Let’s bake these bright and chewy cookies:

1. Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Infuse Sugar with Zest: In a large mixing bowl (preferably the bowl of your stand mixer), combine the granulated sugar and lemon zest. Use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar until the sugar is moist and highly aromatic. This step releases the lemon oils for maximum flavor.

3. Cream Butter and Sugars: Add the room temperature butter and the brown sugar to the lemon sugar mixture. Using an electric mixer (paddle attachment if using stand mixer), mix on medium-high speed for about 3-4 minutes, or until the mixture is very light and fluffy.

4. Add Egg Yolk and Liquids: Add the room temperature egg yolk, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Mix on medium speed until just combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

5. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

6. Add Dry Ingredients: With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix only until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Stop when there are still a few streaks of flour visible.

7. Fold in Raspberries: Chop the frozen raspberries into small pieces (about pea-sized or slightly larger). Optional but recommended: Toss the frozen raspberry pieces lightly with 1 tsp of flour to help prevent excessive bleeding. Gently fold the frozen, chopped raspberry pieces into the cookie dough using a rubber spatula. Mix as little as possible – just enough to distribute them slightly. Too much mixing will crush the berries and turn the dough pink/grey.

8. Scoop Dough: Using a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop (for large cookies), scoop balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Place only about 5-6 cookie dough balls on each sheet, spaced well apart, as they will spread.

9. Add Salt and Bake: Sprinkle the tops of the dough balls lightly with flaked sea salt. Bake for 12-15 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges are set and lightly golden brown, but the centers may still look slightly soft.

10. Cool: Let the cookies sit on the hot baking sheets for about 5 minutes after removing them from the oven. This allows them to finish cooking slightly in the middle. Then, carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Handle the dough gently after adding raspberries!