These Fresh Raspberry Lemon Cookies are absolutely bursting with flavor! It’s like summer in the shape of a cookie. There are fresh (frozen) raspberries in the dough, and fresh lemon juice and zest. The glaze puts them over the top!

lemon cookies

I cannot even tell you how many batches of Raspberry Lemon Cookies I have made over the past month. Sooo many. These were definitely a labor of love! My dedication to all things raspberry and lemon is strong.

raspberry cookies

In one of my tests, I tried using lemon extract instead of fresh lemon juice. I really don’t use lemon extract that much, but I had two jars of it in my cupboard: one from a couple years ago when Nielsen Massey sent me a box of different products when I was working with them on a sponsored post (I ended up using vanilla to make these Slow Cooker Brown Butter Carrots), and the other from just a couple months ago when I went to a blogging conference (Nielsen-Massey provided some products in the swag bags.)

raspberry lemon cookies

So naturally I used the older one, because my mom taught me to be frugal and responsible and all that. I measured it out and dumped it in, and as I’m mixing up the dough, I think to myself, huh, lemon extract smells kinda weird I guess. Oh well, it must be the alcohol, I’m sure it will bake off in the oven.

lemon cookie recipe

Famous last words. It did not bake off in the oven because it wasn’t alcohol I was smelling, it was completely rancid. How do you not notice this?? Like seriously, sometimes my brain tries to help me out. It gives me clues, like, “dude this smells weird.” Why don’t I listen to it?? If something smells funny, don’t put it in your cookies!!!! Moron!

The cookies were terrible and I dumped them straight in the trash. There is nothing sadder than seeing an entire batch of freshly baked, beautiful looking cookies in your trash can.

But, I persevered. I used the other jar of lemon extract on the next batch and found out that lemon extract is kinda chemically, even when it’s not rancid. Or maybe I just used too much. (Do you guys have any recipes you love using lemon extract?) Anyway, the cookies didn’t taste lemony enough, so I moved back to testing with lemon juice. You just can’t beat the fresh, bright flavor of fresh lemon, I guess.

How to make Raspberry Lemon Cookies

how to make best lemon cookies

best lemon cookies recipe

I’m doing a terrible job of telling you how amazing these raspberry lemon cookies are. I promise, the final recipe posted here is fabulous!!! It is a tender, chewy cookie that is full of buttery flavor, tangy lemon, and fresh raspberries. (And by fresh I mean frozen of course. Baking with frozen berries is always a good idea, they are usually more “fresh” than the fresh ones in the produce section, because they are picked and frozen right away.)

I love these cookies all by themselves and ate way too many of them. But when you drizzle it with lemon glaze and top it with a fresh raspberry?? These cookies are unstoppable. SO good and the perfect summer treat.

Just like I mentioned in my last cookie post for these Soft Chocolate Cookies with Peanut Butter Frosting, these raspberry lemon cookies are kind of an experience. The glaze and fresh raspberry on top make them feel super fancy. They would be great for a summer BBQ, or a bridal/baby shower, or anything where presentation is important. Just look how pretty they are!

raspberry lemon cookies

(On the left, a cookie that got pretty saturated with raspberries. On the right, a cookie that has good streaks of lemon dough. It will puff up more.)

lemon cookies with lemon glaze

They are so easy to make. There is no chilling required for the dough, so you can go from zero to cookies in about 30 minutes. Buy a microplane grater to make zesting a manageable, even pleasant experience. It’s one of my favorite kitchen tools!!

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Fresh Raspberry Lemon Cookies with Glaze

5 from 6 votes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 15 cookies
These Fresh Raspberry Lemon Cookies are absolutely bursting with flavor! It's like summer in the shape of a cookie. There are fresh (frozen) raspberries in the dough, and fresh lemon juice and zest. The glaze puts them over the top!

Ingredients

For the cookies

  • 4 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 4 tablespoons butter flavored shortening
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 lemon Lemon Zest
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, fresh
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 cup frozen raspberries, still frozen

For the glaze

  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh
  • 1 & 1/2 cups powdered sugar, or more
  • fresh raspberries, to garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat. Don't get the raspberries out of the freezer yet, leave them in until the very last minute.
  • In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat together the butter and shortening for 1-2 minutes, scraping the sides and bottom.
  • Add the sugar and lemon zest and beat well, another 1-2 minutes, until fluffy. 
  • Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and the egg. Beat well.
  • Add 2 cups of flour but don't mix yet. Use a small spoon to stir the baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the flour. Beat until almost combined (It will have formed a dough but there might still be streaks of flour.)
  • Get the raspberries out of the freezer. Measure out 3/4 cup onto a cutting board and chop roughly with a sharp knife. You want each raspberry to be at least chopped in half but not much more than that. Break up any big clumps. 
  • Carefully stir the raspberries into the dough with a spatula or wooden spoon. Don't over mix; you want there to be sections of lemony dough that don't have raspberries in them. If you mix too much it will turn all the dough pink. 
  • Use a cookie scoop to immediately shape all the dough. You should get about 15 cookies. Add 6-8 to the prepared pan, at least 2 inches apart. 
  • Bake at 350 for 14-15 minutes, or until the edges have barely turned golden. Make sure that the top of the cookie is not too shiny. If it still looks raw in the middle, leave it in for another couple minutes. 
  • Once you have the cookies in the oven, immediately shape the other cookies and place on a plate or another prepared baking sheet, if it will fit in your freezer. Place the plate in the freezer (otherwise the raspberries will start melting and get liquid everywhere. You need them to go in the oven frozen.)
  • Bake the remaining cookies right away once the oven is free. Bake them the same amount of time. 
  • If you want to save the other cookies for later, transfer the shaped dough to a ziplock freezer bag. You can freeze it for up to 2 months. (I do this with all my cookies! Cookie dough freezes beautifully.) Don't thaw before baking. Just plop them on the pan and throw it in a preheated oven. You might need to increase the baking time by a couple minutes.
  • Let baked cookies set on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool completely. You can speed this up by putting them in the fridge or freezer if you want.
  • Make the glaze: in a small bowl combine 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon) and the powdered sugar. Add more lemon juice or powdered sugar to get the consistency you want. (I like my glaze a little thick.)
  • Use a spoon to glaze the cookies. Let the frosting set at room temperature. Top each cookie with a fresh raspberry.
  • These cookies are best served on the day you make them. Store leftover cookies in the fridge.

Notes

*Whenever I call for shortening in a cookie recipe I get people asking me if they can replace it with butter. You always can! You will get flatter cookies though.
** I HIGHLY recommend this microplane grater for zesting citrus. It is so sharp and I use it all the time! One of my favorite kitchen tools for sure.
Some discoloration will start to happen after the cookies are baked. The raspberries turn a little purple. This is normal and they still taste great, but for that reason I recommend making these on the same day you plan to serve them. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 97mg | Potassium: 69mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 121IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 236
Keyword: Cookies, glaze, lemon, raspberry
Did you make this? I'd love to see it!Mention @thefoodcharlatan or tag #thefoodcharlatan!

More delicious cookies you will love!

Raspberry Lemon-Glazed Muffins << these are the muffin version of today’s recipe!

Raspberry Lemon Muffins from The Food Charlatan

 

Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies << these are a classic! Have you made them??

jam cookies

 

Coconut-Frosted Sugar Cookies with Strawberry Hearts << I LOVE these. Why are cookies so good??

Coconut-Frosted Sugar Cookies with Strawberry Hearts

 

Raspberry Cheesecake Bars 

 

More lemon raspberry flavors from other bloggers!

Lemon Raspberry Sugar Cookies from Oh Sweet Basil
Raspberry Lemon Tartlets from Noble Pig
Raspberry Lemon Bars from Texanerin

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Comments

    1. Hi Patty! This cookies is naturally going to be a bit softer because there is watery fruit in it. It’s never going to snap like a gingersnap, not with raspberries. You could try shaping the cookies a bit smaller and over baking them!

      1. 5 stars
        I made these for a party questioning if I should try them out first, but I just didn’t have time. I happened to notice as people took their first bite, they stopped whatever they were doing and asked, “WHAT IS THIS?!!!” They would then moan a little more, and grab for more!!! I have NEVER seen such a reaction in people before. It was HILARIOUS!!! This is truly one of those, “WOW!!! I’ve never tasted anything like that before!” Thank you so much for sharing this gem for all to make! It was a DESSERT STOPPER! LOL!

        1. A dessert stopper, haha!! I love that Chessy! Isn’t it so fun when you can surprise and delight people like that :) So happy they were a hit! Thanks for sharing your review!

  1. 5 stars
    I made this and they are DELICIOUS! 

    I want to make them again today but I have no left white sugar. You think I can use brown sugar instead? 

    1. Hi Jennifer! So glad you love them, thanks for reviewing! It will definitely make the cookies darker and add a molasses flavor, and change the ph of the cookie since brown sugar is an acid. try it out and let me know how it goes!

  2. Refreshing. These are a yummy lemony sugar cookie with a great addition of flavor from the tart raspberry. Followed the recipe exactly as is and it was perfect. All the extra information about freezing and not letting the raspberries thaw is very important.

    1. I haven’t Kathy! Is there a recommendation for how much to use per egg on the packaging?

  3. The flavor was amazing! I followed the recipe exactly except I  had fresh not frozen raspberries. The texture was a little softer then I expected. Is there a trick to make them slightly more crunchy at least on the edges? I cooked them a few more minutes and it did not do the trick.  Maybe I mixed in the raspberries too much and the fruit juice messed with the dough consistency? 

    1. Hi Florencia! Hm, I’m not sure what to tell you. It’s possible that fresh raspberries would change the recipe, but I wouldn’t think it would effect the crispiness of the edge. Maybe try adding a couple tablespoons less flour next time?

  4. I came to this post so often that I just accidentally came here trying to go somewhere else, but that means it’s a perfect time to leave a reply! These were so good. I didn’t have a lemon but I did have limes, so I used them (and some lemon juice) to delicious effect. Rave reviews from everyone that tried them! I would like to try lemon sometime (because lemon is my favorite) but the lime was great.

    Also I just remembered I have one more batch in the freezer that I should bake up soon. That’s great news!

    1. Haha! I love that you just accidentally ended up here! Thank you for replying, I love hearing from you! I never thought to try this with limes, that sounds so good! Raspberry and lime is totally delicious together. Also, one of the best feelings is knowing you have a batch of extra cookies in the freezer. Lucky you!!

  5. Lovely cookies, tangy and sweet. I made then with all butter as we don’t have butter flavoured shortening in the uk. Delicious 😋 

    1. Good to know these work with all butter Annie! I’m so glad you liked the cookies! Perfect for summer :) Thanks for commenting!!

    2. please what mean the two stars beside lemon zest… l scrolled down for the note but i don’t see it… i will try this week…

      there is a comment on less flour … do you ajust or not ?

      thank you !!

      1. Hi Johanne! Sorry about that, it was a mistake, I removed the asterisks! And I’m not sure what you mean about the flour. The recipe calls for 2 cups and that is the correct amount! Enjoy!

    1. YAY! I love these cookies, so glad someone else loves them too! I will definitely keep the recipes coming, thank you so much for giving me some feedback! Means so much to me!

  6. Thank you! I love raspberries and I love lemons! And I loved these cookies. More to come for this weekend!

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