would change the texture of the cookie. However,
I used a Nordicware Jelly Roll Pan- 15 x 10.5 Inches (40 cm x 28.5 cm).
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Recipe Card
Lemon White Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
- 1½ tablespoons lemon zest *Note 1
- 1¼ cups white granulated sugar *Note 2
- ¾ cup butter *Note 3
- 1 egg (medium/large)
- 4 teaspoons lemon juice *Note 1
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2½ cups plain flour
- 1¼ cups white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a heat-proof bowl in the microwave, or in a small saucepan over a low heat. Allow to cool while continuing to the next step.¾ cup butter
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the white sugar and the lemon zest. Rub the lemon zest into the sugar. This releases the oils and flavoring into the sugar.1½ tablespoons lemon zest, 1¼ cups white granulated sugar
- Add the cooled melted butter to the sugar-lemon mixture and whisk together to combine.
- Add in the lemon juice and egg. Whisk vigorously to combine.1 egg, 4 teaspoons lemon juice
- Add half the flour, baking soda, and salt to the butter-sugar mixture. Stir together with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until fully combined.1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 2½ cups plain flour
- Add the rest of the flour and the white chocolate chips to the mixture, and then fold in until all the flour has been incorporated.1¼ cups white chocolate chips
- Line a plate or a baking tray with baking paper or parchment paper. Using a cookie scoop (I used a size 3 or 2 tablespoons cookie scoop). Portion the dough out onto the baking tray. Refrigerate for 25 minutes.
- While the cookies are chilling, preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line two large baking trays with baking paper or parchment paper.
- Place the chilled cookie dough balls onto the prepared baking tray about 2 to 3 inches apart. Bake for 13-18 minutes. Mine were done at 15 minutes. *Note 4
- Allow the baked white chocolate lemon cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before lifting onto a wire rack to cool completely. If you want you can decorate the cookies with a few more chocolate chips while they are still warm.
Notes
- Lemon juice and lemon zest can be replaced with 2 teaspoons of lemon extract.
- I also tested this recipe with a total of 1½ cups (300 grams) of white sugar. Which results in a chewier cookie.
- If increasing the sugar to 300 grams, then increase the butter to 1 cup or 225 grams.
- I don't flatten my cookies before baking, they will flatten and spread during the baking process.
Storage and Freezing
These cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week. Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. If freezing cookie dough, first scoop out portions. These can then be baked directly from frozen as per the recipe instructions, however, they may not spread as much.Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate. If scaling the recipe remember to scale your cook and bakeware accordingly. All temperatures stated are conventional, unless otherwise stated. Recipes tested in grams and at sea level.
Nic says
Made these and love them.