Lemon Cookies

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Chewy lemon cookies are sure to add a dose of sunshine to your day. They’re easy to make and so full of bright lemon flavor.

I always appreciate that citrus season is in the winter, because these cold, gray days are certainly when we need a dose of sunny flavors. Thank you, Florida and California!

Often in January we eschew baking in favor of “healthy” things, but I’m all for sweet treats any time. These lemon cookies are the perfect excuse to pull out the cookie jar.

Bursting with lemon flavor thanks to both zest and juice, these chewy cookies are easy to make and a welcome dose of cheer right now. You can add a simple icing if you like, but honestly, they don’t need it.

Grab some lemons, soften your butter, and let’s make cookies!

Ingredients for lemon cookies

Full list of ingredients including quantities is located in the recipe card.

You’ll need:

• Lemons
• All-purpose flour
• Granulated sugar
• Unsalted butter – softened to room temperature
• Vanilla extract
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt

Make sure you get whole lemons because you’ll need both lemon zest and lemon juice. You’ll need to use more lemons for the juice than the zest, but if you don’t want to waste the peel you can zest all of the lemons and then freeze the excess on a sheet of parchment paper. Once it’s frozen just pour into a freezer bag and use as needed!

This recipe might seem like it uses a lot of rising agents, but the combination gives you a crinkly, chewy cookie with a nice spread.

How to make this recipe

Preheat the oven to 375°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and for easy cleanup.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set this aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer using a paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat together the softened butter and 1 1/2 cups of the granulated sugar until it is light and fluffy. This will take 3-5 minutes.

While the mixer is on low, beat the egg and vanilla, then pause to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Juice and zest the lemons. Add 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest and mix well.

Gradually add the flour mixture until just combined and no dry bits remain, making sure to scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl to incorporate everything.

Scoop the dough into balls and roll in the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Place on the baking sheet, leaving 2 inches of space between each. I recommend baking one sheet at a time for better air flow.

Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, until just set. They might look a bit puffy, but will deflate and crinkle more as they cool.

Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes (you can pop the second sheet of cookies into the oven while these are cooling) and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Storage tips

Store the cookies in an airtight container or cookie jar at room temperature for about 5 days.

You can freeze the unbaked cookie dough and bake just one or two cookies at a time! Portion and roll the dough in the sugar, then arrange on a lined baking sheet. Freeze until solid, about 2 hours. Transfer to a freezer bag, label, and freeze for up to 3 months.

To bake from frozen, simply add a few extra minutes to the baking time.

Have some extra lemons left after making cookies? Whip up lemon ricotta pasta or lemon orzo for dinner, then grab a cookie for dessert!

Lemon Cookies

These easy lemon cookies are full of bright flavor.

Author : Megan Myers

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings 24

Calories per serving 188 kcal

Ingredients

 

US Customary – Metric

 

1/2x1x2x3x

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 11 1/2 ounces
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups granulated sugar, divided use
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 1-2 large
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest, 1 large

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using an electric mixer), cream together the butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the egg followed by the vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the lemon juice and zest, then add the dry flour mixture in batches until the cookie dough is just combined.
  1 cup unsalted butter, 1.5 cups granulated sugar, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
• Use a small cookie scoop to portion out the dough, roll into balls, then roll in the remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Place on the prepared baking sheet around 2 inches apart (you’ll need to bake in batches).
  0.5 cups granulated sugar
• Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the cookies are just starting to set. Let rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack.

Notes

• If you use a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop (#40) you’ll get about 36 cookies rather than 24.
• Excess lemon juice can be frozen in ice cube trays. Excess lemon zest can be frozen flat on parchment paper, then transferred to a freezer container or bag.

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Nutrition

Calories: 188 kcalCarbohydrates: 28 gProtein: 2 gFat: 8 gSaturated Fat: 5 gCholesterol: 27 mgSodium: 76 mgPotassium: 82 mgFiber: 0.4 gSugar: 17 gIron: 1 mg

Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate based on online calculators. Any nutritional information found on Stetted should be used as a general guideline only.

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