Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies
Lemon poppy seed cookies with a fresh lemon glaze drizzled over the top are the perfect not-too-sweet treat to enjoy with a cup of tea. Olive oil and cornmeal give these cookies a uniquely delightful texture.
Of the countless Meyer lemon recipes I've baked in the last couple of months, these crispy lemon poppy seed cookies are my husband's favorite.
The delicate, crispy cookies have a unique texture thanks to the olive oil and cornmeal used to make the dough. The fresh lemon glaze adds just a touch more sweetness and makes them oh so pretty.
If you prefer a less-sweet cookie to enjoy with tea or hot cocoa, you could skip the glaze but I love the extra lemony burst of flavor it gives!
Why This is the Best Recipe
- Meyer Lemons OR Classic Lemons: You could use either type of lemon in this cookie recipe. Curious which one to pick? Read my notes below.
- Crispy, Chewy Texture: The outside of the cookies are nice and crispy. The inside is more cakey-chewy.
- Pretty Poppy Seeds: I love the color and detail the poppy seeds add to the dough. If you're looking for a plain lemon cookie instead, you'll want to try my lemon doodles.
Ingredients
All you need to bake these lemony cookies is:
- Flour
- Cornmeal: Get regular cornmeal, NOT the self-rising cornmeal.
- Butter: I used salted butter in all my baking recipes unless otherwise noted. If you use unsalted, you'll want to add a pinch more salt to the recipe.
- Sugar
- Olive Oil
- Fresh Lemons: Either meyer lemons or regular lemons. See my note below.
- Poppy Seeds
- Baking Soda
- Powered Sugar
- Kosher Salt
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Meyer Lemons vs. Classic Lemons
I used Meyer lemons from our patio lemon tree for this recipe but either kind of lemon would work.
A Meyer lemon has a unique flavor and tastes a little bit like an orange and a lemon got married. They are slightly less tart and more sweet when baked.
A classic lemon has that traditional sharp bite of tartness (which I LOVE) and would make these cookies more lemon-forward in flavor.
If you want a Meyer lemon flavor but can't get any at your store right now, you could substitute a 50/50 blend of fresh lemon juice and fresh orange juice for the juices called for in the recipe.
Make the Dough
Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, poppy seeds, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Set it aside
Add the softened butter, sugar, and lemon zest to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat them together on medium speed until well combined.
Add the olive oil, egg, and lemon juice to the mixer. Mix until the batter is pale and well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the olive oil, egg, and lemon juice to the mixer. Mix until the batter is pale and well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the flour mixture to the mixer running on low speed. Mix the dough until just combined, it will be very thick.
Baking Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
Use a large table spoon to drop balls of cookie dough on to the prepared baking sheet.
Gently press the tops to form a disc shape like this:
Bake the cookies for 12 minutes. They will seem underdone, but will firm up once cooled. Let them rest on the pan for a minute and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
Glaze the Cookies
Whisk together the fresh lemon juice and powdered sugar. The icing should be thick enough to pour off a fork in ribbons. For more detailed instructions you can reference my fresh lemon glaze recipe here.
Use the fork to drizzle the icing over the cookies and let them set for 30 minutes - 1 hour before storing.
Make Ahead Tips
I think these sweet cookies are best served the day you've baked them, but we enjoyed them for about 3 days before they were gone.
I kept them in an airtight container on our counter.
You could bake the cookies in advance and freeze them. Let them thaw, loosely covered, on the counter overnight.
I recommend glazing them freshly after you've thawed them, I'm not sure the pretty glazed patterns would keep well in the freezer when the cookies are stacked for storage.
Serving Suggestions
Lemon poppy seed cookies would make a delightful dessert for an Easter potluck party since they would travel well.
I love adding lemon cookies to my holiday Christmas cookies tray. They'd be fun to bring to a cookie exchange as a break from all the chocolate.
Serve them for a Mother's Day brunch alongside tea and coffee.
More Lemon Recipes
Looking for more sunny lemon recipes to enjoy this season? Here are a few of my favorites:
📖 Recipe
Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies
Ingredients
For the Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
For the Lemon Glaze:
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, poppy seeds, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the softened butter, sugar, and lemon zest to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat them together on medium speed until well combined.
- Add the olive oil, egg, and lemon juice to the mixer. Mix until the batter is pale and well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the flour mixture to the mixer running on low speed. Mix the dough until just combined, it will be very thick.
- Use a large table spoon to drop balls of cookie dough on to the prepared baking sheet. Gently press the tops to form a disc shape.
- Bake the cookies for 12 minutes. They will seem underdone, but will firm up once cooled. Let them rest on the pan for a minute and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
- Whisk together the fresh lemon juice and powdered sugar. The icing should be thick enough to pour off a fork in ribbons. Use the fork to drizzle the icing over the cookies and let them set for 30 minutes - 1 hour before storing.
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