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Lemon Pudding Cookies are soft and chewy with tons of lemon flavor thanks to using lemon pudding mix. The pudding mix also keeps the cookies soft for days – these are the perfect cookie with a citrus burst in every bite.

stacked lemon cookies with sliced lemons in the background.

Soft Lemon Cookies Recipe

These cookies are super fun because they are pudding cookies, meaning they use instant pudding mix. The secret to these cookies is using instant lemon pudding mix for tons of lemon flavor and lemon zest to add a fresh, from scratch flavor.

I’ve been making cookies using pudding mix in cookies for years. It’s one of my favorite methods because it keeps the cookies soft for a while and gives the cookies an unbeatable texture and adds so much flavor!

ingredients in lemon pudding cookies.

Ingredient in Lemon Pudding Cookies

  • 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. Be sure to only zest the outer yellow part of the lemon (the white pith will make your cookies bitter).
stacked lemon cookies with sliced lemons in the background.

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  • 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.
  • Once baked and cooled, you can freeze cookies for up to three months in an airtight container. You can also freeze cookie dough balls in a single layer, then stack once frozen. To bake cookies from frozen, add 2-3 min bake time.
5 from 16 votes

Lemon Pudding Cookies

By: Dorothy Kern
Easy Lemon Cookies with tons of lemon flavor because they're pudding cookies – they stay soft for days!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Chill Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
stacked lemon cookies with sliced lemons in the background.
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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.

Notes

  • Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
  • Freeze cookies for up to 3 months.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 85kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 51mg | Potassium: 12mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 130IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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process shot of making lemon pudding cookies.
process shot of making lemon pudding cookies.
process shot of making lemon pudding cookies.
process shot of making lemon pudding cookies.

How to make lemon pudding cookies

  1. Once creamed, the butter and sugar will be light and fluffy.
  2. Once the eggs, vanilla, and zest are added, the mixture will be loose and yellow.
  3. The pudding mix and flour will create a dark yellow cookie dough that’s perfect for scooping and baking immediately (no chilling needed).
  4. Using a silicone baking mat will help the cookies not spread too much.

Variations

Other Lemon Recipes

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Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

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5 from 16 votes (12 ratings without comment)

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74 Comments

  1. I am featuring your wonderful cookies at tonights Link party at CountryMommaCooks….stop by tonight and check it out : )

    Reply

  2. 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!

    Reply

    1. I hope they love them! It would be a dark, dark world without chocolate or nuts!! 🙂

      Reply

  3. Oh these sound sooo good! I love different lemon desserts, and this sounds delicious!!!! (They look so cute, too!)

    Reply

  4. 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

    Reply

  5. I think I’m going to test these out tis weekend with a blueberry filling! YUMMMMM.
    Thanks for sharing on WHatcha WHipped Up!

    Reply