Indulge in these Soft Cut-Out Blueberry Lemon Sugar Cookies, where fresh lemon zest and juice infuse a tart brightness, perfectly complemented by the sweet intensity of freeze-dried blueberries. Designed as a no-chill, cut-out recipe, they offer a convenient baking experience without compromising on flavor. Ideal for decorating with buttercream or royal icing, these cookies are a delightful blend of citrus and berry goodness.
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Excited to share the newly updated recipe! It is still just as delicious, but updated the notes to make it easier for recreating, and also tweaked some of the ingredients just slightly. If you love to bake cut-out sugar cookies, then I recommend trying my Strawberry Cut-Out Sugar Cookie recipe!
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
Easy To Make! These cut-out blueberry lemon cookies are very easy to make, come together quickly, and bake in just 9 minutes!
Lots of Flavors. A subtle tangy taste from the blueberries combined with the lemon juice and zest, it is spring in cookie form. Truly a perfect cookie!
Soft and Chewy! These soft and chewy cookies are perfect for eating as is, or topping with delicious lemon-flavored royal icing or vanilla American Buttercream!
If you are a lover of tender cookies, then may I also recommend my Strawberry Shortbread Cookies, or Chocolate Almond Shortbread Cookies? Both are extremely easy to make and full of flavor. Or you can try these chewy Lemon Blueberry Cookies that will use fresh blueberries!
Ingredients
Please read through the ingredients list so you can familiarize yourself with each ingredient, along with suggestions or recommendations during the preparation or baking process. Please see the Recipe Card for all details.
Lemon. We add lemon zest to our sugar and pinch between our fingers to help release the oils from the lemon zest. This will help amplify the lemon flavor, along with a small boost from the teaspoon of fresh lemon juice we add. You can substitute the fresh lemon juice with lemon extract or vanilla extract.
Freeze Dried Blueberries. We want to avoid adding too much moisture from fresh blueberries or frozen blueberries, so our perfect balance will be with freeze-dried blueberries! Freeze-dried blueberries help bring the delicious flavor of blueberries without adding excess moisture and allowing us to achieve a cut-out cookie.
Butter. I use unsalted butter, but you can use salted butter. Just omit the fine sea salt from the recipe if you do. Also, make sure your butter is at room temperature by pressing a finger into the butter. If your finger makes a small indent, the butter is ready. If it pushes in too far then the butter is too warm and you will need to firm back up in the refrigerator.
Pre-Bake Tips
Use Kitchen Scale. The greatest advantage you can give yourself when baking is using a kitchen scale. It helps more accurately measure ingredients by weight vs. volume.
Spoon and Level Flour. If you do not have a kitchen scale, then spoon and level your flour to ensure you are not adding too much.
Room Temperature Ingredients. Make sure your butter is softened before beginning.
Variations
Add White Chocolate Chips. Elevate the cookie flavor by adding ½ cup of white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate to the dough.
Substitute with Freeze Dried Raspberries! Substitute 1:1 with freeze-dried raspberries, which is another delicious combination with lemon!
How To Make Soft Cut-Out Blueberry Lemon Sugar Cookies
This Soft Cut-Out Blueberry Lemon Sugar Cookie recipe uses baking tools and ingredients that can be found in most homes. Please see the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and equipment.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine sugar and zest into one small bowl. Using your fingers massage the zest into the sugar to help extract the oils. Set aside.
Step 2: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add butter, sugar, fresh lemon juice and salt. Mix on medium high until creamed – about 2 to 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Scrape down bowl as needed.
Step 3: Add egg and mix on medium low until fully incorporated. Scrape down bowl as needed with rubber spatula.
Step 4: In a blender or food processor, add freeze dried blueberries and grind down for just a few seconds.
Step 5: Place fine mesh strainer over stand mixer bowl and sift blueberry powder in. Discard remaining seeds. Mix on medium low until blueberries are fully mixed in. Scrape down bowl as needed.
Step 6: In a separate bowl, add flour and baking powder and sift well. Add to wet ingredients.
Hot Tip! Avoiding unnecessary seeds and bits of blueberry by sifting. This will help leave out any dry, unsavory bits while only allowing the powder and true flavor into your cookies!
Step 7: Mix dry ingredients on low until about half the flour has been absorbed. Then turn on one notch higher and mix until well combined.
Step 8: Lay down large piece of parchment, and flour lightly. Place dough on top and flatten slightly, and lightly flour top. Add piece of parchment on top and use rolling pin to roll to desired thickness.
Hot Tip! Rolling between two pieces of parchment will help for easier rolling, cutting and re-rolling. Dusting with flour on the bottom and top will also help avoid sticky dough!
Step 9: Cut shapes with cookie cutters and place on cookie sheet at least 1" apart. Re-roll as needed, lightly flouring bottom and top.
Step 10: Bake for 9 minutes, or until you see very light browning along bottom edges.
Hot Tip! If you find your dough is sticky while rolling, place in refrigerator for 15 - 20 minutes. Then light dust top of dough, place parchment back on top, and re-roll.
Step 11: Remove from oven and place on wire rack. Allow to completely cool before enjoying or decorating.
FAQ's
It could be that the butter was too soft, or not enough flour was added. If you find that the dough is very soft when rolling out, before using cookie cutters, place dough in refrigerator for 15 - 20 minutes. Remove from refrigerator and proceed with next steps.
No, but if you prefer to use fresh blueberries than I recommend trying my Lemon Blueberry Cookies or Easy Blueberry Blondies (with Crumble Topping).
Storage
Pre-Bake Storage. Before cutting shapes, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Remove from refrigerator and let sit for about 15 minutes before continuing from step 8.
Post Bake Storage. Place in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 3 days. Place in freezer freezer-safe container or ziplock bag and place in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, remove from freezer and leave at room temperature for a few hours.
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Soft Cut-Out Blueberry Lemon Sugar Cookies
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Equipment
- stand mixer with paddle attachment
- kitchen scale optional but recommended
- blender or food processor
- rubber spatula
- parchment paper
- zester
- cooling rack
- sifter
Ingredients
- 1 lemon
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice or lemon extract
- 1 cup whole freeze-dried blueberries
- 3 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine sugar and zest into one small bowl. Using your fingers massage the zest into the sugar to help extract the oils. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add butter, sugar, fresh lemon juice and salt. Mix on medium high until creamed – about 2 to 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Scrape down bowl as needed.
- Add egg and mix on medium low until fully incorporated. Scrape down bowl as needed with rubber spatula.
- In a blender or food processor, add freeze dried blueberries and grind down for just a few seconds.
- Place fine mesh strainer over stand mixer bowl and sift blueberry powder in. Discard remaining seeds. Mix on medium low until blueberries are fully mixed in. Scrape down bowl as needed.
- In a separate bowl, add flour and baking powder and sift well. Add to wet ingredients.
- Mix dry ingredients on low until about half the flour has been absorbed. Then turn on one notch higher and mix until well combined.
- Lay down large piece of parchment, and flour lightly. Place dough on top and flatten slightly, and lightly flour top. Add piece of parchment on top and use rolling pin to roll to desired thickness.
- Cut shapes with cookie cutters and place on cookie sheet at least 1" apart. Re-roll as needed, lightly flouring bottom and top.
- Bake for 9 minutes, or until you see very light browning along bottom edges.
- Remove from oven and place on wire rack. Allow to completely cool before enjoying or decorating.
Emilee Douglas says
Love this recipe. I was not able to find freeze dried blueberries locally. Where do you get yours?
Sharon Alvarenga says
Thank you! Your local Target or Walmart should have them, usually you can locate them in dried fruits section. Or you can purchase through Amazon as well.
Susan says
Is there a difference between dried and freeze dried?
Sharon Alvarenga says
Dried fruit still contains moisture so tends to be a bit chewy. Freeze dried fruit has less moisture but still retains the flavor of the fruit. Much easier to work within baked goods so you are able to control the amount of moisture and flavor within the dessert.