Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies – Slice & Bake
Posted: 12/18/2015
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Lemon poppy seed cookies add a dose of extra sunny cheerfulness to your cookie platters. They’re easy to make and the cream cheese adds an amazing depth to the flavor.
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Okay, so lemon poppy seed cookies are not chocolate chip. They don’t even have ANY chocolate. Is that a sin? Oh well. If lemon poppy seed is wrong, I don’t want to be right.
And slice and bake cookies clearly fall within easy-to-make camp. You’ll love how you can prep this dough weeks in advance and slice and bake when you need them.
Not to mention, these cookies taste great all year long. Bright and sunny on cold dreary winter days and refreshing on sweltering summer days. I guess that’s one of the perks of them not being chocolate.
It’s always a good time for cookies. Can I get an amen?
I also love these poppy seed cookies with orange. The advantage of that recipe is that you don’t have to refrigerate the dough. And who doesn’t like creamy poppy seed dressing on a leafy salad with strawberries and pecans?
If you’re not crazy about poppy seed cookies, either omit them from the recipe or make these Lemon Sugar Cookies.
About these Cookies
The addition of cream cheese makes these cookies super flavorful and rich. They practically melt in your mouth. You’ll love the buttery, lemony taste.
If you aren’t familiar with slice and bake cookies, here’s the low down. Basically, you make cookie dough (and there are LOTS of variations), roll the dough into a log shape (like PlayDough), wrap it well in parchment paper or waxed paper, and refrigerate or freeze it. When you’re ready to bake cookies, simply unwrap the dough log, slice off 1/4 inch slices, and bake. So simple and delicious!
Used for this recipe
- parchment paper
- baking sheet
- poppy seeds
- lemon extract
- yellow sugar
FAQs
Do you have to soak poppy seeds before baking?
When using the poppy seeds as a filling or in muffins or cakes, many cooks soak the poppy seeds in warm milk or water to soften the outer hull and enhance the flavor of the seeds. The soaking liquid is usually used in the recipe.
I don’t recommend soaking the seeds for this cookie recipe. There is no added liquid to soak them in and the crunchy seeds add a lot of texture to the cookies.
Are poppy seeds good for you?
Poppy seeds are rich in nutrients and antioxidants, and are very low in calories. Pretty good for a tiny black seed!
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
Baked cookies can be stored at in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to one week or in the freezer for up to a month. Be sure the cookies are completely cool before storing.
To Make Ahead: Unbaked cookie dough logs can be stored in the fridge for up to one week or frozen for one month. If frozen dough is too firm to slice, let it set out at room temperature for 30 minutes. To bake, simply slice off what you need and bake as directed. Freshly baked cookies whenever you want them!
- Cream Cheese Cocoa Nib Cookies
- Sand Tart Cookies (Slice & Bake Buttery Sugar Cookies)
- Windmill Cookies aka Speculoos Cookies (nut free option)
- Peppermint Shortbread Cookies
- Apple Cheesecake Shortbread Cookies
- Honey Lemon Shortbread Cookies
- Mexican Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
- Gingerbread Shortbread Cookies with Cranberries
- Holiday Funfetti Shortbread Cookies
- Cream Cheese Pecan Cookies from Simply Recipes
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
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Lemon poppy seed cookies add a dose of extra sunny cheerfulness to your cookie platters. They’re easy to make and the cream cheese adds an amazing depth to the flavor.
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 4 tablespoons poppy seeds
- 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
- yellow sugar for decorating edges (optional)
Instructions
- Whisk flour, salt, lemon zest, and poppy seeds in a large bowl; set aside. Place butter and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat on medium speed until pale and fluffy (approximately 2 minutes). Add sugar, vanilla and lemon extract and mix until combined. While mixer is running on low-speed, add flour mixture, and continue to mix until just combined.
- Transfer half of dough to a large sheet of parchment paper. Shape into a long log about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap in parchment paper and repeat with other half of the dough. Freeze until firm, at least 30 minutes, or refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Unwrap one log, roll in yellow sugar if desired. Cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Place approximately 1 inch apart on baking sheet.
- Bake cookies until golden around edges, 16 to 18 minutes. Let cool slightly before removing from trays; cool completely on wire racks.
Notes
- Don’t have a stand mixer? Use an electric mixer (or arm power!) to blend the butter and cream cheese together; beat in sugar and the extracts. Stir in the flour mixture by hand.
- Dough can be frozen for up to two weeks. Wrap well in plastic wrap or foil. If dough is too hard to slice, let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Baked cookies can be frozen for up to one month in a freezer-safe container.
- Yield depends on size of cookies. Nutrition information is based on 1 cookie per serving.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 143kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 24mg, Sodium: 61mg, Potassium: 24mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 284IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 18mg, Iron: 1mg
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Clarence wilson says
These look amazing! I’m going to make this and i try to impress to my family, Thanks for sharing
Rachel Gurk says
I hope they love them as much as we do!
Sasha Jamison says
I am way into lemon right now! Love these cookies!
Rachel Gurk says
Thank you! So glad you like them!
Smart Food Solutions says
Great looking recipes .
Ann Pierce says
These cookies are very nice. I have made them many times. They are light-tasting and pretty. The recipe makes a lot so I always freeze some of the dough.
Rachel Gurk says
So glad you liked them!
Anthony says
So great, you make this look beautiful like an artist. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Marty says
These look amazing! I’m going to pass this on to my dad, so he can try them out. He’s a bit of a cookie whiz. :D
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction says
What a great flavor for slice and bake cookies! These look so good!
Stephanie @ Girl Versus Dough says
Seriously can’t get enough citrus-flavored treats in my life lately (or ever, tbh ;)). I’m drooling just looking at these!
Rachel Gurk says
Thank you! And I wholeheartedly agree on the topic of all things citrus!
denise says
they’re pretty
Rachel Gurk says
Thank you so much Denise!
Amy says
Hey, how beautiful are these. I Love them.
Rachel Gurk says
Thank you!
Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie says
Love that you gave them a yellow “rind”
Rachel Gurk says
I didn’t even think of it looking like a rind! I just thought it would be pretty. ;) Love it when things work out that way!