Description
These Raspberry Lemonade Cookies are a delightful blend of tart lemon and sweet raspberry flavors baked into soft, fluffy cookies. Perfectly balanced with a gentle hint of vanilla and a crumbly texture from frozen raspberries, these treats bring the refreshing taste of lemonade to your cookie jar. Ideal for a spring or summer snack, they combine a tender lemon dough with vibrant ruby-colored raspberry swirls.
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (110g) packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp freshly grated lemon zest
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp (5ml) lemon juice
- 1 tsp (5ml) vanilla bean paste
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (215g) all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
Fruit
- ¾ cup (85g) frozen raspberries, crumbled
Instructions
- Mix Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, combine the softened butter, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, and freshly grated lemon zest. Beat with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Then, beat in the egg until fully blended. Add the lemon juice and vanilla bean paste, mixing to incorporate evenly.
- Prepare Dry Mix: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda to ensure even distribution of leavening agents and salt.
- Combine Mixtures: Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and gently fold them in by hand until the dough is mostly combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Fold in Raspberries: Crumble the frozen raspberries and gently fold them into the dough using a spatula. Use light folding motions to incorporate the berries without fully blending them so that the dough maintains streaks of red rather than turning uniformly pink. Placing the bowl in the fridge while preheating the oven helps to firm up the dough.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy cleanup.
- Scoop and Bake: Using a medium 1.35-ounce cookie scoop or two large spoons, portion mounds of dough onto the lined baking sheets, spacing them adequately. Bake for 12-14 minutes until the edges become lightly golden brown.
- Cool the Cookies: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for about a minute before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This prevents breaking and allows them to set properly.
Notes
- Use frozen raspberries directly from the freezer to prevent them from bleeding too much color into the dough.
- Be careful not to overmix after adding raspberries to keep the dough visually appealing with raspberry streaks.
- Chilling the dough briefly helps manage spreading during baking.
- If desired, substitute vanilla bean paste with pure vanilla extract.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days for best freshness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
