lemon basil cookies

Lemon Cookies are incredibly light and chewy, crisp edged, and loaded with bright lemon flavor! These Lemon Basil Cookies are made with fresh lemon juice & zest, chopped pistachios, and fresh lemon basil. An optional lemon glaze finishes them off beautifully. Prepare for a surprisingly delightful flavor combo that even the pickiest of eaters will love!

this recipe

This post was originally published in August of 2017 – It actually holds the distinction of being the first recipe I ever published on my blog!

These cookies were a staple growing up (thanks Mom!) and although I regarded them suspiciously at first (basil? in a cookie?) I can promise that these are the real deal. The basil flavor is subtle but delicious, and pairs beautifully with the lemon and pistachio. Lemon lovers and picky eaters will love these! Let’s dive in!

Why you’ll love these Lemon Cookies:

• Fresh Lemon Flavor – All the lemon flavor in these cookies comes from fresh lemons. No artificial flavorings here! (Like lemon extract, which myself and many others find has a slight fake/chemical taste.) My Lemon Loaf is the same way – only flavored with real lemon!
• Unique Recipe – Basil isn’t something you see in a cookie every day, but it really does work beautifully in this recipe! Don’t worry – these cookies aren’t going to smack you in the face with an overpowering basil flavor! It just lightly enhances the lemon and pistachio.
• Chewy Lemon Cookies – These cookies are chewy – not cakey – yet still light! – with crisp edges.

Ingredient Overview:

As always, the full recipe with measurements & directions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Use the table of contents (back at the top, below the first image, to navigate).

• All-purpose flour – Spoon your flour into the measuring cup, then level it with a flat utensil for best results, or use a scale. Scooping the measuring cup directly into your flour will lead to too much flour, and a potentially dry bake.
• Butter – I always use salted buter for the best flavor, but feel free to use unsalted butter if you prefer.
• Fresh Lemons – This recipe uses fresh lemon juice & zest – no artifical flavorings in sight, like you might find in some other lemon cookie recipes.
• Pistachios – You can buy pistachios already shelled to save time on an annoying task, but they do cost a bit more so it’s up to you which you want to purchase.
• Lemon Basil – Lemon Basil has a fragrant lemon scent and can be found at greenhouses or where garden plants are sold, but it’s not as easy to find as regular basil. I recommend calling your local garden center and finding out ahead of time if they have any Lemon Basil in. However, you can also use regular basil (sweet basil) in it’s place in the same quantity.

Recipe Substitutions & Variations:

• Gluten-free – I have not tested a gluten-free version of this recipe.
• Dairy-free – Use your favorite, trusted dairy-free butter sticks to make this recipe dairy-free.
• Basil – You can use regular basil (Sweet Basil) or Lemon Basil. Lemon Basil is a bit harder to find, so feel free to use Sweet Basil in a pinch.
• Pistachio – I already know some of you are desperately wanting to ask, and yes, you can omit the nuts if you are allergic or can’t stand nuts. But, if you love pistachios, make my Pistachio Chocolate Chunk Cookies next!
• Glaze – The glaze is optional here – it’s something I just added as of 2024 but it takes these already amazing soft lemon cookies to a whole new level of delicious!

How to Make Lemon Basil Cookies:

Step 1: Make Cookie Dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat together butter & sugar. Add lemon zest, juice, vanilla, pistachios, & chopped basil. Mix the flour into the wet ingredients until combined.

Step 2: Make Pistachio & Sugar Mixture. Stir together chopped pistachios and granulated sugar in a small bowl. This is for rolling the cookie dough balls in. I like to add some fresh lemon zest here, too!

Step 3: Chill Dough. Use a small cookie scoop to make dough balls about 1 and 1/2 tablespoons or 35 grams in size. Roll in the pistachio sugar mixture, then chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 48 hours, in an airtight container.

Step 4: Bake Cookies. Bake about 5-6 cookies on a parchment lined cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Leave a few inches between to allow for spreading.

Step 5: Make Lemon Glaze. Whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Drizzle over baked cookies while warm. Add an extra sprinkle of lemon zest on top.

Serving + Storing:

Enjoy these lemon cookies after they’ve cooled on the baking sheet placed on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes, or after they’ve been glazed and are still warm, or once they’re cooled. I personally love these while they’re warm & glazed.

But they are also fabulous once cooled! Maybe I just have no restraint with warm cookies, hehe. If you love lemon, try my Lemon Meringue Cookies, too!

Expert Success Tips:

• Oven Thermometer – An oven thermometer will tell you if your oven is actually running at the temperature you set it to. Your oven may not be accurate. Accurate oven temperature is crucial for most bakes, so I leave an oven thermometer in at all times to keep an eye on my oven’s calibration.
• Kitchen Scale – A food scale is the best way to make sure your flour is at the proper weight, since amounts will vary SO widely based on how you measure it, as well as the measuring cup you use, as they are not standardized.

FAQs:

Special Tools:

• Hand Mixer – I love the convenience of this cordless mixer!
• Cookie Sheets – You’ll need a few cookie sheets for this recipe.

More Lemon Desserts to Love:

• Lemon Blueberry Cookies
• Raspberry Lemon Crumb Cake
• Ultra Plush Lemon Loaf Cake
• One Bowl Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
• Overnight Lemon Raspberry Sweet Rolls
• Lemon Basil Cookies

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