Lemon Cookies
These Lemon Cookies are super soft and bursting with lemon flavor. These cookies are incredibly easy to make and the perfect treat for anyone who loves lemon desserts!
Even though I absolutely love chocolate, I’ve always been a huge lemon lover too. There’s just something that’s so refreshing when lemon is added to just about anything.
I originally published and shared this delicious lemon cookie recipe back in 2016, but I’ve updated it to make it even better! Not only are these lemon cookies incredibly soft and delicious, but they’re also:
- Easy to make
- Packed with lemon flavor
- Perfect topped with a lemon glaze!
In today’s post, I’m breaking down everything you need to know about how to make these incredible lemon cookies. I guarantee that if you love lemon desserts, you will adore this recipe!
Recipe Ingredients
To make these soft lemon cookies, you’ll need just a few simple ingredients. Here’s what you will be using to make them:
- All-Purpose Flour: This provides the structure for your cookies so they don’t fall apart when you pick them up. To ensure that they turn out right, make sure to use the spoon and level method when measuring your flour. Too much flour = cakey, crumbly cookies.
- Baking Soda & Salt: The baking soda helps to lift the cookies and the salt brings out the flavors.
- Unsalted Butter: I always recommend unsalted butter when it comes to baking. If using salted butter, reduce the salt in this recipe to a tiny pinch.
- Granulated Sugar: I love to use brown sugar in cookie recipes whenever possible, but for these cookies you will only be using granulated sugar. The granulated sugar allows the lemon flavor to really shine through, sweetens the cookies, and helps them spread as they bake in the oven.
- Egg: To help bind the cookie dough together. A room temperature egg is best to ensure that it mixes together properly in your dough.
- Lemon Juice & Zest: Fresh lemon juice is always best, but bottled should be fine here too. One medium lemon will yield about 1 tablespoon of lemon zest and 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice.
- Lemon Extract: This helps to enhance the lemon flavor in these cookies even more! Don’t have any on hand? See my FAQ section for how to adjust the recipe.
How To Make Lemon Cookies
To make these lemon sugar cookies, you’ll start out by whisking together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set the mixture aside and then mix up the wet ingredients.
For the wet ingredients, start by beating the softened butter and the granulated sugar together for 1 to 2 minutes or until they’re well combined. Next, mix in a room temperature egg until it’s fully incorporated into the creamed butter and sugar. I always stop and scrape down the sides of my bowl and mix again to ensure that the egg is thoroughly combined.
Then, mix in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and lemon extract until fully combined. The mixture may look a little curdled at this point because of the acidity of the lemons, but this is okay. Mix in the dry ingredients until they’re just combined into the dough.
Finally, cover the cookie dough and let it chill for at least 30 minutes. This will help ensure that the cookies stay nice and thick and don’t spread too much in the oven. I also recommend preheating your oven to 350°F (177°C) while the cookie dough is chilling.
For these cookies, I like to use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop (#40 scoop) because it creates the perfect size cookie. Just scoop the dough onto a couple of baking sheets lined with parchment paper and bake the cookies for 10 to 13 minutes. I recommend letting them cool on the baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes, then transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
FAQ’s
Can you replace the lemon extract in these cookies?
If you can’t find any lemon extract, I suggest adding an additional 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of lemon zest to enhance the lemon flavor.
Can you freeze lemon cookies?
Yes, you may freeze these cookies! Once the cookies have cooled, freeze them in a freezer bag or container for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy the cookies, place them on the counter and let them come to room temperature.
You may also scoop the cookie dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze the balls of cookie dough. Once frozen, store the cookie dough in a freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can either thaw the cookie dough overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed in the recipe or bake from frozen for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.
Can I add a glaze on top of these cookies?
These cookies are fantastic with a lemon glaze! To make it, simply whisk together 1 cup (120 g) of powdered sugar and 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 ml) of fresh lemon juice. I recommend starting with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, then adding 1/2 teaspoon at a time to thin out the glaze. You want the glaze thin enough to drizzle on top of the cookies, but thick enough to stay in place.
Quick Tip: Make sure the cookies have cooled completely before you add the glaze!
Baking Tips
- I recommend zesting your lemon first, then juicing it.
- To get the most lemon juice out of your lemon, roll it on the counter firmly with your hand, then cut it in half, and squeeze out the juice.
- It’s best to use a room temperature egg in this recipe. If you forget to set it out ahead of time, simply place your egg in a bowl of warm water for 5 to 10 minutes.
More Lemon Recipes To Enjoy!
- Mini Lemon Blueberry Cheesecakes
- Classic Lemon Bars
- Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake
- Lemon Snowball Cookies
- Lemon Pie
- Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Lemon Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 and 3/4 cup (220 grams) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (115 grams) unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- Zest of one medium lemon
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract
- Optional: 2-3 drops of yellow food coloring
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the butter and granulated sugar together for 1 to 2 minutes or until well combined. Add the egg and mix until fully combined.
- Mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon extract, and yellow food coloring until fully combined, making sure to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Cover tightly and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator. Using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop balls of the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, making sure to leave a little room between each one.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the tops of the cookie are set. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheets for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
These are the best lemon cookies I have made. They are easy to make and have great lemon flavor.
My husband loves lemon cookies and he is very pleased with these. I had to make a second batch.
Thank you for sharing your recipe,
Easy and taste Devine. I tried these with the lemon rind Mccormack California Lemon peel in lieu of the lemon rind! I used two lose teaspoons as a substitute. I also had to refrigerate overnight because my roommate came home earlier than I thought at 11pm. I should have scooped and set on the try instead of sealed in a zip lock bag in one go. I also used lime juice (preserved bottle one) as it’s raining her in NYC. I baked (unchecked oven thermometer en route Amazon Black Friday sale!). I cooked for 18 minutes as they looked to puffy. On the top shelf. And left a few in for twenty five because one of my roommates loves crunchy cookies. I drizzled with powdered sugar mixed with lime juice – just because.
The biscuits weren’t as lemony as I thought which is a good thing because I thought I over did it with the lime and peel substitute! I also rolled these into a 13 equal sized balls and flattened slightly. Will defo try these again once my 1.5 scoop is purchased.
oh im so sorry! the texture is perfect! it tastes so good too. and a bit too sweet for me. but tastes good. however, its still puffy, so while hot, i flatten the cookie using the bottom of my drinking glass haha
i measured the flour and the sugar with a scale.
what else could i have done wrong?
Over mixing the butter and sugar can cause that to happen. They can also turn out thicker and cakey if you used too much liquid, like a larger egg or added more lemon juice than the recipe calls for.
The texture is also bread-like. what did i do wrong?
Love these cookies. So refreshing. Took to a quilt group who liked them.
LISTEN YALL THIS IS THE LEMON COOKIE OF ALL LEMON COOKIES!
try this addition: double or triple the lemon juice and add a cup of shredded coconut.
These cookies cane out heavenly. I followed some advice in the comments – I used more lemon extract, more lemon juice, a little less sugar. I also made them smaller.
My mom and me have a bread business and now were selling your cookies 😁
Thank you so very much for sharing this recipe. It’s become one of my family’s favorites 💛
Made these and they were great. light and moist. added white chocolate chips and loved that.
I love these cookies. I use a cookie press yo make more uniform cookies.
Can I double the recipe?
I made these cookies and they are round and puffy. I was hoping for more of a flat cookie. I followed the recipe and not sure what went wrong. Can you help? Also, can the recipe be doubled?
Hi, Linda! The recipe can be doubled. As far as the cookies not spreading, did you make sure to spoon and level your flour? Was your butter and egg at room temperature? And did you make sure to use baking soda too, not baking powder?
Yes I did all that. My dough was pretty stiff, is that normal? I did not have lemon extract so used extra lemon zest.
I noticed mine were puffier when I had more juice in my lemon. I also tried smaller portioning and it flattened my cookie
These are exactly what I was graving!!!
I got about 2 TBLS of zest, used all the juice from the lemon (medium size) and added 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.
Made mine on the small side so they got golden brown on the bottom after 9 min. Sprinkled powder sugar as soon as they came out of the oven.
Froze half the batter in small balls so they are ready to go.
LOVE THESE
I didn’t mention how much flour
I did, it’s literally the first ingredient in the recipe card – “1 and 3/4 cup (220 grams) all-purpose flour”.
Very Good and lemony. The cookies turned out soft and the glaze made them more lemony! Mailed a batch to my daughter in college who wanted lemon cookies! Thank you for posting this recipe!
Lemon Cookie Review
Absolutely delicious. A new family ‘must have’. I add lemon glaze once they’re cooked. Gives an extra lemon tang. These freeze well, too.
Need your advice.
I followed your recipe almost to the tee, using only 1/2 cup of sugar instead of 3/4 c. I used your recipe bc photo shows a flat cookie and, it was an easy recipe to follow. Mine puffed up a bit.
Was using less sugar the cause? Or any other ideas will be helpful. The cookies are tender and quite tasty but wanted a flat cookie. Left out the icing. Cutting back on extra sugar.
Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Yes, granulated sugar is one of the ingredients that helps cookies spread.
These are the best lemon cookies I’ve ever made! I was looking for a good summer cookie and . . . wow! This recipe is just great. Thank you so much Danielle
Easy to make and delicious. Modify the sugar quantity to Half a cup only and instead of glaze used powdered sugar on top once baked
I made these cookies before and they were great! I pinned it to my board and when I went back to the page to make them again there is an ad that will not go away covering up the ingredient list. Please fix.
Sorry you’re having trouble viewing the recipe, Reneica. I’ve checked a few different devices and I’m not seeing one that’s covering the recipe. If you see it again, you can report the ad by clicking the three vertical lines in the bottom right hand corner and that should remove it. You can also click the print recipe button and it will pull up a printable version of the recipe with no ads.
mine wasn’t crumbly either. I am too lazy to roll out dough , so I scooped mine with a little scoop. I didn’t use essence, I just used the juice of half a lemon. The juice from the other half went into the icing. I am afraid they are so yum I have to stop myself from eating them. Thanks for sharing the recipe