Easy Lemon Raspberry Cookies

I call these cookies the edible equivalent of sunshine in sweatpants: lemony, tart-sweet, a little messy, and way more impressive than the effort involved. They’re soft in the center, crisp at the edges, and get sparkly from a lemon-sugar coat that makes everyone assume you own a microplane and a personality. The raspberries? Bursty little gems that stain your fingers and your heart. Are these Easy Lemon Raspberry Cookies healthy? Absolutely not. Are they worth heating the oven for even if your AC is judging you? Correct.

The first time I made these, my husband wandered through the kitchen like a raccoon in a hardware store, asking if he could “taste test” the raspberries. Twenty minutes later, we had exactly six raspberries left and a suspiciously empty colander. My kids were supposed to roll dough balls in sugar; instead they rolled the sugar into sticky lemons and licked them like weird citrus lollipops. I ended up baking cookies the size of coasters because yes, I misjudged the pan and no, I’m not washing fewer dishes to fix it. We still ate the entire batch while they were too hot and absolutely perfect.

Time-Saving Hacks

– Use lemon cake mix and toss in raspberries. Is it morally correct? Debatable. Is it fast? Yep.
– Zest the lemon directly over the bowl so the oils hit the dough and the counters stay tragic.
– Don’t thaw frozen raspberries—use them straight from the freezer so they don’t dye everything hot pink.
– Roll dough balls in a zip-top bag with sugar. Shake-shake, minimal sticky fingers, maximum drama.
– Bake on parchment so you can pretend the sheet pan never happened.
– No cookie scoop? Two spoons like it’s 1998.
– In a hurry? Make dough balls, freeze 10 minutes, then bake. You’re basically a bakery now.

Serving Ideas

– Iced coffee for daytime bragging; Prosecco if the kids did “arts and crafts” on your wall.
– Tea and a smug smile like you casually bake on weekdays.
– Crumble over Greek yogurt and call it “breakfast granola.” I won’t tell.
– Stack with a smear of lemon curd and pretend it’s dessert tapas.
– Serve warm, stand over the sink, avoid plates entirely. Zero judgment.

What to Serve It With

– A brunch board: salty prosciutto, berries, and something green so you can say “balance.”
– A bowl of whipped ricotta with honey and lemon zest for dramatic dipping.
– Vanilla ice cream: hot cookie + cold scoop = peace in our time.
– Fresh raspberries if your household doesn’t eat them mid-recipe like mine.
– Coffee. Always coffee.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Zest first, then juice. Doing it backwards is my Roman Empire.
– Fold raspberries in gently at the end. Overmix and you’ll get magenta dough (which is… cute, but not the goal).
– Keep berries cold; they bleed less. Frozen is your friend.
– If cookies spread too much, chill dough balls 10 minutes before baking.
– Use parchment and leave space—raspberries are tiny chaos agents.
– Pull when edges are just golden; the centers will set on the sheet. Overbaking = crunchy lemon frisbees.
– Roll in lemon sugar. Optional, but also not optional.

✔Storage Tips

Store it in the fridge… if there’s any left. Cold midnight leftovers? Sometimes better than fresh.
– Room temp: airtight container 2–3 days. Slip in a slice of bread to keep them soft.
– Fridge: up to 5 days if your willpower lasts that long.
– Freezer: baked cookies up to 2 months; dough balls up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, add 1–2 minutes.

✔Variations and Substitutions

Swap whatever you want—sugar ↔ honey, soy sauce ↔ tamari, or skip steps and call it “deconstructed.” It still counts.
– Lime + blueberry for a tropical twist that says “I vacation mentally.”
– Add white chocolate chips if you like sweet-on-sweet chaos.
– Lemon glaze drizzle: powdered sugar + lemon juice until it’s pourable and dangerous.
– Poppy seeds because you’re sophisticated and also like crunchy dots.
– Dairy-free: use vegan butter; it works.
– Egg-free: a flax egg will do—texture’s a touch cakier, still devourable.
– Gluten-free: a 1:1 blend usually behaves. Chill dough balls 15 minutes if they seem soft.

Frequently Asked Questions

Easy Lemon Raspberry Cookies

Bright, soft lemon cookies dotted with raspberry pieces and finished with a zesty lemon glaze—no chill required.

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 18

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened
• ▢ 0.75 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 0.25 cup light brown sugar packed
• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ 1 tablespoon lemon zest from about 1 large lemon
• ▢ 1.5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice freshly squeezed
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon fine sea salt
• ▢ 0.75 cup freeze-dried raspberries lightly crushed
• ▢ 0.5 cup white chocolate chips optional
• ▢ 0.75 cup powdered sugar for glaze
• ▢ 1.5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice for glaze
• ▢ 0.5 tablespoon milk optional, to thin glaze

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Beat in the egg, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla until smooth.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Add to the wet mixture and mix on low just until combined; do not overmix.
• Fold in freeze-dried raspberries and white chocolate chips (if using).
• Scoop dough into 1.5-tablespoon portions, spacing about 2 inches apart on baking sheets.
• Bake 9 to 11 minutes, until edges are set and centers look slightly soft. Do not overbake.
• Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Whisk powdered sugar with lemon juice, adding milk as needed for a thick drizzle. Glaze cooled cookies and let set for 15 minutes.

Notes

For the prettiest look, lightly crush freeze-dried raspberries so they distribute color without bleeding. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze (unglazed) for up to 2 months.