A new McDonald’s opened up this week 5 minutes from my house. Before it’s opening, the closest McD’s was 40 minutes away… so we hardly ever went there. The McCafe serves giant white chocolate chip lemon cookies that are SO YUM! They are crisp on the edges and soft in the middle and full of lemon flavor. Unlike like cookie I’ve ever had at a fast food restaurant before. I just new I had to recreate these cookies at home!
And what better time than right before my hubby is going away for a few weeks to train for his upcoming deployment. A big platoon of soldiers needs cookies to fuel themselves while training, right? 
So into the kitchen I went this morning to whip up a batch.
You could have these cookies made in about 30 minutes – they’re that simple yet so super delicious! I made a bunch of little cookies so they would go further, but you could easily make them bigger – like the one I got at McD’s!
Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 egg
- 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
- 2 cups white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, press the lemon zest into the white sugar until it's fluffy and fragrant. Add the brown sugar and butter and cream until smooth and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg.
- Mix in the lemon juice.
- Add the flour and mix until just combined.
- Fold in the white chocolate chips.
- Roll golf ball size (1in) balls of dough in your hand and gently press them onto the cookie sheet 1-2 inches apart- slightly flattening them.
- Bake 9-11 minutes or until air bubbles form and the edges SLIGHTLY turn golden.
- Remove from the oven and cool on the cookie sheet 3 minutes. NOTE: If you remove them before 3 minutes, they will be too soft and will break.
- Move to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store in an air tight container for 3-4 days or EAT IMMEDIATELY!
Betsy Eves
Hi I'm Betsy- the owner of JavaCupcake.com! I'm also an Army wife, mother, blogger, writer, baker and traveler. I'm currently living in Germany... spending my days taking care of family, baking for friends and blogging! I also write for the world famous blog, Cupcakes Take the Cake and contribute to the coffee blog, Coffee Cup News.
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Betsy, your cookies look good. I love both lemon and chewy in a cookie.
I am going to give these a try. Can you give me some baking insight? I am trying to understand what makes a cookie chewy. I have found chewy recipes with corn starch, pudding mix (because of the corn starch), and brown sugar/molasses/honey. Any idea what ingredients help make these cookies chewy? Thanks! And my very best wishes for you and your husband on upcoming training and deployment.
I’m not exactly sure of the science of it – but I do know that when I underbake cookies, they often have that crispy edge and chewy center I like. Personally, I believe it to be that it’s still gooey cookie dough – not necessarily the ingredients. But, others have said that it has to do with the fat content. I don’t know. I haven’t done much research on it. Here’s what America’s Test Kitchen has to say: http://www.americastestkitchenfeed.com/bake-it-better/2012/03/secrets-to-thick-and-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies/
Thanks, Betsy!
Sounds like an awesome combination! I would so love to try some.
How much cream should be added with the brown sugar and butter?
Thanks!
Hi –
I’d like to retract my question. Please forgive my “duh” moment.!
Thanks!