Chewy lemon blueberry cookies are a burst of sunshine in every bite! These soft, no-chill lemon sugar cookies are packed with fresh or frozen blueberries and come together in one bowl for an easy, bakery-style treat. High altitude adjustments included!
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Why you’ll love these chewy lemon blueberry cookies
We cannot get enough of these chewy cookies—and our recipe testers went crazy over them! There’s something about the combination of tart lemon, sweet blueberries and a soft buttery sugar cookie that’s impossible to resist. The best part? They’re one bowl, no chill required—just mix, scoop and bake.
I tested a batch by chilling the dough for 10 minutes but they didn’t spread and were cakier instead of soft and chewy sugar cookie texture. These cookies bake up perfectly chewy with a texture like eating the top of a muffin—soft, tender, and full of flavor.
If you’re as obsessed with lemon and blueberries as I am, you have to try my Lemon Blueberry Bread too! I know you’ll love my Lemon Blueberry Dump Cake, Blueberry Pancake Mix Bundt Cake or Lemon Bundt Cake—all easy, delicious ways to enjoy this classic flavor combination.
Kathleen’s Expert Tips:
- Fresh vs. Frozen Blueberries: I found fresh blueberries bake up best, keeping their shape and color intact. Frozen work, too, but they’ll turn your dough purple—nothing wrong with that, just not as pretty! If using frozen, toss them in straight from the freezer—don’t thaw.
- Press vs Fold: If preferred, press 4-6 blueberries into the cookie dough balls instead of folding in the blueberries.
- Cool the Melted Butter: To get that chewy texture, we use melted butter, but—it needs to cool for about 10 minutes before mixing into the dough. I like to melt mine right after I start the oven, that way, it’s ready when I am!
- Measure Flour Correctly: Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off—too much four = dry cookies.
- Don’t Overmix: Overmixing the dough can make cookies tough, so stir gently until everything comes together.
Blueberry Lemon Cookie Ingredients
- Butter: I used salted butter, melted and cooled for 10 minutes before adding it. If you use unsalted butter, add ¼ teaspoon salt to the recipe.
- Sugar: I use all-natural cane sugar, but regular granulated sugar will work too. We’ll roll the cookies in it, too for an extra sugar cookie crunch.
- Lemon: Use the zest and fresh lemon juice from about two large lemons or three small lemons.
- Eggs: Add one large whole egg and an egg yolk at room temperature.
- Vanilla: Because hello, vanilla extract = flavor!
- Flour: I like to use unbleached all-purpose flour in all my baked goods.
- Leavening: This easy recipe uses baking soda and baking powder to help the cookies spread and have a tender crumb.
- Cornstarch: Just a little cornstarch helps the cookies hold their shape and eliminates the need for chilling, similar to my Crumbl cookie recipe.
- Blueberries: I used fresh blueberries, but frozen work too! Don’t thaw.
- Topping Sugar: Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with sparkling or Swedish sugar for a fun texture and a pretty presentation!
- Lemon Glaze (optional): You’ll need powdered sugar, melted butter, lemon juice, vanilla extract and lemon zest, but the glaze is optional.
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
How to Make Blueberry Lemon Cookies Recipe
Step 1 – Preheat and prep
Get started by preheating the oven to 375° F (190° C) and lightly greasing or lining a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2 – Combine dry ingredients
Set out a medium bowl and add the flour, cornstarch, kosher salt, baking soda, and baking powder, whisking until combined.
Step 3 – Mix the wet ingredients
Next, add the sugar and fresh lemon zest in a large mixing bowl. Whisk or combine the sugar mixture with your hands or whisk until it’s fragrant and looks a bit like wet sand.
Then, pour in the melted and cooled butter, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Whisk vigorously for a couple of minutes or until the color lightens and add the lemon juice, mixing to combine.
Step 4 – Add flour and blueberries
Now, add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and stir until no flour streaks remain. Then, gently fold in the blueberries, careful not to smash them. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl, getting all of the ingredients.
- When using frozen blueberries, remove one tablespoon of flour mixture. Toss them in the reserved mixture before adding to the dough. Be careful not to overmix to prevent a purple, mushy texture.
Step 5 – Scoop the cookie dough
Next, use a (2 Tablespoon) medium cookie scoop to scoop the dough. Try to get about three to five berries in each sugar cookie and keep a few extra blueberries to press into the cookies. If necessary, move the berries around — You don’t want multiple berries next to each other.
Then, roll the cookie dough balls in granulated sugar and set them on the prepared baking sheets about two or three inches apart, filling each sheet with around 9-11 sugar cookies.
Step 6 – Bake, sprinkle, and cool
Finally, bake the lemon berry sugar cookies for 9-14 minutes in the oven until the cookies spread and set. If you prefer chewy and soft cookies, bake them for nine minutes. Or, bake them longer for a cakey texture.
Then, cool on the cookie sheet for three minutes and sprinkle with sparkling sugar or Swedish sugar. Remove the cookies and move them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Make Lemon Butter Glaze (optional):
Mix the powdered sugar, melted butter, lemon juice, vanilla, and lemon zest in a small bowl. If the glaze is too thick, add a little more liquid. Then, drizzle the cooled cookies with the lemon glaze, letting it harden before storing or serving.
High Altitude Adjustments
I bake at 5280 above sea level. Follow the adjustments below for the best results. These cookies have been tested at high altitudes and sea levels.
- Reduce the sugar to 1¼ cups.
- Increase the flour to 3 cups.
- Decrease the baking powder to just ½ teaspoon.
- Bake at the same temperature, but be sure to remove the cookies at about the 10-minute mark.
Looking for more fun and festive Easter cookies? Try my adorable Cadbury Easter Egg Cookies that are especially enjoyable to make with kids in the kitchen! Or check out this Easter Egg Sugar Cookies Recipe. Also try these Lemon Shortbread Cookies Recipe and this traditional shortbread recipe.
Variations & Substitutions
- Frozen Blueberries: Do not thaw before mixing—frozen blueberries may leave blue streaks in the dough, but that’s not all bad! I prefer frozen wild blueberries since they’re smaller and easier to mix in. You could also try freeze-dried blueberries, though I haven’t tested it.
- Homemade Vanilla: For an extra homemade touch, try my easy homemade vanilla extract—it’s simpler than you think!
- Gluten-Free Version: Use a quality 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. You can also swap in ¼ cup of almond flour, oat flour, or coconut flour for added texture.
- Sugar Substitutes: Replace white sugar with monk fruit sweetener, or swap in coconut or brown sugar for a different flavor profile.
- Add-Ins: Enhance flavor and texture with chopped nuts, shredded coconut, ¼ teaspoon lemon extract, or white chocolate chips.
- Vegan Option: Use vegan butter and swap eggs for your favorite plant-based egg substitute.
Recommended Tools
- I love these USA Baking Sheet with cooling rack!
FAQs
These cookies are similar to Starbucks with bright blueberry and lemon flavors, but not the same. While the Starbucks menu item is more like shortbread, our recipe is more Lofthouse cookie-like.
Smaller blueberries are better than larger ones for these blueberry cookies. Blueberries that are too large add too much moisture. So, find the smallest blueberries at the grocery store – Wild blueberries are excellent for this recipe.
If preferred, you can make small cookie scoops and bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
Once the edges of the cookies are slightly golden brown and the center is still puffy and slightly underbaked, they will continue baking as they cool.
Yes! Make the dough balls ahead of time and freeze them. Then, let them come to room temperature before baking later. The texture may differ because the ingredients have been chilled, but they will still be delicious!
Because this recipe has no food coloring, the color will differ each time the cookies are baked, based on lemon zest and butter (I used European butter), and whether you used frozen or fresh blueberries.
Storage Tips
Countertop or Refrigerator – Store leftovers at room temperature in an airtight container for up to three days or store them in the fridge for up to seven days.
Freezing Sugar Cookies – For longer storage, place the cookies on a baking sheet in one even layer. Then, flash freeze them for an hour and move them to an airtight container or ziplock bag for up to three months.
Thaw them before serving by placing them on a plate in a single layer, or enjoy them chilled right from the freezer!
What to serve with the Best Lemon Blueberry Cookies Recipe
- Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream
- Lemon Gelato Recipe
- Old-Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream – make ice cream sandwiches!
Our Favorite Cookie Recipes
- Lemon Sandwich Cookies
- Raspberry Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies
- Easy Peanut Butter Cookies
- Italian Pizzelle Cookies Recipe
- Crumbl Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe — my most popular cookie!
- Shortbread recipe – traditional Scottish shortbread
- Crumbl Sugar Cookie Recipe
- Koulourakia Greek Butter Cookies
- Lemon Cookies without cake mix
I hope you loved these Blueberry Lemon Cookies — if you did, would you share your creation on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest? And be sure to comment below!
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter melted, cooled for 10 minutes, if using unsalted add ¼ teaspoon additional salt
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar reduce to 1 ¼ cups for high altitude
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest about 2 large, 3 small lemons
- 1 large egg room temperature, forgot? submerge egg in a bowl of warm, not hot water for 5-7 minutes
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 ¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour Increase to 3 cups for high altitude
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt increase to 1 teaspoon if using unsalted butter
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder decrease to ½ teaspoon for high altitude
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup fresh blueberries ; see notes if using frozen blueberries
- 4-5 tablespoons granulated sugar for rolling, optional
- Sparkling sugar or Swedish sugar for sprinkling on top optional
- see lemon glaze recipe in notes if desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375° F (190° C) and line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper or grease lightly.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour (2 ¾ cups), cornstarch (1 tsp), kosher salt (¾ tsp), baking soda (½ tsp), and baking powder (½ tsp).2 ¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda
- In a large mixing bowl, add sugar (1 ½ cups) and lemon zest (2 TBL), combining well with hands or whisking until the mixture is fragrant and resembles wet sand.1 ½ cups granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- Add melted (slightly cooled) butter whisk well, then add the egg (1), egg yolk (1), vanilla extract (2 tsp) and whisk vigorously until smooth and color lightens slightly, about 2 minutes. Whisk in lemon juice until combined, another minute or so.1 cup salted butter, 1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- Add the flour mixture to batter, mixing together until no flour streaks remain. If using frozen blueberries, be sure to remove 1 TBL of the flour mixture.
- Carefully fold in the blueberries (1 cup), trying to avoid smashing them***. If using frozen blueberries, toss them gently with the reserved 1 Tablespoon flour mixture, then carefully fold them into the lemon sugar cookie dough.1 cup fresh blueberries
- Using a medium cookie scoop (2 TBL), carefully scoop cookie dough aiming for 3-6 blueberries per cookie. Keep a few extra blueberries on hand to gently press evenly into the dough or feel free to move them around; you don’t necessarily want multiple blueberries right next to each other.
- Optional: Roll dough balls in granulated sugar (4-5 TBL) and place 2-3 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. I typically put 9-11 cookies on a baking sheet.4-5 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Bake for 9-14* minutes in a preheated oven until the cookies have spread and are set. For softer, chewy lemon blueberry cookies, bake for 9 minutes. For cakier cookies, bake for closer to 12-14 minutes. Cool on pan 3 minutes, then remove cookies with spatula to cooling rack. Cool completely. if desired, sprinkle with sparkling sugar or Swedish sugar or optional glaze (below).Sparkling sugar or Swedish sugar for sprinkling on top, see lemon glaze recipe in notes if desired
Notes
My sea-level recipe tester had these notes: Using a rounded 2-tablespoon scoop, yielded 24 cookies, baked at 375° F for 14 minutes. They loved them!
Optional Lemon butter glaze
If desired, in a small bowl, mix powdered sugar (1 cup), melted butter (1 tsp), lemon juice (1-2 TBL), vanilla extract (¼ tsp), and lemon zest (1 tsp). Add more liquid if the mixture is too thick. Drizzle on top of cookies, allowing to harden before storing. Storage Tips:- Lemon blueberry cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 3 days or in the fridge for up to 7 days.
- Freeze lemon blueberry cookies: Place lemon blueberry cookies on a baking sheet in a single layer, flash freeze one hour until hard, then transfer to an airtight container or ziplock baggie, freeze up to 3 months.
- Thaw by placing them in a single layer on a plate (they’re delicious straight from the freezer, too).
- Decrease sugar to 1 ¼ cups
- Increase flour to 3 cups
- Decrease baking powder to ½ teaspoon
- Bake as directed in 375° F (190° C) oven removing closer to the 10 minute mark.
- ***Alternatively, if using fresh blueberries, you can instead add 3-5 blueberries per cookie after scooping and rolling, gently pressing into the dough balls.
- Frozen blueberries may be substituted for fresh. DO NOT THAW. And when you fold them into the batter they will most likely leave streaks of purple in the cookie dough, not unfun!
- During testing, I found that frozen wild blueberries worked best as they are smaller; don’t forget to toss them gently in a tablespoon of the flour mixture before adding to the dough. Do not overmix the dough (it will turn your cookies purple and make a mushy mess of things).
- I also found that reducing the oven temperature to 350° F (175° C) and baking 13-16 minutes was best.
- Lemon Zest I loving using my Microplane for zesting citrus fruits.
- This is a no chill cookie dough. In fact, I tested a batch to see how they would turn out if I refrigerated them for 10 minutes. The cookies did not spread as nicely, and were more cakey in nature.
Nutrition
Paula
These lemon berry cookies were so soft and just the right amount of sweet & tart!
So glad you loved them Paula!
TAYLER ROSS
I made these cookies over the weekend and they were delicious! So full of summer flavor!
Perfect for the holiday weekend Tayler, thanks so much!
Vicky
I’ve made a lot of cookies, but I’ve never used blueberries as an ingredient in them. These cookies reminded me of blueberry muffins. Yum!
Yes, like a soft chewy blueberry muffin top!!
Colder by the Lake
Excellent tasting!! A little messy in the rolling into balls but got it done!!
lol! Sorry about that! But glad they were worth it!
Samantha
If using unsalted butter, I believe adding almost 2/3 of a teaspoon would be needed, since salted butter contains at least 90 mg of sodium per tablespoon.
Hi Samantha, you certainly do what you feel is best — that’s the beauty of baking! Let me know how it works out for you!
From my experience traditionally you add ¼ teaspoon per stick, more along with the salt already called for in the recipe may make it too salty. This is what is on the Challenge Butter website: So here’s a simple rule of thumb to use so you can make the recipe with unsalted butter. Just remember, for every half cup (1 stick or ¼ lb) of salted butter required, you can add ¼ teaspoon of salt to Challenge Unsalted Butter.