These lemon white chocolate chip cookies are soft and chewy with slightly crisp edges. Combining the refreshing zing of citrus with the creamy sweetness of white chocolate, these cookies are sure to brighten your day.
I just love recipes with lemon. I grew up on lemon poppyseed desserts but have branched out to adding lemon in all sorts of other recipes.
If regular chocolate chip cookies are warm and cozy, these lemon white chocolate cookies are bright and refreshing… kind of like a sorbet in cookie form. They’re soft yet slightly crisp, in both flavor and texture.
These cookies have a satisfyingly soft and chewy texture, with just the right amount of crispness around the edges. The contrasting textures of the tender cookie base and the melty white chocolate chips make these cookies truly addicting.
Overall, these Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies offer a delightful twist on a classic favorite, bringing together tangy citrus notes, creamy sweetness, and a perfect balance of flavors. They are a true treat for the senses, offering a burst of freshness and indulgence in every bite.
If you like citrus and chocolate desserts, be sure to check out my Orange Date Coconut Macaroons!
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Ingredients
These Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies use easy-to-find ingredients that you likely already have on hand.
- Lemon zest – The strong lemon flavor in baked goods actually comes from the zest rather than the juice!
- White chocolate – I use both chopped chocolate and chips for a few textures, but you can use one or the other if you prefer.
- Butter – The base of all good cookie recipes
- Sugar – We add white and brown
- Eggs – Don’t forget these like I once did!
- Vanilla extract – To add a nice depth to the cookies
- Flour – I use all-purpose
- Baking Leaveners – Both baking soda and baking powder
- Kosher salt – To bring out the sweetness
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Massage the lemon zest with the sugar
- Add the butter, sugar, and lemon zest to a stand mixer and beat until white and fluffy. You could also use a handheld electric mixer, or combine manually.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract and combine.
- Fold in the dry ingredients, then the chopped chocolate and chocolate chips
- Roll the dough into balls and bake
- Option to squeeze some lemon juice over the cookies after they have cooled completely.
Substitutions and Variations
These cookies are wonderful as is! However, if you’re feeling creative, consider the following:
- White chocolate – this recipe calls for both chopped white chocolate and chocolate chips. Chocolate from a chopped up bar will always become more melty and gooey than chocolate chips. I like having a little bit of both.
- Citrus – These cookies would taste great with orange zest instead of lemon, if that’s what you have on hand!
- Extracts – Adding ¼ – ½ teaspoon of rose water extract or orange blossom water could give these cookies a lovely depth, if you like those flavors!
Why you’ll love this Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe
- You only need simple, no fuss ingredients
- The cookies can be made end to end in 30 minutes!
- Easy to store after baking, or freeze before baking
- They offer a light and bright flavor perfect for summer
Storage
You can freeze the dough in pre-rolled out balls for up to three months. When ready to cook, take out of the freezer and pop onto a baking sheet. Cook for an additional two minutes.
Store already baked cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to five days.
Top Tip
- Measure your flour correctly. I always use a kitchen scale to measure flour in order to get the exact amount. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, use the spoon and level method: instead of scooping the measuring cup directly into your bag of flour, use a spoon to fill up your measuring cup. Once the measuring cup is full, use the flat spoon surface to level the top flat.
- For puddles of white chocolate, chop up a bar of white chocolate! Don’t use just white chocolate chips. Even though they might taste the same, they melt completely differently!
- Option to squeeze a little bit of lemon juice over the cookies, but only after they have cooled completely. If you add moisture as they cool, the texture will stay soggy and taste undercooked.
More dessert recipes
Here are some other yummy dessert recipes to try:
📖 Recipe
Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup white sugar
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 oz white chocolate bar chopped
- ½ cup white chocolate chips
- 3 lemons zested
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add the butter, sugars, and lemon zest to the bowl of a stand mixer. Cream together until light and fluffy.
- Beat in eggs and vanilla extract until combined.
- Fold in the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt) until combined.
- Add the chopped white chocolate and white chocolate chips and mix.
- Roll 2-3 tablespoons of dough at a time into balls and place them evenly spaced on your prepared cookie sheets.
- Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 8-12 minutes (for me, 10 is perfect). Take them out when they are just BARELY starting to turn brown. They will look light and puffy, and will sink down as they cool.
- Allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes in the pan, then move to a rack to cool completely.
FAVE cookies!!!! What a delicious combination of fresh citrus with a hint of sweet white chocolate goodness. Love your creativity and amazing recipes.