Lemon Sugar Cookie Recipe (2024)

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With over 1.5 million views and counting, this lemon sugar cookies recipe is one of the most popular cookie recipes on my website, and for good reason! These soft lemon sugar cookies can be made with one bowl, are thick, chewy and easy to freeze.

Lemon Sugar Cookie Recipe (1)

Soft and Chewy Lemon Cookies

I spent a whole week baking lemon cookies. The first batch failed miserably. The cookies were paper thin and see through!!

The batches got better as I made small tweaks to the recipe. By the time I was happy with the recipe, I had made it 5 times – that’s about 2 dozen cookies per batch, or 120 cookies in total!

Ryan took a lot of those with him to work. He said a few coworkers asked him if we had an industrial sized oven!

Lemon Sugar Cookie Recipe (2)

Why This Recipe is the Best

  • Common pantry ingredients
  • Great recipe for beginngers
  • Chewy & soft cookies
  • Bright, fresh, real lemon flavor

This lemon cookie recipe is chewy on the outside and soft on the inside. And they are just puffy enough! And the lemon flavor is everything you’d want it to be in a cookie. The fresh lemon zest really gives them a bright lemon flavor.

They are one of my favorite lemon desserts to make with whenever we have fresh lemons.

They follow similar steps as classic sugar cookies where you cream butter and white sugar together in a medium bowl. Add the remaining wet ingredients, including plenty of lemon zest. Then add in the flour mixture and use a hand mixer to gently combine.

Roll into balls and bake on parchment paper or a silicone mat. They turn out to be the best chewy lemon cookies!

Lemon Cookie Ingredients

  • unsalted butter – adds flavor and and tender texture
  • granulated sugar – adds sweetness, flavor and encourages browning
  • lemon zest and lemon juice – adds that fresh lemon flavor
  • egg – binds the cookies together by providing structure
  • all purpose flour – flour is necessary to build structure in cookies
  • baking soda – helps to leaven and lift the dough, affects browning and flavor
  • salt – enhances the other flavors in the cookies

Where’s the extract?

You can add in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. If you’d like a more intense lemon flavor (hello lemon lovers) add 1 teaspoon lemon extract.

Lemon Cookie Recipe Variations

I have made these cookies multiple times with King Arthur’s Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour with great success.

How to Make Lemon Cookies

  1. Cream together. In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter, granulated sugar and lemon zest together on medium speed.
Lemon Sugar Cookie Recipe (3)
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2. Mix in. Add in the fresh lemon juice and egg, beat again until smooth.

3. Dry ingredients. Gently add in the dry ingredients, mixing on low or by hand just until combined.

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4. Refrigerate. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.

5. Scoop. Use a cookie scoop to form dough balls, roll the balls in sugar then place on a silicone mat lined baking sheet. Bake and Cool.

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Time Required

  • 10 minutes to make the cookie dough
  • 30-60 minutes to chill the dough in the fridge
  • 11-13 minutes to bake the cookies
  • 15 minutes to cool the cookies

How to Store Lemon Sugar Cookies

Store lemon sugar cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days.

Lemon Sugar Cookie Recipe (8)

How to Freeze Lemon Cookie Dough

Drop cookie dough balls onto a silicone mat lined baking sheet. You can place the dough balls close together since you won’t be baking them.

Place the baking sheet in the freezer until the cookies are frozen solid, about 1 hour.

Remove the baking sheet from the freezer and transfer the frozen cookie dough balls to a ziplock freezer bag. Label the bag with baking directions.

Freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months.

To bake: remove the dough from the freezer. Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF. Roll the balls in sugar and bake for 13-15 minutes. Frozen cookies may need to bake for 1-2 minutes longer than non frozen cookies.

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Tips for Making Lemon Sugar Cookies

  • Properly measure the all purpose flour using the spoon and sweep method.
  • Use room temperature butter for easier creaming of the butter and sugar.
  • Refrigerate the cookie dough for 30-60 minutes. I’m telling you, this helps to make the best thick & chewy cookies!
  • Use a cookie scoop to form cookie dough balls.
  • Bake cookies on a silicone baking mat.

Our lemony cookies have a chewy texture that is to die for! They complement our soft sugar cookies really well.

Lemon Cookies Recipe FAQs

Why refrigerate cookie dough?

The King Arthur website explains, “Chillingcookie dough before bakingsolidifies the fat in the cookies. As thecookies bake, the fat in the chilledcookie doughtakes longer to melt than room-temperature fat. And the longer the fat remains solid, the lesscookiesspread.”

Refrigerating the cookie dough will help produce cookies that are chewier and softer because they won’t spread as much.

But I get it. Sometimes I really dislike chilling dough. So here’s my suggestion – if you can fit it in, refrigerate the dough, even for 15 minutes.

If not, at least refrigerate the dough between baking batches. For example, if you can fit 8 cookies on one baking sheet, bake those and put the dough in the fridge while you’re waiting.

How do you make cookies moist and not dry?

It’s important to properly measure the flour to ensure the cookies are moist and not dry. Follow the sectionHow To Properly Measure Flour.Also be sure to bake the cookies for the proper amount of time. Over-baking will produce dry cookies.

Why do sugar cookies get hard?

Sugar cookies can become hard if they are over-baked. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven as soon as the cookies have set and developed a bit of color. We do not want the edges of the cookies to brown.

Should you refrigerate sugar cookie dough before baking?

This specific recipe does require that you refrigerate the cookie dough for 30-60 minutes before baking. Refrigerating the cookie dough will help produce cookies that are chewier and softer because they won’t spread as much.

What’s the difference between a sugar cookie and a regular cookie?

The main difference between a sugar cookie and a regular cookie lies in their ingredients and flavor profile. Sugar cookies are primarily made with a higher proportion of sugar and butter, resulting in a sweeter and more delicate taste. Regular cookies, on the other hand, have a more balanced combination of ingredients like sugar, butter, flour, eggs, and often include mix-ins like chocolate chips, oats, or nuts, leading to a broader range of flavors and textures.

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Lemon Sugar Cookie Recipe (10)

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Lemon Cookie Recipe

By: Beth

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes

Additional Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 22 minutes minutes

Servings: 24 cookies

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With over 1.5 million views and counting, this lemon sugar cookies recipe is one of the most popular cookie recipes on my website, and for good reason! These soft lemon sugar cookies can be made with one bowl, are thick, chewy and easy to freeze.

Ingredients

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, 1 cup – 230 grams
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, 300 grams
  • 3 tbsp lemon zest
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 cups all purpose flour, 360 grams
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ cup sugar, for rolling cookies, 50 grams

Instructions

  • In a mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and lemon zest with an electric mixer for 1-2 minutes.

  • Add in the lemon juice and egg, beat again to combine.

  • Gradually add in the flour, baking soda and salt, mixing by hand with a spatula until combined.

  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.

  • Remove the dough from the fridge. Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF. Place 1/4 cup sugar in a bowl for rolling the cookies.

  • Use a cookie scoop to form balls, rolling each ball into the sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart on a silicone lined baking sheet. Bake for 11-13 minutes or until the edges have a faint golden color.

  • Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Video

Notes

Refrigerating the cookie dough will help produce cookies that are chewier and thicker because they won’t spread as much. But I get it. Sometimes I really dislike chilling dough. So here’s my suggestion – if you can fit it in, refrigerate the dough, even for 15 minutes. If not, at least refrigerate the dough between baking batches. For example, if you can fit 8 cookies on one baking sheet, bake those and put the dough in the fridge while you’re waiting.

This recipe turned out great using gluten free flour too! We love King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour.

Nutrition

Calories: 184kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 74mg | Potassium: 25mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 247IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg

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About Beth

I believe that everyone should have a go-to dessert to bring to parties! With hundreds of recipes, I'll help you find yours!

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Lemon Sugar Cookie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why do sugar cookies taste lemony? ›

Lemon Sugar Cookie Dough

In the first step, adding lemon zest with the sugar and butter ensures that the mixing process will work on the zest to release those citrusy lemon flavors. Fresh lemon juice is also added in a later step with the vanilla and egg.

Can you use lemon juice instead of lemon extract in cookies? ›

As lemon extract has a much more concentrated flavor, you'll need to use double the amount of lemon juice as lemon extract.

Should sugar cookies be hard or soft? ›

Unlike many things in the baking world, sugar cookies are meant to be foolproof. They don't have much butter or leavening, so they'll keep their shape when you roll out the dough and cut them. They're sturdy enough to be handled and decorated, but soft and delicious enough to be a Christmastime dessert staple.

Why do my sugar cookies taste weird? ›

The ingredients you used could be the culprit – using different sugars, melted butter, baking powder or baking soda can alter a cookie's texture and taste.

How to jazz up sugar cookies? ›

If you're making your own sugar cookie dough, try a different extract — like almond, peppermint, or citrus — instead of vanilla for a flavor change. You can even add finely grated fresh citrus zest for flecks of beautiful color and a nice pop of flavor.

How do you jazz up sugar cookies? ›

you can add extracts. for example peppermint or almond or you can add chocolate chips or dried fruit. Every time I make sugar cookies, regardless of the recipe, the dough always turns out way too crumbly to roll into a ball. I always end up adding a lot more butter than is called for.

What happens when lemon juice is mixed with baking? ›

When baking powder is mixed with lemon juice, bubbles formed because of evolution of carbon dioxide gas. This is a chemical change, because in this reaction new substances are formed.

What does lemon juice do in baking? ›

To balance flavors: Lemon juice can play a great balancing role in baked goods. We sometimes use it in our cookies to balance out a sweet flavor profile. For instance, our CAVA Apricot Cookies contain a small amount of lemon juice to balance the sweetness of the honey-flavored cookie dough.

How does lemon juice affect baking? ›

Lemon juice naturally contains citric acid which quickly reacts with the base present in the baking powder producing CO2 and sodium citrate. This may lead to undesirable flavors and poor crust color due to lower pH of the product after baking.

Should you refrigerate sugar cookie dough before baking? ›

Chilling the dough is a key step in making sugar cookies, especially when you're making cut-outs. Even if you're tight on time, make sure to get the dough in the fridge, or even the freezer, even if it's only for a little while. Skip this step, and the dough will be sticky, and much harder to work with.

Are sugar cookies better with butter or shortening? ›

Which One Should I Use in Cookies? Basically, cookies made with butter spread more and are flatter and crisper if baked long enough. However, they are more flavorful than cookies made with shortening. Cookies made with shortening bake up taller and are more tender, but aren't as flavorful.

Should you bake sugar cookies on parchment paper? ›

Sugar cookies baked on shiny heavy gauge aluminum pans will come out soft and chewy, with a slight golden color bottom and pale top. Chef Eddy also recommends using parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prevent sticking and for easy cleanup.

Why do butter cookies taste sour? ›

Bake Club claims that over-baking, or even baking shortbread on too high a heat, can cause the butter to burn, leading to a sour or pungent aftertaste in the cookies.

How would you describe the taste of sugar cookies? ›

What do they taste like? These Sugar Cookies are buttery and sweet (but not too sweet), and they have a lovely melt-in-your-mouth texture. They taste similar to shortbread but with a strong vanilla flavour.

Why do my sugar cookies taste metallic? ›

Remember also that too much baking soda in a recipe and not enough acid will still result in a soapy, metallic taste in the baked good. Thus, getting the right amount of baking soda in your baking is important, we don't want soapy tasting cakes!

Why do my cookies taste chemically? ›

Baking powder and baking soda, on their own, do have a weird taste. They are chemical leavening agents after all. A cake recipe takes this into account and uses the quantity necessary for leavening without going overboard. Also flavourings are added.

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