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Lemon Pudding Cookies are soft and chewy. Plus they have a great lemon flavor that is perfectly balanced with the sweetness of the cookie. They’re freezable too – making these the perfect cookie!

stacked lemon cookies with sliced lemons in the background.


Soft Lemon Cookies Recipe

These cookies are super fun because they are pudding cookies–meaning they use instant pudding mix. For this cookie I used instant lemon pudding mix to bring in a lot of flavor, but I also used lemon zest to get some natural flavor as well. 

Using pudding mix in cookies is one of my favorite methods because it keeps the cookies soft for a while and gives the cookies an unbeatable texture. 

ingredients in lemon pudding cookies.

Ingredients Needed

  • Unsalted butter: Make sure it’s been softened.
  • Granulated sugar: My normal pudding cookie recipe has brown sugar, but this one uses granulated to keep it lighter to embrace all the lemon flavor.
  • Instant lemon pudding mix: The key ingredient for the lemon flavor and softness of the cookie.
  • Lemon zest: From 1 lemon – a bit of lemon zest adds a freshness to the lemon flavor.
process shot of making lemon pudding cookies.
process shot of making lemon pudding cookies.
process shot of making lemon pudding cookies.
process shot of making lemon pudding cookies.
process shot of making lemon pudding cookies.
process shot of making lemon pudding cookies.

How to make lemon pudding cookies

  • Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
  • Cream together butter and sugar. Add the pudding mix and beat until well blended.
  • Add egg, lemon zest, baking soda, salt, and vanilla extract.
  • Slowly add the flour and mix until just combined.
  • Scoop 1 or 2 tablespoon size balls onto cookie sheets (2-3 inches apart depending on size). Chill dough 30 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake 10-15 minutes or until cookies are light golden around the edges and have lost their glossy sheen. If you notice the cookies aren’t spreading during baking, press them lightly with the palm of your hand to get them going.
stacked lemon cookies with sliced lemons in the background.

Expert Tips

  • If you want to add another touch to these cookies, you can add a glaze or lemon frosting on top!
  • Want from scratch cookies without pudding mix? Try my best lemon cookie recipe.
  • My lemon cake mix cookies are another favorite!
  • Make sure that when scooping the dough onto the pan that they are 2-3 inches apart. This is important so the cookies don’t run together in the oven.

FAQs

Can you freeze lemon cookies?

Yes you can. For up to 3 months in an airtight container.

How long do pudding cookies last? 

They last on the counter for 3 days in an airtight container. They last longer in the freezer. 

stacked lemon cookies with sliced lemons in the background.

Lemon Pudding Cookies

5 from 16 votes
Easy Lemon Cookies with tons of lemon flavor because they're pudding cookies – they stay soft for days!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chill Time 30 minutes
Yield 24 cookies
Serving Size 1 cookie
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Ingredients
 

For the Cookies

  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 1 (3.4 oz) package instant lemon pudding mix
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1¼ cups (155g) all-purpose flour
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Instructions

  • Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
  • Cream together butter and sugar. Add the pudding mix and beat until well blended.
  • Add egg, lemon zest, baking soda, salt, and vanilla extract.
  • Slowly add the flour and mix until just combined.
  • Scoop 1 or 2 tablespoon size balls onto cookie sheets (2-3 inches apart depending on size). Chill dough 30 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake 10-15 minutes or until cookies are light golden around the edges and have lost their glossy sheen. If you notice the cookies aren't spreading during baking, press them lightly with the palm of your hand to get them going.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

  • Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
  • Freeze cookies for up to 3 months.

Recipe Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 85kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 51mg | Potassium: 12mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 130IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.3mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Author Dorothy Kern

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Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

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5 from 16 votes (12 ratings without comment)

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72 Comments

  1. Okay… I am DYING over these cookies! I am such a sucker for lemon desserts. I love your pic, too. Thanks so much for linking them up to Weekend Potluck!

    Reply

  4. Oh my goodness Dorothy…these look amazing!! I am loving the citrus frosting! Somehow I was not already a follower?! You can bet I am now! 700th follower to be exact. You AND your blog are fantastic 🙂

    Reply

  5. These look so yummy – too bad baking isn’t my strongest skill. I’m with you on the video blogs – I’m just a rookie blogger, but I do not foresee any videos in my future. I don’t think people could take me too seriously once they heard how thick my surfergirl California accent is! Anyways, I’m now a follower & looking forward to more tasty recipes 🙂

    Reply