Categorized:

  • Christmas
  • Cookies
  • Desserts

Tagged:

  • butter
  • egg yolks
  • eggs
  • flour
  • lemons
  • powdered sugar
  • sugar
  • vanilla extract
Plate of lemon cookies with icing. - 1

Lemon Cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (283g) all-purpose flour (scoop and level to measure)
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar*
  • 12 Tbsp (170g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon zest
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Icing

  • 1 1/4 cups (150g) powdered sugar
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  • In a separate large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer blend together granulated sugar, butter and lemon zest until combined then increase speed to high and whip for about 1 minute until it’s slightly pale and fluffy.
  • Mix in egg and egg yolk, then blend in 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice and the vanilla extract (mixture may look a little separated because of the acidity that’s okay). If desired add a little natural yellow food coloring if you want a more yellow cookie.
  • Add flour mixture to butter mixture and mix on low speed until combined. Scrape down bowl and fold dough with a spatula a few times to ensure it’s evenly combined. Spread dough out even.
  • Chill dough in fridge for 45 to 60 minutes until it’s not so sticky to work with (chilling will also help the cookies spread less).
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees during last 10 minutes of chilling cookies.
  • Line rimmed 18 by 13-inch baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop dough out about 1 1/2 Tbsp each (28g) and roll into a ball (they should be about the size of a golf ball). Transfer 12 cookie dough balls to prepared baking sheet, spaced evenly apart**. Keep remaining dough chilled.
  • Bake in preheated oven until slightly under-baked in center, about 9 minutes. Let cool on pan 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, repeat baking with remaining cookie dough.
  • Once cookies have cooled mix together powdered sugar with 2 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice. Glaze should have a medium, creamy thickness, drippy but not really runny. Either spoon glaze over cookies and spread into a circle, or pipe glaze from a small resealable bag with the corner cut.
  • Let glaze set before storing cookies.

Notes

  • *For a slightly less sweet cookie you can use 1 cup sugar. I like them either way.
  • **If you want cookies that are thinner and less puffy that spread more, then flatten dough balls slightly before baking.

Copyright 2026 Cooking Classy