Lemon Sugar Cookies
These lemon sugar cookies are the perfect springtime dessert! These chewy lemon cookies have a soft texture with crisp edges, and have bright lemon flavor from fresh lemon juice and lemon zest.
Lemon Sugar Cookies
These lemon sugar cookies will have you “walking on sunshine”—bright, sweet, and totally radical! With a citrusy kick that’s sharper than a shoulder pad and a soft sugar cookie base that melts like a mixtape slow jam, they’re the ultimate spring and summer treat.
Life gave us lemons—and we made cookies that are, like, totally awesome. Crank up the boombox, grab your lemon zester, and get ready to bake something that’ll have you saying, “Taste makes no sense… until now.” (Yes, I just pulled a Heathers move.)
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy – The cookies are easy to make and don’t take tons of time to bake up.
- Minimal ingredients – You may have most, if not all, of the ingredients in your pantry and fridge.
- Beautiful crackly top – Highlights the slightly crisp exterior of the cookies.
- Soft and chewy texture – The cookies will melt in your mouth.
- Bright and fresh lemon flavor – Fresh lemon juice and zest creates a bright citrus flavor.
Ingredients for Lemon Sugar Cookies
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder + baking soda
- Salt
- Granulated sugar – For the cookie dough and more for rolling.
- Lemon zest – For the cookie dough and for rolling.
- Unsalted butter – Room temperature.
- Egg – Room temperature.
- Lemon juice – Fresh squeezed lemon juice. Be sure to zest the lemons before juicing.
Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on the ingredients and quantities for this recipe.
How to Make Lemon Sugar Cookies
- Make lemon-infused sugar: Combine and massage the granulated sugar and lemon zest for both the cookie dough and for the rolling sugar separately. Set aside.
- Make the cookie dough: Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Cream the unsalted butter and lemon zest infused granulated sugar. Add the egg and lemon juice and mix until well combined. Pour in the dry ingredients and mix until the cookie dough forms.
- Chill the cookie dough: Portion the cookie dough using a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons) and chill the cookie dough balls.
- Prep and preheat: Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Line baking sheet pans with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- Bake the cookies: Roll the chilled cookie dough balls in the lemon zest infused granulated sugar and place on the prepared baking sheet pans. Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes. Cool the cookies on the pan and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Scroll down to the recipe card below for detailed instructions on how to make the recipe.
Expert Cookie Baking Tips
- Use large cookie scoop to portion out the cookie dough to create round, even, and uniform cookies.
- Don’t skip out on chilling the cookie dough. It helps create the perfect chewy texture and minimizes the spreading.
- Immediately when the cookies come out of the oven, use the back of a spoon or a round cookie cutter to gently shape the cookies into a circle.
- Use fresh lemon zest and lemon juice for the best and brightest lemon flavor. Don’t skip the step of infusing the granulated sugar with the lemon zest as it creates a more intense citrus flavor.
Storing & Serving
- Room temperature: Store the cookies in an airtight container or resealable storage bag at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
- Refrigerator: Portion the cookie dough into balls and store in the refrigerator in a storage bag for up to 2 weeks. To bake, roll the cookie dough in lemon zest-infused sugar and bake as directed.
- Freezer: Store the portioned cookie dough in a resealable storage bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. To use, thaw the cookie dough until it is unfrozen but cold, roll in lemon zest-infused sugar, and bake as directed. You can also store the baked cookies in a storage bag or airtight container for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Portion the cookie dough into balls and store in the refrigerator in a storage bag for up to 2 weeks. You can also store the cookie dough in the freezer for 3 months. To use, bring the dough to room temperature but slightly cold, roll in lemon zest infused sugar and bake as directed.
You can substitute oranges or limes in this recipe. Stick with the same measurements for juice and zest.
Absolutely. After baking and cooling, you could drizzle a lemon glaze over the top of the cookies made from powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice or you could use a sweet lemon or strawberry buttercream frosting!
You can use lemon extract in place of lemon juice, however, the flavor of the cookies will be a more artificial lemon flavor. The lemon zest and fresh juice are key to giving the cookies a bright and fresh lemon flavor.
Yes! Use a small (1 tablespoon) or medium (1.5 tablespoon) cookie scoop to create smaller cookies. The baking time will be a few minutes shorter if the cookies are smaller. For a small scoop, check the cookies around 7 to 8 minutes and for a medium cookie scoop, check the cookies at 9 to 10 minutes.
Other Recipes You Will Love
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Lemon Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Lemon Sugar Cookie Dough
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) baking soda
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) baking powder
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
- 1 ½ cup (300 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp (12 g) lemon zest (about 2 to 3 lemons)
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 (1) large egg room temperature
- 3 tbsp (45 g) fresh lemon juice
Lemon Zest Infused Sugar (for rolling the cookies)
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar for rolling the cookie dough
- 1 tbsp (6 g) lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar and lemon zest for the cookie dough recipe. Massage the zest and sugar together for a minute or two to release the citrus oils from the lemon zest. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream the unsalted butter and lemon zest infused granulated sugar until creamy. Add the egg and lemon juice and mix until well combined and smooth. Pour in the flour mixture and mix on low speed until the cookie dough forms. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is well mixed.
- Portion the cookie dough using a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons) and place the cookie dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill the cookie dough for about 20 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Line baking sheet pans with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and lemon zest designated as the lemon zest infused sugar for rolling the cookies. Massage the zest and sugar together for a minute or two to release the citrus oils from the lemon zest.
- Roll the chilled sugar cookie dough balls in the lemon zest infused sugar and place on the prepared baking pans, allowing room for spreading. Bake the cookies for about 11 to 12 minutes until the edges are set and the centers are slightly underbaked.
- Remove the baking pans from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
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About Courtney
Baker | 80s Lover | Cookbook Author
Courtney is a self-taught home baker and cookbook author of “Girls Just Wanna Bake Cupcakes”. She loves to create new and unique recipes while simultaneously listening to 80s music.
If you love lemon, these are for you! 😋