The Best Lemon Sugar Cookies
Lemon Sugar Cookies
After making this recipe, you will never need another lemon sugar cookie recipe… really. These cookies are slightly crisp on the outside, and soft and pillowy on the inside. Plus, the lemon flavor of these cookies is perfect due to the addition of fresh lemon zest and juice. Try this recipe for yourself and let me know what you think in the comments!
Why Lemon Sugar Cookies?
This is the first dessert recipe I am posting on my blog for a reason. Honestly, I wasn’t a huge fan of lemon desserts until a few years ago. I tried a lemon sugar cookie for the first time at my old job, and I was BLOWN AWAY! So ever since, I have strived to create my own version of this incredible dessert.
Lemon Sugar cookies are great for many reasons.
One, it is the perfect Easter dessert! When I think of easter, I think of light, spring flavors, and somehow that always comes back to lemon. These cookies are a crowd-pleaser and very simple to make as well.
And two, sometimes I am craving a cookie that isn’t too heavy. I love a chocolate chip cookie as much as the next person, but sometimes I just want something light. These lemon sugar cookies are perfect to fill that craving.
Key Ingredients of Lemon Sugar Cookies:
- All-purpose Flour– I personally have not tried this recipe with any other kind of flour. I do hope to try it (eventually) with gluten-free flour. But for now, the all-purpose flour does everything we need it to.
- Fresh Lemon Zest and Juice– Since I love a good budget recipe, you can use store-bought lemon juice if you are in a pinch. But the full flavor of this cookie is only achieved through the fresh lemon zest and juice. Plus, you can use the leftover citrus peel to make candied lemon peels!
- Cream of Tartar– This ingredient is optional if you do not have it. BUT… this is what gives my cookies the fluffy domed center! Cream of tartar acts as an acid and reacts with the baking soda in this recipe to allow for more air bubbles to develop. This makes the cookie puff up a bit more. If you like a flatter, more chewy cookie, you can omit this ingredient.
- Salt– No explanation needed. We need salt, and it makes everything taste better. If all you have is salted butter, please omit the extra salt.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I use store-bought lemon juice instead of fresh?
Yes! Absolutely! As I mentioned above, though, the lemon flavor will not be as strong and you may have to use a bit more to compensate for the absence of lemon zest.
Can I freeze the dough?
Yes. I sometimes only bake 6 and freeze the rest. Just place the rolled dough (not rolled in the lemon sugar) onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet and place in the freezer for about an hour. Once they are frozen, place the dough balls into a freezer bag, remove as much air as possible, and freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat, let the dough sit at room temperature for 5-20 minutes before baking. Then bake as normal.
Make Lemon Sugar cookies:
Step One: Make the Lemon Sugar:
- Add the 1/4 cup of sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon zest to a bowl.
- Rub the lemon zest and sugar together until combined. *This step is SO important! Rubbing these ingredients together releases the flavor from the lemon zest into the sugar.
Step Two: Make the Cookie Dough
You are actually going to use that same method with the lemon zest and sugar for the dough! Rub them together, and then add your butter and mix until creamy.
Next, you will mix in the egg, lemon juice, and vanilla.
Then, the dry ingredients are mixed in their own bowl and added to the wet ingredients.
Only mix the dough until the flour mixture is JUST combined! Do not overmix the dough.
To scoop the dough, I used a small cookie scoop (about two TBSP size). You can just use a spoon and be careful to try and get them even.
The dough balls are then rolled in the lemon sugar mixture before baking. This gives the cookie the nice crunch before getting into the soft middle!
These cookies are baked at 350 for 9-11 minutes or until just beginning to crack. The bottom edge may develop a slight golden brown color, but as soon as you see this color forming, remove them from the oven.
This will ensure a soft and perfect cookie!
The Best Lemon Sugar Cookies
I am making these cookies for Easter, but they are great for many occasions! These lemon sugar cookies are a perfect dessert to bring you into the Spring season, and will be a new staple in your household!
Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think in the comments below! I’d love to hear your feedback and if you made any adjustments to the recipe!
Lemon Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- Zester or small grater
- Cookie Sheet
- Stand Mixer or Electric Hand Mixer
- Cookie Scoop (2 TBSP size) optional
Ingredients
Lemon Sugar
- ¼ cup Granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tsp Fresh lemon zest
Lemon Sugar Cookies
- ½ cup (one stick) Unsalted Butter ; Room temperature
- ¾ cup Granulated sugar
- 2 tsp Fresh lemon zest
- 1 Large Egg
- 4-5 Tbsp Fresh-squeezed lemon juice Start with 4 Tbsp, add the last one if the dough seems too dry
- ½ tsp Vanilla extract
- 1½ cups All-Purpose flour
- ¼ tsp Baking Powder
- ¼ tsp Baking Soda
- ¼ tsp Cream of Tarter
- ¼ tsp Salt
Instructions
Make The Lemon Sugar:
- Add the ¼ cup of sugar and 1½ tsp of lemon zest to a bowl.
- Rub the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingers until combined. (This makes the sugar absorb the lemon flavor.)
Make the Lemon Sugar Cookies:
- In a stand mixer or with a handheld electric mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, and lemon zest. Mix for 3-4 minutes or until the mixture is lighter in color and fluffy in texture.
- Using a handheld spatula or whisk, gently mix the egg, lemon juice, and vanilla into the butter mixture until fully combined.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Use a fork and mix until the ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Using a spatula, fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredient until JUST combined. Do not overmix the dough.
- Using a cookie scoop or a spoon (each cookie needs to be about 2 ish TBSP's), scoop the dough into individual balls and place on a plate.
- Shape each piece of dough into a ball and roll in the lemon sugar mixture until fully covered.
- Place dough onto a parchement lined cookie sheet (only bake 8 per sheet to prevent them from sticking to each other). Very lightly press down on each dough ball with your hand to flatten it a bit.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the edges BARELY start to turn golden. Do not over-bake these cookies. If anything, pull them a bit before you think they are done because they will continue to cook on the pan.
- Cool the cookies completely and store at room-temperature for 2-3 days for maximum freshness.
Notes
- You do not have to bake all of the dough at once. Feel free to bake a few and store the rest of the dough in the freezer. Just place the dough on a parchment-lined plate or sheet and put it in the freezer. Once each dough ball is frozen (about an hour), transfer the dough balls into a freezer bag and store for up to three months. Before baking, let the dough thaw at room temperature for about 15 minutes and then bake as normal.
- Calories are calculated from numbers I got from Google and My Fitness Pal. I am not a nutritionist, and the calories listed here are only estimates, not guaranteed numbers.
But before you make this recipe, SLOW DOWN
Remember that food is fuel, and something meant to nourish you and for you to enjoy. There are no good or bad foods. Try and eat healthy so that you feel your best, but also allow yourself treats without any guilt attached. You deserve to eat good food, no matter what. Thank you all :).
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