Lemon Sugar Cookies
It’s not the holidays without Sugar Cookies, and these Lemon Cut-Out Cookies are perfect for your holiday dessert tray. The perfect cookies for lemon lovers.
Tis the season for Christmas Cookie baking and yes I tend to make a lot of Lemon cookies and desserts. We can’t seem to get enough of them. Especially the Italian.
As much as I love chocolate, he loves lemon.
Ingredients
- All Purpose flour – be sure to use a flour with at least 11% protein, this will keep the cookies from spreading.
- Baking powder
- salt
- lemon zest
- Butter – I use salted butter so if you use unsalted then add 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
- Sugar – granulated or even better caster or very fine sugar (not powdered/icing sugar)
- Egg – large
- Vanilla
- Lemon Juice – fresh lemon juice is best.
These Lemon Sugar Cookies are good anytime of the year, not just the holidays. Delicious in the afternoon with a tea or coffee. They are soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside.
How to make Sugar Cookies
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and zest. In the stand up mixer using the flat beater cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla and lemon juice and combine.
Add the whisked flour mixture and combine. Move to a lightly floured flat surface and gently form into a ball.
Refrigerate the dough for an hour or two. Roll dough into about 1/4 inch thick (a little thicker if you like) and cut with round cookie cutter or cutters of choice. Place the cookies on the prepared cookie sheets and chill while the oven is pre-heating.
Sprinkle with plain or lemon sugar. Bake in pre-heated oven for about 7-9 minutes.
Let the cookies cool on the sheets for a couple of minutes then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
I like to roll my dough probably a 1/4 inch sometimes a little thicker. We aren’t much of a frosting family, but sometimes a simple glaze works well. But if you do prefer frosting then a butter cream frosting would work.
Why chill cookie dough?
The main reason for chilling the cookie dough before baking is to solidify the fat in the cookies. As the cookies are baking, the chilled fat in the dough will take longer to melt then room temperature fat. Therefore the cookies will spread less.
How to make Lemon Sugar
In a small bowl mix together 1/4 cup granulated sugar and the zest of 1/2 a lemon. Rub together between your fingers or use the bottom of a spoon. Let sit for about 15 minutes before using.
FAQs
They should never brown, the cookies are done as soon as they are set and have some colour, but be careful that it’s not too much. They should also start to crack across the centre.
The cooled cookies should be stored in an airtight container, separated by parchment paper. They should be kept in a cool dry area and will last up to five days.
They can also be frozen, make sure they are completely cooled and place in a freezer safe bag or container. They will keep up to two to three months in the freezer if properly stored.
Be sure to take them out of the container or bag and let sit at room temperature, so that condensation doesn’t form and make them soggy.
So if you are a lemon lover like us, why not give these Lemon Sugar Cookies a try and let me know. Enjoy!
More Delicious Lemon recipes to try
Lemon Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- 2 cookie sheets
Ingredients
- 2 cups + 1 tablespoon all purpose flour (at least 11% protein) (268 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- zest of ½-1 lemon
- ⅔ cup + 1½ tablespoons butter (softened)* (170 grams)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
*If you use unsalted butter then add 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Lemon Sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (50 grams)
- 1/2 tablespoon lemon zest
Glaze
- 1/2 cup powdered / icing sugar (62 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1-2 tablespoons milk / cream or lemon juice (or a mixture)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and zest. Set aside.
- In the stand up mixer using the flat beater cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla and lemon juice and combine.
- Add the whisked flour mixture and combine. Move to a lightly floured flat surface and gently form into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
- Then roll the dough into 1/4 inch thick (or a little thicker if you wish) and cut with round cookie cutter or cutters of choice. Place the cookies on parchment paper lined cookie sheets and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes while the oven is pre-heating.
- Pre-heat oven 350F (180C).
- Sprinkle with plain or lemon sugar. Bake in pre-heated oven for about 7-9 minutes.
- Let cool on cookie sheets for approximately 2-3 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle with glaze if desired. Enjoy!
LEMON SUGAR
- In a small bowl combine the sugar and zest by rubbing together.
GLAZE
- In a small bowl mix together until smooth, icing sugar, vanilla, cream, milk or lemon juice, should be quite thick. (if you want it thicker add more powdered sugar/icing sugar).
Hi Rosemary,
I’m really excited to bake these in teddy bear shapes for my Sister in laws baby shower. It is a month away but I am hoping to freeze them. I also have to put fondant icing on them and wondered how you would go about freezing them with the icing and how to thaw so they don’t go really soggy. Thank you! 😊
Hi Clara, unfortunately I don’t think it’s a good idea to freeze with the icing, it would probably get brittle and break off. Make sure you line them with parchment paper and thaw overnight in the fridge, that’s how I would do it. Hope that helps. All the best to your SIL and new baby. Take care.
What flour brand do you use?
Hi Brooke, when I am in Italy I use a flour called Manitoba which is a basic plain/all purpose flour and in Canada I use Robin Hood flour. Hope that helps. Take care!
I have two comments, actually. I know I’m a little late in commenting but I’ve made these several times and they are AMAZING. second comment? I had to laugh when you give instructions for freezing. I’ve never had any left over to freeze! Thanks for this recipe. Delicious!
Hi Kathy, thanks so much, so glad you like them. Haha I rarely have any leftover either! Take care and have a great weekend!
I liked the taste very much; however, the cookies turned out too soft, moist, and doughy.
Some of the bigger cookies broke apart as I handled them to put icing.
I followed the directions and weighed each ingredient by grams for more accuracy.
I measured the thickness (1/4 inches or a little less) and baked 9 min.
I didn’t want to over-bake the cookies and hoped that they would turn out right when they are cool.
I would bake longer next time.
Hi Yumiko, I think you might have used flour with a lower protein count if they were so soft.
Hi Rosemary! I had to put the dough into the fridge overnight because it got too late before I could continue the recipe. The dough is now really hard – not rollable! Shall I let it come to room temp? Maybe put it back in the fridge once I’ve cut out the shapes? Or have I ruined it? 😰 Thanks so much on advance!
Hi Fruzina, let it come to room temperature 1-2 hours should do it, then refrigerate the cookies while the oven is re-heating. I do that all time so you haven’t ruined it. Let me know how it goes. Take care.
Just wondering. Your recipe says the zest of 1/2 lemon but the video says the zest of 1 lemon. Which is correct?
Also- print recipe has grams but just says _cup butter. Am I to assume 1 cup butter!
Hi Danelle, sorry about that, you can use the zest of 1/2 or 1 lemon either is fine more lemon or less. And the butter is 2/3 cup + 1 1/2 tablespoons. I usually bake with metric and I didn’t convert butter. Thanks.
If I have no lemons can I use just lemon juice??
Hi Judy, yes that should work. Instead of one tablespoon add 2-3. I hope you enjoy them. Take care!
My dough was really sticky. The cookies tasted good, but really spread and I was only able to get 18 circles.. 3” I did refrigerate the dough for 5 hours before baking.
Hi DeAnna, make sure you use a higher protein flour (at least 11% protein), lower protein makes the cookies spread. If it is really sticky add a little more flour. Hope this helps.
Can’t wait to make these! Can you make the dough ahead of time, and if so, do you know how long it will last in the fridge? Thanks!
Hi Brit, thanks, yes the dough will keep well wrapped for 2-3 days in the fridge. Let me know how it goes.
These look beautiful, I’m a big fan of lemon! Quick question, would I be able to use royal icing to decorate these? Thanks for this recipe!
Hi Hosanna, thanks so much, yes I am sure that would work. Let me know how it goes.
I did not make the glaze and they had a great and delicate lemon flavour! Loved these.
Hi Simone, thanks so much, glad you enjoyed them. Have a great weekend.
I changed your lemon sugar cookies by using grated clementine zest and juice. They were delicious.
Hi Jan, thanks so much, yes clementine would be so good.
I haven’t tried this recipe yet but it looks delicious!! I also am a lemon lover. I have a shortbread recipe that is always part of Christmas baking for me and I’ve been using my precious bag of limoncello sugar that I brought back from Italy, sprinkling it over the top of the cookies. SO good and makes me lonesome for Italy!!
I love how your recipes are so “my kind of food”😊
Hi Delores, thanks so much I am so glad I can bring back some good memories of Italy. Have a wonderful week.
Great sugar cookies! Looks amazing