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If you love the classic flavor combo of lemon and poppy seeds, these Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies are going to be your new favorite recipe. The secret? They start with a cake mix, which means you get soft, chewy cookies with just a handful of ingredients and hardly any fuss. They’re bright, slightly tangy, and finished with a sweet lemon glaze that takes them over the top.
I originally published this post in 2020 and have since added new photos and additional information for success.
Table of Contents
Adding lemon juice and zest to the cookie dough {like these Lemon Cooler Cookies} packs a ton of lemon flavor into the yellow cake mix cookie. Add in some poppy seeds {like this Lemon Curd Cake} for a little crunch, and you’ve got a cookie that looks bakery-worthy but comes together in minutes.
I created this Lemon and Poppy Seed Cookies in honor of my sweet Papa Leo, who had a deep love for anything with that bright and zesty lemon poppy seed combo. Every time I make them, I think of him and his big smile when he’d bite into something citrusy and sweet. These cookies are my way of holding onto those warm memories—soft, chewy, and bursting with lemon flavor, just the way he would have loved.
Ingredients Needed for this Recipe
- Yellow Cake Mix: Using a cake mix eliminates needing extra ingredients like baking powder and baking soda.
- All Purpose Flour: Helps to give the cookies a bit more structure.
- Cornstarch: Adding cornstarch to the cookie dough gives the cookies a tender texture and will help the cookies from spreading.
- Butter: It is used in both the cookie and the glaze for a rich flavor. I prefer salted butter over unsalted butter but use whatever you like or have on hand.
- Lemon Juice & Zest: Using fresh lemon juice and fresh lemon zest create an unforgettable cookie with amazing citrus flavor.
- Poppy Seeds: Using them in both the cookie dough and lemon glaze creates a recipe that is cohesive and delicious.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Cake Mix: A lemon cake mix can also be used if you want extra lemon flavor. A vanilla or white cake mix are also great substitutes.
Butter: An equal amount of vegetable oil can be used in place of the melted butter in the cookie.
Citrus: Try using orange, grapefruit or lime zest and juice to get a different flavor profile.
How to make Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies
Combine the yellow cake mix, flour and cornstarch in a bowl and whisk to remove any lumps.
Add the remaining ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix using a hand held {or stand} mixer until you have a thick dough.
Using a medium cookie scoop {or about 2 tablespoons}, scoop mounds of dough onto a silicone mat {or parchment paper} lined baking sheet.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 9-11 minutes. You will know when they are ready when the center is still soft {it might even seem underdone} and the edges of the cookie are set. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes.
For the lemon glaze, combine the powdered sugar, melted butter, lemon juice and lemon zest to the perfect consistency for glazing the cookies. The glaze should be thick but still run slowly from your whisk.
To glaze the cookies, either spoon or brush the mixture onto the top of each cookie. You could also drizzle it over the lemon cookies.
Expert Tips
- Wait until the cookies have cooled before adding the glaze. If you try to add it too early then the glaze will run off the sides and not set up correctly which is also how you glaze these Lemon Poppy Seed Bars.
- Be sure to zest the lemon before extracting the juices. If you juice first it will be hard to get the zest from the outside.
- Try adding a half teaspoon of either lemon extract or vanilla extract to the cookies or glaze. This will give finished lemon cookies even more flavor.
- The key to a soft cookie is to remove them from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack. The residual heat from the cookie sheet sets them up to the perfect texture.
Storage and Freezing
These lemon poppy seed cake mix cookies store well in a good airtight container. They will keep for up to 4 days at room temperature and 5 days in the refrigerator.
Cake mix cookie recipes also freeze nicely for 3 months. I like to double wrap the cookies in freezer bags. To keep track of what is in my freezer bag, I write the type of cookie and date in permanent marker on the bag.
Recipe FAQs
Poppy seeds are often added to baked goods to add a nutty taste and crunchy texture. You will find them in bread, cakes and cookie recipes often for that reason.
Do you like Lemon Desserts? Try these…
Did you try this recipe? Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review below and tag @practicallyhomemade on Pinterest!
Easy Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies {with a Cake Mix}
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 box yellow cake mix, {13.25 ounces}
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup butter, {melted}
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, {fresh or bottled}
- ½ Tablespoon lemon zest, {or ½ lemon}
- 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
Lemon Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ – 3 Tablespoons lemon juice , {fresh or bottled}
- 1 Tablespoon butter, {melted}
- ½ Tablespoon lemon zest , {or ½ lemon}
- ½ teaspoon poppy seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
Cookies
- Combine the yellow cake mix, flour and cornstarch in a medium bowl and whisk until everything is evenly combined. Add the eggs, melted butter, lemon juice and lemon zest to the dry ingredients and mix using an electric mixer {or by hand}. Add the poppy seeds, continue to mix by hand until they are evenly distributed into the dough.
- Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop out 22-24 cookies. Place cookie dough mounds onto a silicone mat {or parchment} lined baking sheet and form the dough into a thick disc.
- Bake for 9011 minutes or until the cookies are set. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. Continue until all of the cookies are baked.
Glaze
- Once the cookies have cooled, whisk the powdered sugar, lemon juice, melted butter, lemon zest and poppy seeds until smooth {if it is too thick, add a bit more lemon juice}. Use a pastry brush or a spoon and drizzle the glaze over the top of each cookie. Store leftover cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days
Notes
- Add 1/2 teaspoon of either lemon or vanilla extract to the cookies and/or frosting for even more flavor.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
