Lemon Chocolate Chip Cookies {Lemon White Chocolate Cookies}

These easy lemon chocolate chip cookies are loaded with tangy lemon curd and citrus zest, making them the perfect lemon chocolate crossover. Plus, these lemon white chocolate cookies come together in less than 30 minutes with just one bowl.

Easy lemon white chocolate chip cookies

I LOVE lemony things because it’s such a delicious and bright flavor. Creamy lemon bars, lemon shortbread, lemon curd, lemon parfait, and now these loaded lemon white chocolate chip cookies.

The secret ingredient to create that vibrant lemon aroma? Lemon curd! To me, lemon curd is such a nostalgic flavor, reminiscent of Saturday mornings filled with lemon curd spread on warm, buttery toast.

Today, we’re skipping the toast and chop up a bar of white chocolate. I’m not usually the biggest fan of the lemon-choc-flavored treats, but not so with these lemon white chocolate cookies. Mellow white chocolate and tangy lemon curd match perfectly in this sugar cookie recipe.

Ingredients for chocolate chip lemon cookies

Now that I’ve convinced you to make these chocolate cookies with white chips, let’s go over the grocery list. These lemon chocolate chip cookies are made with just 7 simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry.

• White chocolate chips or a chopped bar of white chocolate will work in this white chocolate lemon cookie recipe. If you like big pools of melted chocolate in your cookies, go for a chocolate bar. The taste of the chocolate will really shine through, so splurge on high-quality white chocolate.
• Lemon curd: The cookies are all about zesty lemon, which is why the cookie batter contains lemon curd. Lemon curd will make the cookies bright and aromatic. You can use a store-bought brand or homemade lemon curd. If you kept the lemon curd in the fridge, let it warm up on the counter for 20 minutes before making the batter.
• Lemon zest is exceptionally flavorful and introduces a burst of freshness to our white chocolate chip lemon cookies. When zesting the lemon, be sure to only scrape off the yellow peel and avoid the white part, the pith, because it tastes bitter. You can also use orange zest.
• Light brown sugar will give the lemon cookies sweetness and keeps them thick. If you like your chocolate chip cookies thin and crisp, swap granulated sugar for the brown sugar.
• Salted butter: I like using salted butter in baking because it keeps the ingredients list down. Of course, you can make the lemon white chip cookies with unsalted butter and 1/4 tsp salt or omit the salt altogether – up to you. Let the butter sit on the counter for 20 to 30 min to come to room temperature to ensure it’ll cream up light and fluffy.
• All-purpose flour lends the cookies a chewy and soft texture. If you like your cookies extra chewy, take a page from Alton Brown and make these cookies with a mix of all-purpose flour and bread flour. The chewiness is sooo good!
• Baking powder gives the white chocolate chip recipe a good rise. You can sub for baking soda, but the texture will be slightly different.

Optional ingredients

Here are a few ideas for optional ingredients that you can include in the cookie recipe:

• Vanilla extract adds that classic chocolate chip cookie flavor we all love and rounds out the tangy lemon aroma. 1 tsp is enough for the lemon cookie recipe. Cyna used vanilla paste in her original recipe, and I encourage you to try it if you can.
• Almond extract is the perfect flavor to blend the sweetness of the white chocolate with the tanginess of the lemon curd. Add 1/2 tsp to your white chocolate cookie batter.

Chocolate chip cookies without eggs?

Yes, that’s right. This chocolate chip cookies recipe without eggs uses lemon curd instead of eggs. Lemon curd contains eggs, so the cookies aren’t egg-free. If you need your cookies to be egg-free, opt for vegan lemon curd.

How to make lemon white chocolate cookies

How do you make lemon cookies with white chocolate chips? This white chocolate lemon cookie recipe is easy to follow and consists of the following steps:

#1: Prep

• Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180° / gas mark 4 and position a rack in the middle of the oven. Line 2 baking sheets/cookie trays with parchment (baking) paper. Set aside.

#2: Cream butter and sugar

• In a large mixing bowl or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, for about 2 to 3 minutes.

#3: Make cookie dough

• Add the lemon curd, lemon zest, and extracts (if using). Mix until well incorporated and pale in color. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

#4: Add dry ingredients

• Add the flour and baking powder. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined and no streaks of flour remain. Don’t overmix the dough.

#5: Stir in chocolate chips

• Stir in the white chocolate chips or chunks until evenly distributed throughout the cookie batter.

#6: Form cookies

• Use a 2-tbsp cookie scoop to scoop the dough into balls, arranging them 2 in / 5 cm apart onto the lined cookie sheet / baking tray.

#7: Bake

• Bake the cookies for 9 to 10 minutes, until the cookies begin to set on the edges but are still gooey in the center (this will keep the cookies super soft). Rotate the cookie sheet / baking tray halfway through so the cookies bake evenly.

#8: Add extra chocolate chips and cool

• Once removed from the oven and while the cookies are still soft, carefully press white chocolate chips/chunks in the freshly baked cookies. Let the cookies cool for 15 to 20 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack.

#9: Serve and store

• Serve the cookies warm or at room temperature. Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for 1 week, or frozen for 3 months.

Tips for the best lemon chocolate chip cookies

This lemon white chocolate chip cookie recipe is truly simple to make, and my tips will guarantee you soft, delicious cookies every time. Be sure to follow them closely for the best lemon white chocolate chunk cookies!

• Select high-quality ingredients. It’s super important to use high-quality ingredients with a simple recipe like this one. I love Kerrygold salted butter, Wilkin & Sons lemon curd (available at Walmart – I use it if I don’t have homemade), and Ghirardelli’s classic white baking bar.
• Fold in the flour, and don’t overmix the dough. Don’t beat the dough after you’ve added the flour. Instead, use a spoon or rubber spatula to mix the flour with the other ingredients. Overmixing the batter will activate the gluten and can lead to tough cookies.
• Underbake the lemon chocolate cookies to get a chewy edge and soft center. When you take the cookies out of the oven after 10 minutes, they will still seem raw in the center. But they will continue to cook while they cool. Be sure to let the white chocolate lemon cookies rest on the cookie sheet for 15 to 30 minutes until they’re firmed up enough to handle.
• Try them warm. You have to try a lemon chocolate chip cookie while they’re still warm. The warm cookie dough is stuffed with melty pockets of gooey chocolate, which tastes incredible.

Storage instructions

How to store lemon chocolate cookies

These are easy to make ahead of time and store wonderfully. This what you need to know:

• Room temperature: Stored in an airtight container, the white chocolate chip cookie recipe will keep fresh for up to 2 days at room temperature.
• Refrigerator: You can also store your white chocolate chunk cookies in the fridge. They will last for 1 week in an airtight container if refrigerated within a few hours of baking.

Can you freeze chocolate chip lemon cookies?

Yes, you absolutely can freeze the lemon and white chocolate cookies. The best way to freeze leftover white chocolate cookies is to wrap each one individually in wax (sandwich) paper, and then place them in a freezer-safe ziptop bag.

Lemon zest chocolate chip cookies will keep well for 2 to 3 months in the freezer.  When ready to eat, thaw the lemon cookies with chocolate chips in the refrigerator and optionally reheat in the microwave for a few seconds.

Tools to make white chocolate lemon cookies

Tap the links below to see the tools I used for this lemon white chocolate chip cookies recipe.

• Microplane: A microplane, citrus zester, or cheese grater is needed to grate the lemon.
• Hand mixer: This mixer has adjustable speeds and a whisk attachment for beating the butter and sugar creamy.
• Rubber spatula comes in handy to scrape down the mixing bowl and fold in the flour.
• Cookie scoop: I used the middle size from this set of 3.
• Cookie sheet: These aluminum cookie sheets are sturdy and the perfect size for any baking project.
• Parchment (baking) paper sheets are super convenient, so the cookies don’t stick to the baking tray.