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.

Lemon Sugar Cookie Recipe (7)

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.

Lemon Sugar Cookie Recipe (9)

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? ›

Fresh lemon juice is also added in a later step with the vanilla and egg. Both the lemon juice and lemon zest in the cookie dough help to amplify the lemon flavor in the cookies.

What does cream of tartar do in sugar cookies? ›

Cream of tartar makes cookies chewy, as it precludes the sugar in the dough from crystalizing, which would lead to crispiness (ie: the opposite of chewiness).

How to add flavour to sugar cookies? ›

Add extracts

A teaspoon or two of extracts will noticeably boost flavor when blended into your sugar cookie mix. Vanilla is the obvious choice. For a more intriguing flavor, add both vanilla and almond extracts. Rum, maple and anise are other delicious varieties to consider.

What is a substitute for lemon extract in sugar cookies? ›

Lemon Extract Substitute: Citrus Zest

Avoid the pith (the white layer under the skin)—you don't want to give your dish a bitter flavor by accidentally adding it. Start with an equal amount of citrus zest in place of the lemon extract called for in the recipe, then add more zest if the flavor needs a boost.

Why do my sugar cookies taste dry? ›

Improper flour measurement is the #1 cause of your cookie dough being too dry or the cookies tasting like flour.

How important is baking soda in sugar cookies? ›

Baking soda also serves another important purpose when it comes to cookies: It encourages spreading by raising the mixture's pH, which slows protein coagulation. This gives the dough more time to set before the eggs set, which results in a more evenly baked cookie.

Why do you put powdered sugar in cookies? ›

The powdered sugar in the recipe helps absorb moisture from other ingredients, giving the cookies a unique bumpy looking appearance and an extra tender and chewy texture.

Can I omit cream of tartar in sugar cookies? ›

The Best Substitute for Cream of Tartar

For every 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar in the recipe, use 1 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar. As an example, if your cookie recipe calls for 1 teaspoon baking soda, add 2 teaspoons lemon juice instead of the cream of tartar.

How to fancy up sugar cookies? ›

5 Ways to Get Fancy with Your Sugar Cookies
  1. Make a fancy thumbprint cookie. ...
  2. Turn them into sandwich cookies. ...
  3. Decorate with melted chocolate. ...
  4. Try different flavorings in the sugar cookie dough. ...
  5. Roll cookie dough logs in sparkly sugar.
May 1, 2019

What to add to sugar cookie mix to make it better? ›

You can add chocolate chips, nuts, caramel or toffee pieces, chopped up candy bars, M&Ms, Reese's Pieces, pretzel pieces, or chopped up shrimp to cookie mix to make it tastier.

What happens if you add too much sugar to sugar cookies? ›

Sugar sweetens the cookies and makes them an enticing golden brown. Adding too little sugar can affect the taste and texture of cookies. Adding too much can cause them to be brittle. Take your time creaming the sugar and butter together at the beginning.

Can I use lemon juice instead of lemon extract? ›

Opt for two tablespoons of lemon juice for every tablespoon of lemon extract if you want a potent lemon flavor. In baked goods, you may need to adjust the ratio of other liquid or dry ingredients to get the right final texture.

What happens if you use lemon extract instead of vanilla? ›

Lemon extracts are not sour rather it has a distinct flavour and aroma to them. This citrus fruit is widely available and makes for a great alternative to vanilla extract. Make some lemon tarts, cupcakes, and pies or even use it in the frosting and get a flavoursome dessert.

Can I substitute lemon juice for lemon zest in cookies? ›

Lemon juice carries the same flavor as lemon zest, but it's more acidic, so you might want to add a pinch of sugar to balance out the tartness. That said, the lemon flavor is not as concentrated as lemon zest, so you'll want to keep this formula handy: 1 teaspoon of lemon zest = 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.

Why do my cookies have a weird taste? ›

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.

What are sugar cookies supposed to taste like? ›

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 does everything taste lemony? ›

Dysgeusia is a taste disorder. People with this condition feel that all foods taste metallic, sweet, sour or bitter. Many things can cause dysgeusia, like smoking, medical conditions, medication or poor oral hygiene.

Why does bread taste lemony? ›

Naturally occurring bacteria that cooperate with yeast make lactic and acetic acids that impart a tart flavor to the bread.

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