Thick Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies

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There’s something about a thick bakery cookie that makes an ordinary afternoon feel like a special occasion. Maybe it is the oversized shape, the little indulgence, or the way it pairs so well with your favorite afternoon drink. These lemon white chocolate chip cookies will transport you to your favorite bakery, in the comfort of your own home. 

These bright lemon white chocolate cookies are like a little ray of sunshine for any afternoon. They’re built on our classic bakery-style cookie base but with a citrus twist. Fresh lemon zest and lemon juice are worked into the dough, giving each bite a bit of tang. The vibrant citrus flavor is perfectly balanced with sweet white chocolate chips that are folded throughout. As these cookies bake, they become thick, soft, and perfectly golden with little pockets of creamy sweetness. 

This flavor combination is simple but a perfect one for warmer days. Whether you’re baking for a spring or summer gathering, packing for a picnic, or simply craving something cozy and bright to pair with an iced matcha or latte. 

Why You’ll Love These Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Tangy and Sweet! The addition of the white chocolate chips perfectly balances with the tart lemon flavor.
• Bakery-worthy! These cookies have everything you love about a bakery cookie – they’re thick, crisp on the edges and soft on the inside. The generous size of the cookies makes them a little extra – just like what you’d expect at your local bakery!
• They have a soft, doughy texture. If you’re a fan of soft cookies, these have your name written all over them.

How to Make Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies, Step by Step

Step 1. Prep baking sheet and preheat oven. 

We always recommend prepping your baking sheet and preheating the oven before you start to make the dough. This is just one less step you’ll have to do after making the dough! That way, when you’re ready to pop the cookies in the oven, your baking tray is ready, and your oven is heated. 

Cookies typically bake at 325-350°F, but for this recipe, you will bake the cookies on a higher temperature of 375°F. Because these are thick cookies, the higher temperature will bake the edges of the cookie quickly to prevent the spread of the dough. 

Step 2. Cream butter and sugars.

The first step in making these cookies is to cream the butter and sugars together. This step is very important because it whips air into the cookies, making them fluffy, so you don’t end up with a flat cookie. 

Make sure the butter is cold. In a bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed, and the butter and sugar together until it is smooth and creamy.

Next, mix in the eggs, vanilla, and lemon juice until the mixture is smooth. 

Step 3. Mix in dry ingredients and white chocolate chips.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and lemon zest. Pour the flour mixture into the creamed butter mixture and mix until it’s evenly incorporated. 

If you see any loose flour, make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to briefly mix it into the dough. 

Once the dough is evenly mixed, pour in the white chocolate chips and blend them in the dough

Tip! Make sure you don’t overmix the batter. This is a thick dough, so stop mixing once the dough is evenly mixed.

Step 4. Scoop, roll dough, and chill dough for 10 minutes.

Using a large cookie scoop, scoop dough into large balls and place on the parchment-lined baking sheet.  Once all the cookies have been scooped and rolled, chill the dough balls for at least 10-15 minutes. Chilling will help to solidify the fats in the dough so that they don’t spread when baking.

Chilling the dough will help the dough solidify so it doesn’t spread too much while baking.

Step 4. Bake until golden brown, cool and enjoy!

After the dough balls have chilled, place 4-6 dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 375ºF for 12-15 minutes. 

Make sure each cookie is spaced a couple of inches apart from one another. When the cookies are nice and golden on the edges, they are done!

Take the cookies out of the oven and let them cool on a cooling rack for 5-10 minutes before enjoying. Repeat this step for the rest of the cookies and enjoy!

Tips for making Raspberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Bake at a higher temperature. To avoid a cookie mess, bake these cookies at a higher temperature. This will help them to hold their shape, reduce their spread, and cook and bake the outer edges without spreading out. 
• Cold butter! This is essential. If your butter is too warm, the cookies can spread too much when baking.
• Chill the cookie dough. A little extra chill of the cookie dough is an extra step we never skip! Chilled dough helps to reduce the spread of the cookies. If your dough is too warm, the butter will melt, and your cookies will spread.
• Roll the dough into large cookie dough balls. Large dough balls are one of the secrets to bakery-style cookies. The outside bakes first while the center stays thick, soft, and chewy, giving you that signature oversized cookie look and texture.
• Let the cookies rest before eating. After baking, allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes. They’ll continue baking from the residual heat, which helps the centers set while staying perfectly gooey and soft.

How to Store Thick Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.

Storing Cookie Dough in the Freezer

Scoop the dough into balls, then freeze them for at least 1 hour or until they are solid. Transfer the frozen balls to a freezer-safe bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen. Depending on how your oven cooks, you may need to add 1-2 minutes to the bake time on the recipe.

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