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–+ servings
Stack of lemon cookies with icing on the top cookie
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5 from 9 votes

Lemon Cookies Recipe

The PERFECT lemon cookie! These cookies are good plain or made extra lemony with icing.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Chill Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 12 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 25 cookies
Author: Dorothy Kern
Cost: 15

Ingredients

  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • ⅔ cup (134g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar
  • Zest of one lemon
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon lemon extract
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cups (186g) all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar, for rolling

Optional Glaze:

  • ¾ cup (85g) powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) lemon juice
  • 2-3 teaspoons (10-15ml) milk or heavy cream

Instructions

  • Add ⅔ cup granulated sugar to a small bowl with lemon zest. Work with your fingers for 2 minutes to infuse the oils of the zest into the sugar.
  • Place butter, lemon sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl. Beat with a hand or a stand mixture for 2-3 minutes, or until creamed and fluffy.
  • Mix in egg, lemon extract, baking soda and salt, then mix in flour until cookie dough forms.
  • Place remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar in a small bowl. Scoop 1 tablespoon sized cookie dough balls and roll in sugar, then place on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. No need to space; we are chilling the dough.
  • Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line another cookie sheet then spread cookies at least 2-inches apart. Bake for 11-14 minutes or until they just lose their glossy sheen. Cool before frosting, if using.
  • To frost: whisk powdered sugar with lemon juice and 2 teaspoons milk, adding more milk as needed for consistency. Drizzle over cookies and let set (it semi-sets, so hard on top but drippy underneath the top layer of icing).
  • Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 115kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 104mg | Potassium: 16mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 129IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg

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