I don’t know why, but I really don’t care so much for this time of year. The weather is a roller coaster of temperatures and can’t make up it’s mind, and I’m always so overly anxious for spring to get here, that it drives me crazy!

I just want to flip a switch, turn the sun up, open the doors and windows, and get planting my gardens!

I used to have so much more patience than I do now. I don’t want to someday turn into a grouchy old person that yells at the kids passing by to, “Get off the lawn!”….so I thought that I needed a nice, sunny, bright, taste of spring! 😀

So what tastes just like sunshine? Lemons! 😀 They’re expensive here, but we “splurged” and went ahead and bought one. (As pathetic as it is, we actually really did splurge on this during these tough times!)

And it was worth every penny! These cookies turned out to be MY personal favorite of all of the pudding cookies that I’ve come up with so far. Maybe I was just needing a little sunshine. I don’t know. But they really turned out lovely!

Lemon poppy seed breads and cakes are always such a nice treat when spring is right around the corner, so I thought, why wouldn’t that combination make for wonderful cookies as well?

A burst of lemon flavor in every single moist and tender bite!

Delicately crunchy on the outside, and slightly chewy on the inside!
Speckled with poppy seeds and lightly sprinkled with sea salt!

Save to your Pinterest board!

But I knew I couldn’t stop there! My hubby was ready to dive in head first,
but meanie me made him wait! 😉

They then got a glazing of tangy-sweet icing, and a sprinkling of fresh lemon zest!

These cookies even TASTE like spring!! 🙂

So if you’re like me, and can’t wait any longer, and just want a burst of sunshine….
these cookies will make you feel a whole lot better. 😉

Yield: approx. 28 - 32 cookies

Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed Pudding Cookies

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients for Medium Bowl:

2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 Tbl. poppy seeds
zest of half of a lemon, finely grated

Wet Ingredients for Mixer Bowl:

2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup regular white sugar
1 (3.4 oz.) box instant Lemon Pudding Mix
2 extra-large eggs
1 Tbl. fresh squeezed lemon juice (half of a lemon)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. lemon extract, optional but good!
(kosher salt or sea salt, just a few pinches to sprinkle on tops)

For Glaze:

3/4 cup powdered sugar
juice from other half of lemon
zest from other half of lemon
poppy seeds

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350º F (175º C).

In medium bowl, sift (or whisk well) together the flour, baking soda, poppy seeds and lemon zest, set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in instant pudding mix until blended. Mix in the eggs, vanilla, lemon extract, and lemon juice, but don't over mix.

Blend in the flour mixture. Again, don't over mix.

Drop cookies by large rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. (*The size of a large walnut.) You can also roll them if you prefer, then lightly press cookies flatter with palm of hand.

Lightly sprinkle tops with sea salt.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in preheated oven. Edges should be lightly browned. Don't over bake.

Remove from baking sheet carefully to a rack to cool.

*They will look like they are NOT done, but they will set up as they cool.

Make Glaze:

In small bowl, whisk together Glaze ingredients until smooth. Dip tops of cookies, letting excess drop off, and place onto rack over a baking sheet. Sprinkle tops with a little more poppy seeds if desired.

When glaze is set, store in an airtight container on the counter.

*Sometimes I make them a wee bit big and get 28, sometimes, like this time, I got 32 cookies. Just make sure they're the same size for even baking is all.