Lemony Thyme Cookies
On Sundays, we bake. And nothing says spring quite like these lemony, herby cookies. The dough can be baked same-day or frozen and sliced later — either way, they’re soft, zesty, and subtly nostalgic. Think: those Pillsbury holiday cookies, with a little lemon-thyme magic.
Lemon Thyme Cookies
Total time: 1.5 hours
Hands-on time: 25 minutes
Servings: Makes 12 big cookies
Ingredients
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (210g)
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¾ cup room temperature butter (170g)
¾ cup white sugar (156g), plus more for rolling
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tbsp)
1½ tsp fresh thyme
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugars until smooth. Beat in egg, then add lemon zest and juice.
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to wet ingredients in batches until just combined. Stir in thyme. Chill dough for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll dough into balls, coat in sugar, and place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until edges just begin to brown. Cool on a rack and enjoy.
Recipe Notes
*Room temp butter matters! If you forget, cube it and microwave on 20% power in short bursts until just soft.
*Fresh thyme = light and citrusy. Old thyme = stronger. Adjust quantity to taste. Start with 1 tsp if using older thyme.
*Chilling helps shape and prevents spreading. In a rush? Chill dough briefly, shape, and pop dough balls in the freezer for 5–10 minutes before baking.
