Lemon Poppy Seed Sugar Cookies -A sweet & simple twist on the classic cake, perfect for Spring. These Lemon Poppy Seed Sugar Cookies are soft & chewy topped with a light lemon buttercream.
I love sugar cookies. Over the years I have used my Amazing Sugar Cookies recipe and altered it to make other deliciously chewy sugar cookies. Like Lemon Sugar Cookies, Key Lime Sugar Cookies and even Orange Sugar Cookies. We have loved every single recipe.
My son Madden’s birthday is in March, and his favorite cake is lemon poppy seed, so when thinking of what to take in for a class treat I came up with the idea of Lemon Poppy Seed Sugar Cookies. But then quickly remembered that you can no longer take in homemade treats (another travesty in the school system). But I made these cookies anyway knowing he would love them.
And he did! WIN! SCORE! And Happy Birthday my sweet Madden Jet (yes, that’s his real name).
I think these cookies will be making an appearance at one or more of our spring and summer gatherings. I think that others will enjoy this twist and it is so much simpler than a cake. You can choose whether or not you want to frost these cookies with the lemon buttercream I included in the recipe. We prefer it but these cookies are amazing even without.
While I love my Amazing Sugar Cookies (my hubs favorite), this twist of Lemon Poppy Seed Sugar Cookies I think will be the most repeated twist on my sugar cookie recipe. Enjoy! XOXO San
If you love lemon poppy seed as much as Madden then check out a few of our other favorite lemon poppy seed recipes: Lemon Poppy Seed Bisquick Pancakes and Blueberry Syrup, Lemon Yogurt Poppy Seed Bread and Lemon Poppy Seed Pasta Salad. And of course, we can’t forget our Best Ever Lemon Poppy Seed Cake or our Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes with a Blackberry Buttercream (yum).
How do I make Lemon Poppy Seed Sugar Cookies?
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets.
How do you store cookies?
Store in an airtight container at room temperature, the cookies will last about one week.
Freeze in an airtight freezer bag to extend the life of the cookies to one to two months.
To keep your cookies soft and chewy, you can also place a quarter slice of bread (per dozen) into the container.
The cookies will absorb moisture from the bread, keeping them soft longer.
White bread is best, as it won’t transfer its own flavors to the cookies.
Don’t forget to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board for later.
Lemon Poppy Seed Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Lemon Poppy Seed Sugar Cookies
- 1 1/4 cups white sugar
- 1 cup butter softened
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 3 tablespoons lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Lemon Frosting
- 4 cups confectioners' sugar
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3-5 tablespoons milk
Instructions
Lemon Poppy Seed Sugar Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets.
- Cream together sugar and butter. Beat in egg yolks, lemon zest and juice.
- Add flour, poppy seeds, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Stir.
- Form dough into walnut size balls and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Don't flatten. Bake 10-12 minutes, until tops are cracked and just turning color.
Frosting
- In a large bowl, cream together the confectioners' sugar and butter until smooth. Gradually mix in the milk, lemon zest and juice with an electric mixer until smooth and stiff, about 5 minutes.
Hi,
Lemon + poppy seeds = My kind of cookies.
This recipe is must try.
Thank you,
cookie
I love lemon poppy seed everything, but I would not make this recipe again unless it was altered significantly. Firstly, I followed this recipe exactly with measurements and ingredients. Firstly, they flattened out on the cookie sheet more like a bar even with spacing them 2 inches apart. They were too doughy….even with adding a couple more minutes of baking and entirely too sweet. I would reduce the butter or add more flour and reduce the sugar.
Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear they didn’t come out correctly. We have never had this issue, I’ve even made them gluten-free and they are usually soft and don’t spread! Did you used softened or melted butter? I just edited it to clarify as that may be the issue. It should be softened to room temp. Make sure you cream it with the sugar until it is fluffy and completely combined. I would also be sure to check the expiration dates on the baking soda and cream of tartar as those are both super important in making sure the cookies rise and stay light and hold their shape. They also add a little tangy flavor to counter the sweetness from the sugar.
I accidentally used egg whites and they turned out great! Very light. I also used lemon extract and no zest. Made a cream cheese frosting.
Thank you for the recipe!
I love when happy accidents make something delicious! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
These are now my sons favorite cookies. Whenever he is home from college I have to make a batch for him to take back with him. They are delicious!
They really are amazing! Thank you!
I’m with you – I love sugar cookies, too! I can’t wait to try this Lemon Poppy Seed version! I hope your son had an awesome birthday! ❤
Thank you! I hope you enjoy them!
I love lemon any thing and these look like the perfect cookie combo with the addition of poppy seeds!
I do too, these are simply amazing! I hope you enjoy!
Wow! These cookies look AMAZING!!!!!
Thank you!
One of my favorite loaves of bread to make is now in cookie form. Yes, please sign me up!
I know, isn’t it amazing?! Thank you!
These cookies will be great to have on hand this week!
Definitely, enjoy!
The cookies with poppy seeds and lemon are my favorite. Thanks for the recipe.