Description
Delightfully zesty and chewy Lemon Oatmeal Cookies featuring a perfect balance of tart lemon flavor and hearty old-fashioned oats. These classic cookies are crisp on the edges and tender inside, sweetened with granulated sugar and enhanced with fresh lemon zest and lemon extract. Ideal for a refreshing twist on traditional oatmeal cookies, perfect for snacks, lunches, or dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients and Flavorings
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar, divided (1 cup + 1/3 cup)
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- Grated zest from 1 medium lemon
Main Ingredient
- 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal (uncooked)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it is properly heated before baking the cookies.
- Prepare Baking Sheet: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ease cleanup.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt, ensuring all dry ingredients are well combined.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a stand mixer on low speed, beat the softened butter and 1 cup of granulated sugar together until the mixture is creamy and light in color, which should take about 4 to 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add Lemon Flavor: Switch the mixer to medium speed and beat in the lemon extract and the grated lemon zest until fully incorporated, giving the cookies their signature citrus flavor.
- Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients while mixing on low speed to avoid flour flying out, blending until just combined.
- Add Oatmeal: Stir in the old-fashioned oatmeal by beating until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Form Cookie Dough Balls: Using a tablespoon measure, scoop dough and roll it between your hands to form balls. If the dough is sticky, dip your hands occasionally in cold water to prevent sticking.
- Place on Baking Sheet: Arrange the dough balls 2 1/2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet to allow for spreading.
- Prepare Sugar and Water Bowls: Put the reserved 1/3 cup of granulated sugar in a small bowl, and fill another small bowl with water to use for flattening the cookies.
- Flatten Cookies: Lightly dip the bottom of a flat glass first in water, then sugar, and gently flatten each cookie ball. Refresh the glass with water and sugar after every one or two cookies to avoid sticking.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for about 12 minutes, or until the tops turn just golden and edges are set.
- Cool Cookies: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the cookies to firm up and cool slightly on the sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serving Yield: This recipe yields approximately 24 lemon oatmeal cookies, perfect for sharing or storing.
Notes
- For firmer cookies, reduce the baking time slightly and for softer cookies, bake closer to the full 12 minutes.
- Dipping the glass in water and then sugar prevents sticking and gives the cookies a nice crunchy sugar topping.
- Make sure the butter is softened, not melted, for the right creamy texture in the dough.
- Old-fashioned rolled oats provide the best texture; quick oats might produce a different texture.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week or freeze for longer storage.
- Use fresh lemon zest for the best citrus flavor; dried zest won’t provide the same aroma.
