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Lemon Pudding Cookies are soft and chewy. Plus they have a great lemon flavor that is perfectly balanced with the sweetness of the cookie. They’re freezable too – making these the perfect cookie!
Soft Lemon Cookies Recipe
These cookies are super fun because they are pudding cookies–meaning they use instant pudding mix. For this cookie I used instant lemon pudding mix to bring in a lot of flavor, but I also used lemon zest to get some natural flavor as well.
Using pudding mix in cookies is one of my favorite methods because it keeps the cookies soft for a while and gives the cookies an unbeatable texture.
Ingredients Needed
- Unsalted butter: Make sure it’s been softened.
- Granulated sugar: My normal pudding cookie recipe has brown sugar, but this one uses granulated to keep it lighter to embrace all the lemon flavor.
- Instant lemon pudding mix: The key ingredient for the lemon flavor and softness of the cookie.
- Lemon zest: From 1 lemon – a bit of lemon zest adds a freshness to the lemon flavor.
How to make lemon pudding cookies
- Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
- Cream together butter and sugar. Add the pudding mix and beat until well blended.
- Add egg, lemon zest, baking soda, salt, and vanilla extract.
- Slowly add the flour and mix until just combined.
- Scoop 1 or 2 tablespoon size balls onto cookie sheets (2-3 inches apart depending on size). Chill dough 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake 10-15 minutes or until cookies are light golden around the edges and have lost their glossy sheen. If you notice the cookies aren’t spreading during baking, press them lightly with the palm of your hand to get them going.
Expert Tips
- If you want to add another touch to these cookies, you can add a glaze or lemon frosting on top!
- Want from scratch cookies without pudding mix? Try my best lemon cookie recipe.
- My lemon cake mix cookies are another favorite!
- Make sure that when scooping the dough onto the pan that they are 2-3 inches apart. This is important so the cookies don’t run together in the oven.
FAQs
Yes you can. For up to 3 months in an airtight container.
They last on the counter for 3 days in an airtight container. They last longer in the freezer.
Lemon Pudding Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 (3.4 oz) package instant lemon pudding mix
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1¼ cups (155g) all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
- Cream together butter and sugar. Add the pudding mix and beat until well blended.
- Add egg, lemon zest, baking soda, salt, and vanilla extract.
- Slowly add the flour and mix until just combined.
- Scoop 1 or 2 tablespoon size balls onto cookie sheets (2-3 inches apart depending on size). Chill dough 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake 10-15 minutes or until cookies are light golden around the edges and have lost their glossy sheen. If you notice the cookies aren't spreading during baking, press them lightly with the palm of your hand to get them going.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freeze cookies for up to 3 months.
Recipe Nutrition
Other Lemon Recipes
Last Updated on August 31, 2023
I am featuring your wonderful cookies at tonights Link party at CountryMommaCooks….stop by tonight and check it out : )
I think I have to try these this weekend! I’m baking for people who can’t eat chocolate or nuts. (I had to ponder for a second that it was possible to live without either of said items.) These look great!
I hope they love them! It would be a dark, dark world without chocolate or nuts!! 🙂
Oh these sound sooo good! I love different lemon desserts, and this sounds delicious!!!! (They look so cute, too!)
Thanks for sharing at Weekend Potluck! Your recipe caught my eye FIRST THING! I love lemony creamy things. I just printed this and am so excited to make them sooN!
Have a great weekend!
Hugs, Tonya from 4 little Fergusons
Oh, I hope you enjoy them! 🙂 Thanks so much!
I think I’m going to test these out tis weekend with a blueberry filling! YUMMMMM.
Thanks for sharing on WHatcha WHipped Up!
Okay… I am DYING over these cookies! I am such a sucker for lemon desserts. I love your pic, too. Thanks so much for linking them up to Weekend Potluck!
Thanks Holly!
Ooh! I love lemon cookies! These look great! Thanks for linking up!
This looks so yummy! Thanks for linking up this week and sharing!
Oh my goodness Dorothy…these look amazing!! I am loving the citrus frosting! Somehow I was not already a follower?! You can bet I am now! 700th follower to be exact. You AND your blog are fantastic 🙂
These look so yummy – too bad baking isn’t my strongest skill. I’m with you on the video blogs – I’m just a rookie blogger, but I do not foresee any videos in my future. I don’t think people could take me too seriously once they heard how thick my surfergirl California accent is! Anyways, I’m now a follower & looking forward to more tasty recipes 🙂
Thank you and welcome! 🙂 Enjoy!
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