Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Dough
- 115 g unsalted butter, room temperature softened
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 1 lemon zest
- 1 egg, large, room temperature
- 1 egg yolk, large
- 5 ml almond extract
- 260 g all-purpose flour
- 6 g baking powder
- 3 g fine sea salt
- 150 g fresh blueberries, washed and thoroughly dried
Lemon Glaze
- 120 g powdered sugar, sifted
- 30 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 5 ml milk
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 135 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 23 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 14 g
- Sodium
- 80 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 26 mg
- Potassium
- 24 mg
- Calcium
- 20 mg
- Iron
- 0.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 3 mg
- Phosphorus
- 26 mg
- Zinc
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 39 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.02 mg
- Niacin
- 0.2 mg
- Folate
- 6 mcg
- Water
- 11 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream the softened butter, granulated sugar, and lemon zest together on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). The zest is added here to release oils into the sugar.
Add the whole egg, egg yolk, and almond extract. Beat on medium speed until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed just until streaks of flour disappear. Do not overmix, or the cookies will become tough rather than cake-like.
Gently fold in the blueberries by hand using a spatula, taking care not to crush them.
Cover the bowl and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This is crucial for flavor development and controlling the spread.
Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Scoop the dough into 30-40g portions (about 2 tablespoons each) and place them on the prepared baking sheets, spaced 5cm (2 inches) apart.
Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges are just set and very lightly golden. The centers should still look soft and slightly underdone.
Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. They are fragile while hot.
Whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice together in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle over the completely cooled cookies. Let the glaze set for 10 minutes before serving.
Chef's Notes
- If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw them. Toss them in a teaspoon of flour before folding into the dough to prevent bleeding.
- For the most tender texture, stop mixing the dough the second you see the last streak of flour disappear.
- The almond extract is potent; if you prefer a subtler flavor, reduce to 2.5ml (1/2 tsp), but the pairing with blueberry is classic.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container; layers separated by parchment.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze unglazed dough balls or baked cookies.
Troubleshooting
Dough turned purple/grey
Cause: Blueberries were crushed during mixing or were frozen and thawed
Fix: Cosmetic issue only; cookies will still taste delicious.
Prevention: Fold berries in very gently by hand at the very end; if using frozen, keep them frozen until the moment they hit the dough.
Cookies spread too much and are flat
Cause: Butter was too warm or dough wasn't chilled long enough
Fix: Chill the remaining dough longer before baking the next batch.
Prevention: Ensure butter is cool-room-temp, not melting. Chill dough for the full 30 minutes.
Cultural Context
This style of 'cake cookie' (sometimes called a drop cake) bridges the gap between a muffin and a traditional cookie. The combination of blueberry and lemon is a staple of American summer baking, often associated with Maine, the largest producer of wild blueberries in the world.
