Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies

Real talk -- I love cookies.

I'm a huge fan of cookies that are chewy and soft and bursting with flavor. These Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies totally fit the bill.

Fresh, bright lemon flavor is packed into these sweet little bites. They are reminiscent of traditional butter cookies, with a fun and crunchy poppy seed twist.

These cookies did not last long around our house. We brought them to a picnic one night, and what few remained were a fun midday snack on Monday. The cookies are just slightly golden brown with a nice gooey center.

I also just got this seriously adorable citrus juicer from Marshall's and a new microplane! Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies were the perfect way to break in my new gear...do you like to use new kitchen gadgets as soon as you get them!? Clearly I do!

To start, we need to sift together all purpose flour, baking powder, salt, cream of tartar and crunchy poppy seeds. I just love the way the flecks of black make this batter look rustic and charming.

I worked a ton of lemon zest into a bowl of sugar with my finger tips. This is a fun trick out there in the food world that releases the aromatic flavor of the zest and blends that flavor into the entire cookie!

Butter and lemony sugar are creamed together before egg, honey, and lemon juice join the party. While the mixer is running on low speed, the dry ingredients get combined slowly and completely into the wet ingredients. The dough should come together pretty solidly on the paddle attachment.

After a bit of chill time, it's time to bake! This dough shouldn't be too runny and the cookies will hold their shape for the most part while they bake up.

When the tops of the cookies begin to crack, we take the cookies out of the oven and smush them down with the bottom of a very flat glass. This was fun to me. I need more hobbies.

I totally loved these cookies. The crunch of the poppy seeds and the golden brown edges are the perfect complement to the chewy center and tangy bite of the lemons. Now, your favorite flavor muffin is a delicious dessert!

Let's not delay any longer -- I know you want to get your hands on a batch of these cookies!

Here's what you need for Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies* (Print Recipe!)

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons lemon zest
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 egg
1 tablespoon honey
3 teaspoons lemon juice

Here's what you do

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, tartar, salt, and poppy seeds.

In a small bowl, work together the sugar and lemon zest until the sugar gets a soft, yellow hue. Combine the lemon sugar and the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat together until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.

Beat the egg, honey and lemon juice into the butter mixture until combined.

Reduce speed to low and slowly add in the flour mixture in batches. Stop the mixture and scrape down the sides and along the bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is well mixed. Turn out the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and roll tightly into a log. Chill at least 30 minutes up to 3 hours.

Preheat over to 375 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a small or medium scoop, place 1-inch balls of dough onto the sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake in the upper third of the over for about 10 minutes until the tops just begin to crack.

Remove the baking sheets from the oven and flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass. Allow to cool on the baking sheet about 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Makes 24 to 26 cookies. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

*Recipe from Snixy Kitchen