If you’re a lover of lemon desserts like Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe, Lemon Cupcakes and Lemon Curd then these lemon cookies are a must-try! They’re fresh, bright, and zingy in flavor with just the right amount of sweetness and have the most delicious soft inside with chewy edges. The thing I love most about these amazing cookies is that they keep well for days in a sealed container without altering the taste and texture. I make them in heavy rotation in our house and we never get bored. This recipe will show you how to make them step by step including the optional but extra delicious lemon glaze and my top tips!
What you need to make this recipe
Butter – make sure you use unsalted butter and that it’s at room temperature so it mixes into the batter evenly.
Sugar – I use both white granulated sugar and brown sugar, the white sugar adds a delicious sweetness and structure and the brown sugar adds extra moisture.
Egg – the egg helps bind everything together and helps the lemon cookies rise.
Baking soda – this reacts with the lemon juice which gives the cookies a soft texture and helps them rise.
Cornstarch – this is the secret ingredient to keeping the cookies soft and they’ll stay soft for days after baking too!
Lemon – I use both the lemon juice and zest for a bright, fresh, and zingy flavor.
Lemon extract – you can use either lemon paste or lemon extract to take the lemon flavor up a notch.
Yellow food coloring – this ingredient is totally optional but it gives your lemon cookies a lovely yellow color.
How to make Lemon Cookies
1. Add the sugars and lemon zest to a food processor.
2. Whiz the zest and sugars together until totally combined then set aside. If you don’t have a processor just mince the zest and mix into the sugars.
3. Sift the flour, salt, baking soda, and cornstarch into a bowl then whisk together then set aside.
4. Cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy.
5. Mix in the egg, lemon juice, and lemon paste or extract (see my FAQ section below on substitutions). Add the food coloring if using.
6. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined. Scrape the bowl down, cover, and chill the dough.
7. Scoop out roughly two tablespoon-sized balls of the chilled dough and roll in the palms of your clean hands. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper about 2 inches apart.
8. Bake for about 10 minutes, allow to cool completely for a few minutes on the sheet then transfer to a wire rack.
9. Mix the powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice together.
10. Drizzle the the lemon glaze onto the cooled cookies and allow to set.
Pro tips for making this recipe
- Measure your flour correctly! Adding too much flour to the recipe is the most common mistake. The best and easiest way to measure flour is by using a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one then fluff your flour with a spoon, spoon it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
- Make sure to use room temperature butter and egg for best results, bring them out of the fridge in advance.
- Chill time is very important for these cookies otherwise they will spread too much in the oven.
- Make sure your baking soda hasn’t expired as it’s a key ingredient for the shape and texture of the cookies.
- Add more zest to the sugar for an intense lemon flavor.
- Use a 2 tablespoon-sized cookie scoop to easily measure out the cookies.
- Make sure to line your baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat to stop your cookies from sticking.
- Space the cookies 2 inches apart so there is room for them to spread.
- Let the lemon cookies cool completely before serving.
- The lemon glaze is optional but I recommend drizzling it over the cookies for extra flavor and crunch.
- Instead of the glaze, you can roll the balls in powdered sugar which will give them a crinkle cookie look.
- This recipe can be doubled to make more cookies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these in advance?
Yes, the raw cookie dough will keep well in the fridge for up to 2 days until you are ready to bake them. Baked lemon cookies will keep well in an airtight container for 5-7 days.
Is there a substitute for lemon extract?
You can replace the lemon extract with lemon paste, I do this often and use lemon paste from Nielsen Massey. If you don’t have lemon paste or extract you can add in more lemon zest which will add extra lemon flavor without adding too much acidity. You can even add in a splash of lemon liqueur to replace the extract too.
How do I make the lemon glaze?
The lemon glaze is super easy to make all you need to do is mix powdered sugar and lemon juice together until you reach the right consistency. Check out the printable recipe card below for full instructions.
Do I need to chill the cookie dough?
Yes, this step is essential. If you don’t chill the dough the cookies will spread too much and it will change the taste and texture.
Can you freeze lemon cookie dough?
Yes, you can freeze raw dough or baked lemon cookies for up to 3 months. Make sure to thaw them completely before baking or serving.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this lemon cookie recipe then don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Lemon Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp lemon zest (zest of two lemons)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature (113g)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed (50g)
- 2 cups flour (240g)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp lemon paste or 1 tsp extract
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- yellow food coloring optional
Lemon glaze (optional)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1-3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Whiz the lemon zest and sugars in a food processor. This step is optional but it really infuses the sugars with lots of lemon oil and makes a big difference. If you don't have a processor just mince the zest, mix with the sugar and set aside.
- Sift the flour, salt, corn starch, and baking soda together then whisk together and set aside.
- Beat butter and infused sugars in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg, lemon juice and 1tbsp lemon paste or 1 tsp lemon extract. Scrape the bowl down and mix once more. If you're adding some food coloring this is a good moment to mix it in!
- Add the dry mixture to the wet and beat until almost combined. Scrape the bowl down one last time then beat until combined.
- Cover and chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.
- Once chilled set oven to 350F and scoop out potions of cookie dough roughly two tablespoons in size. Place the dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets leaving about two inches of space between the cookies to allow for spreading.
- Bake for about 10 minutes or until the edges are set, you don't want these cookies to brown really but the bottom of the edge may just be turning golden.
- Let the cookies cool completely then drizzle with the lemon glaze if desired.
Lemon glaze
- Mix the powdered sugar with the lemon juice until you reach the desired consistency. Add more lemon juice for a looser drizzle and less for a spreadable paste.
Video
Notes
- Measure your flour correctly! Adding too much flour to the recipe is the most common mistake. The best and easiest way to measure flour is by using a kitchen scale. If you don't have one then fluff your flour with a spoon, spoon it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
- Make sure to use room temperature butter and egg for best results, bring them out of the fridge in advance.
- Chill time is very important for these cookies otherwise they will spread too much in the oven.
- Make sure your baking soda hasn't expired as it's a key ingredient for the shape and texture of the cookies.
- Add more zest to the sugar for an intense lemon flavor.
- Use a 2 tablespoon-sized cookie scoop to easily measure out the cookies.
- Make sure to line your baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat to stop your cookies from sticking.
- Space the cookies 2 inches apart so there is room for them to spread.
- Let the lemon cookies cool completely before serving.
- The lemon glaze is optional but I recommend drizzling it over the cookies for extra flavor and crunch.
- Instead of the glaze, you can roll the balls in powdered sugar which will give them a crinkle cookie look.
- This recipe can be doubled to make more cookies.
- Storage - Baked cookies will keep in an airtight container for 5-7 days. Raw cookie dough can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. Raw cookie dough or baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months.
