Easy Lemon Cookies

These buttery lemon cookies are a scrumptious way to enjoy the sunny flavor of citrus. The cookie batter is infused with lemon juice as well as lemon zest for a zingy touch that’s refreshing and delicious!

If you love the bright taste of lemon, these easy cookies are the perfect bite-sized dessert to make! Using basic pantry ingredients of flour, butter, egg, lemons, sugar, and vanilla, you’ll whip up these sweetly tart cookies quickly with the help of your mixer. There’s no waiting around for the dough to chill; just mix and drop the lemony scoops on your prepared cookie sheet.

These lemon cookies take about 15 minutes to bake. Let them cool before deciding how you’ll top them. A simple sprinkle of confectioner’s sugar is always a sweet way to go or you can ice them with a lemony glaze. Either way, these lemon cookies deserve a place on your summer dessert table!

Ingredients Needed

Flour – All-purpose flour

Baking Powder – helps the cookies to rise

Salt – seasoning

Butter – unsalted and softened so that it creams easily when mixed

Sugar – added for sweetness

Egg – set it out so that it comes to room temperature before adding to the batter

Vanilla Extract – for flavor

Lemon – you need just one for the zest and juice, so choose a large one

Powdered Sugar – for dusting on top of the baked and cooled cookies, or to make a glaze with

How To Make The Lemon Cookies

Note: This is a summary of the recipe steps. For complete instructions, see the recipe card down below.

1. Zest and juice the lemon. Set aside
2. Whisk together the dry ingredients of flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. Using your mixer, beat together the sugar and room temperature butter until fluffy.
4. Add in the egg, vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice, beating until well combined.
5. Slowly add the flour mixture while beating, scraping down the sides as needed.
6. On your prepared cookie sheet, drop spoonfuls (or use a cookie scoop) of the dough in even mounds. Leave room for them to spread as they bake.
7. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the edges are very lightly browned. Remove from the oven and cookie sheet and let them cool completely.
8. Garnish the top with powdered sugar or drizzle with a simple confectioner’s sugar glaze, if desired.

Do I Need To Chill The Dough?

No, you don’t. You can use it as is straight from your mixing bowl.

That said, you can certainly chill it if you want or if you are making it ahead and will be baking the cookies later in the day. There’s no harm in chilling it, but you don’t need to.

Tips

• Use room temperature ingredients. Set the butter and egg out about 15-20 minutes before you plan to mix the cookie dough. This helps with the creaming process when mixed with the flour and sugar.
• If you use a cookie scoop, you’ll get more uniform-sized cookies than if you use a spoon.
• Try slightly undercooking your cookies. If you’re a cookie baking pro, you already know this trick! The reason why is that it helps keep the cookies softer and gives a more pleasing texture. Plus, the cookies will continue to cook even after you pull them off of the baking sheet and as they’re cooling.

How To Make A Lemon Glaze

Depending on how thick you like the glaze, play around with the ratios of these 2 ingredients to get your desired consistency.

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

In a small bowl, mix the ingredients with a whisk until a glaze forms. If the texture is too thick, add more lemon juice; if too thin, add a bit more confectioner’s sugar. When desired consistency is reached, use a fork to drizzle the glaze over the cookies.

Variations

This basic cookie dough is perfect for a few citrus substitutions.

• Lime: You can substitute lime for the lemon. If the limes you use are small, use two to get enough zest and fresh juice for a sweetly tart cookie. I would add a confectioner’s sugar glaze to the top with a few flecks of lime zest in it. Pretty!
• Orange: Use a small to medium orange for this recipe which should provide enough zest and juice for a burst of sunny flavor.

Storage

The baked cookies will keep on the countertop in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Are these cookies freezer-friendly?

Yes, they are. Baked cookies should be cooled completely before being stored in a freezer-friendly and airtight container. I suggest wrapping each cookie individually or at least separating them with wax paper so they don’t stick together when frozen. Frozen baked cookies will keep for 2-3 months in the freezer.

Can I freeze the cookie dough?

Yes, you can. Either freeze pressed-down dollops of the dough, with each separated by wax paper, and stored in a freezer-friendly and airtight container, or form the dough into a log-style roll and wrap tightly with plastic wrap and wrap again with foil. The frozen dough will keep for 2-3 months in the freezer.

More Lemon Desserts

Lemon Cream Cheese Bundt Cake

Best Lemon Meringue Pie

Lemon Blueberry Bread

Copycat Starbucks Mini Lemon Loaves

Lemon, Almond Ricotta Cake

Lemon Pound Cake