Irresistible & Zesty Lemon Cookie Recipe

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This Incredible Lemon Cookie Recipe has soft cookies topped with a lemon glaze and fresh lemon zest. These cookies are light and refreshing but have lots of flavor to keep you going back for more. You can be digging into these cookies within a few minutes of baking them.

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Irresistible & Zesty Lemon Cookie Recipe

I’ll be honest; I have never labeled myself as a person who is in love with lemons in my desserts. I could drink lemon water all day long, but adding it to cookies isn’t really something I have thought a lot about.

I figured since the weather is turning warming and summer is heading our way, that it was a great time to explore in the kitchen. You guys, these cookies are INCREDIBLE! They have such a lovely and delightful lemon tang to them. I can’t believe I hadn’t been eating lemon desserts this entire time. Talk about missing out! Thankfully lemon desserts and I have found each other, and I couldn’t be any happier. 🙂

Besides how awesome these lemon sugar cookies taste, they are also so EASY to make. Even the kids can help out and whip up a batch. They are perfect for beginners, and all the steps are pretty standard. I am pumped about sharing them with you.

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Looking For More Drool-Worthy Food Inspiration?

Check out these other tantalizing recipes sure to keep your taste buds happy and your belly full.

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How To Make Lemon Cookies

I think you will be pretty pleased with how simple these lemon cookies are to make. They don’t take tons of time, there is no chilling required and the cool off fast so you can eat them sooner. Doesn’t that sound like a bunch of wins to you? Sure does to me. Okay, let’s get started so you can devour your first batch.

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1. Warm up the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

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2. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the butter and sugar until smooth, creamy, and combined. Then pour in the fresh lemon zest, and pure vanilla extract. Mix well. Incorporate the egg and mix again.

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3. Sprinkle in 3/4 cup of the flour along with the salt and baking powder to the butter mixture. Mix then add in some more flour until all the flour has been added and blended.

4. Using a cookie scoop or your hands roll cookie dough balls that are around 1 tablespoon each. Gently roll the cookie balls into a bowl of granulated sugar until the entire outside is covered. Then place the sugar coated cookie on the baking sheet. If you want, you can lightly press down on the cookies with your fingers or a the back of a spoon. (optional step)

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5. Bake the lemon drop cookies for 8 – 10 minutes. Keep in mind, these cookies will not turn brown as many do. They will remain white and that is what you want. Let the cookies cool on the cookie pan for 5 minutes, then using a spatula and cool on baking rack.

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6. While the cookies are cooling, prepare the lemon zest icing by whisking the powdered sugar, heavy whipping cream, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Take each cookie and dip them into the icing. It will set up pretty quickly so you will need to work fast. Sprinkle with lemon zest and serve.

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Easy Lemon Cookie Tips

While these are the best lemon cookies, I wanted to take a second to point out a few tips. You don’t want to skip this part, so you have the best experience possible.

  • Unsalted Butter – While there are some baked goods that call for salted butter, these are by far better when using unsalted. If you decide to go wild and use salted, you are for sure going to want to skip adding the salt to the batter. Otherwise, it will be too much.
  • Fresh Lemon Juice – I know it’s tempting to use lemon extract or bottled lemon juice, but don’t. You will get the most incredible lemon flavor from using fresh lemon juice.
  • The Cookies Won’t Brown Up – You aren’t going to experience cookies that are light brown. They are going to be white and gorgeous! You may question if they are don, but they bake quickly. Over baking them will dry them out and cause them to be hard and undesirable.
  • Silicone Baking Mat– Feel free to use a silicone baking mat in place of the parchment paper if you want.
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Lemon Cookie Recipe Variations

Here are some fun ideas that will be terrific with these lemon cookies. You can go crazy and add in extra ingredients or keep them just the way they are. Either way, they will disappear pretty quickly because they are so amazing.

  • Blueberries – The combination of blueberries and lemon is pretty popular. If you want to add some blueberries to this lemon recipe, feel free! Add in 1/4 cup blueberries to the batter.
  • Raspberries – I love the coloring of lemon and raspberries together. It’s so bright and cheery. Combine 1/4 cup of raspberry preserves or mashed raspberry to the lemon glaze for a pleasant flavor and some color.
  • Limes – Swap the lemon zest and lemon juice with lime zest and lime juice. They will be tangy and taste, almost like a margarita cookie.
  • Oranges – Another great idea to exchange for the lemons all together. If you love all sorts of things that are orange, you should try it.

Helpful Supplies For Cookie Baking

It’s not required for you to have these items when baking these cookies. You can simply use the items you have on hand, but since I love kitchen items so much I wanted to share. Here are my top picks:

Can I Make Lemon Cookies Ahead Of Time?

Yes, these cookies are fantastic for making ahead of time. Whip up a batch and store them in an airtight container in the fridge or on the counter for up to 5 days. They stay fresh for a while, so they are great for having as a handy stanck on the go.

It’s a great idea to make these lemon cookies for gifts for neighbors, friends, teachers, and family too. You can easily make up a batch or two and put them in cute boxes to deliver for people you care about. Whenever we make cookies for people we will spend a day cooking and baking then deliver a day or two later.

Can I Freeze Lemon Sugar Cookies?

Yes, this lemon cookies recipe freezes well. Simply lay them on a baking sheet and put them pan in the freezer for 2 hours or so. Once the cookies have frozen solid, you can add them to another container that’s airtight. They will last up to 2 months in the freezer. To serve, grab as many cookies as you want and set them on the counter or in the fridge for a few hours until they have thawed, then enjoy!

Yield: 24

Irresistible & Zesty Lemon Cookie Recipe

Irresistible & Zesty Lemon Cookie Recipe - is Irresistible & Zesty Lemon Cookie Recipe is perfect for spring and summer parties and gatherings. These lemon cookies are light and have the perfect lemon favor. #lemon #lemoncookies #springcookies #mothersday #easter #cookies #recipe #easy #best #homefreshideas

This incredible lemon cookie recipe is easy and delicious. Make them for parties and events and everyone will rave about how good they are.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 18 minutes

Ingredients

  • Lemon Cookies
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter (softened)
  • 3/4 cup granulated white sugar + 1/3 cup for rolling cookies in
  • 1 large egg (room temperature)
  • zest from 1 lemon
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups flour (all-purpose)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon table salt
  • for the glaze
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream
  • dash of salt

Instructions

1. Warm up the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the butter and sugar until smooth, creamy, and combined. Then pour in the fresh lemon zest, and pure vanilla extract. Mix well. Incorporate the egg and mix again.

3. Sprinkle in 3/4 cup of the flour along with the salt and baking powder to the butter mixture. Mix then add in some more flour until all the flour has been added and blended.

4. Using a cookie scoop or your hands roll cookie dough balls that are around 1 tablespoon each. Gently roll the cookie balls into a bowl of granulated sugar until the entire outside is covered. Then place the sugar-coated cookie on the baking sheet. If you want, you can lightly press down on the cookies with your fingers or the back of a spoon. (optional step)

5. Bake the lemon drop cookies for 8 - 10 minutes. Keep in mind, these cookies will not turn brown as many do. They will remain white and that is what you want. Let the cookies cool on the cookie pan for 5 minutes, then using a spatula put them on a wire rack.

6. While the cookies are cooling, prepare the lemon zest icing by whisking the powdered sugar, heavy whipping cream, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Take each cookie and dip them into the icing. It will set up pretty quickly so you will need to work fast. Sprinkle with lemon zest and serve. 

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 183Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 82mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 0gSugar: 16gProtein: 2g
Irresistible & Zesty Lemon Cookie Recipe - is Irresistible & Zesty Lemon Cookie Recipe is perfect for spring and summer parties and gatherings. These lemon cookies are light and have the perfect lemon favor. #lemon #lemoncookies #springcookies #mothersday #easter #cookies #recipe #easy #best #homefreshideas

2 thoughts on “Irresistible & Zesty Lemon Cookie Recipe”

  1. I want to sit and watch Downton Abbey and eat these cookies!! They look incredible!! Printing of the recipe now!! 🙂

    • That sounds like a great idea! 🙂 They taste even better when they are chilled. Yum!

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