Lemon sugar cookies are a soft cookie bursting with lemon flavor. The vibrant lemon flavor comes straight from fresh lemon zest and fresh lemon juice.
Whip up a batch of these cookies in no time at all - you just need one bowl and no chill time!
There's no need to chill the dough when making these cookies. Which means you'll be eating these cookies in no time at all!
Key ingredients
- Lemons - Plan on two lemons for this recipe. You'll use the zest and the juice. Lemon zest is really where all the lemon flavor comes from. The lemon peel contains natural oils that are packed with flavor. When zesting a lemon, you just want the peel and not the white pith just under the peel. The pith contains bitter flavors.
- Butter - salted butter softened to room temperature
- Sugar - granulated sugar
- Flour - all-purpose flour
Step by step directions
- Start by creaming the butter and the sugar together
- Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla
- Mix in the eggs
- Add flour, salt and baking soda
- Mix well
- Form dough into balls and bake
- Bake in a 375 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. When you remove the cookies from the oven, allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet. Then remove to a baking rack to continue to cool.
Recipe Tips
- Use a lightly greased pan or use a silicone baking mat or a piece of parchment paper to help prevent cookies from sticking to the pan
- Make certain oven is fully preheated before baking
- Use a cookie scoop to get evenly sized cookies
Recipe Faqs
Allow cookies to fully cool on a baking rack. Place cookies in a zip top bag or in a storage container. Store cookies at room temperature.
Yes, I often freeze cookies. When I need a large batch of cookies for a big family event or party, I make all the cookies ahead of time and store them in the freezer. The day of the event, I remove the cookies from the freezer and allow them to thaw.
To freeze cookies, make certain cookies are completely cooled. Then stack three to four cookies together and place in a freezer safe zip top bag. Place bag flat in freezer. If cookies are a bit sticky on the bottom, like with my carrot cookies, place one full layer of cookies in bag and then place a sheet of waxed paper on top. Then place another layer of cookies. This will help prevent cookies from sticking together.
More delicious cookie recipes
Here are some of my favorite cookies:
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Check out all my delicious cookie recipes!
Lemon Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Cookie Sheet
- Zester
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter (salted, softened to room temperature)
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons lemon zest
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 2 ¾ cups flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Cream butter in a bowl with a mixer1 cup butter
- Add sugar and cream together1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- Add lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla. Mix until combined2 Tablespoons lemon zest, 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Add eggs and combine2 eggs
- Add flour, salt and baking soda. Combine2 ¾ cups flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Use a scoop or a spoon to create balls of dough. Place on a lined baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. You may also lightly spray cookie sheet instead of lining baking sheet.
- Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.
- Allow cookies to cool slightly (1-2 min) and then remove from baking sheet and place on a cooling rack.
Video
Notes
- Use a lightly greased pan or use a silicone baking mat or a piece of parchment paper
- Make certain oven is fully preheated before baking
- Use a cookie scoop to get evenly sized cookies
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in June of 2019. The photos and post have been updated.
Colleen Ferguson says
Light, soft and lemony. So yummy! I could eat all of them. Love all your recipes. The lemon zucchini muffins were awesome too.
Kathy says
Thank you!!! I have trouble not eating all the cookies too!
Kathy 🙂
Pam Miller says
Just made these, turned out like a crepes or waffers ,they all ran together. I followed directions exactly and chilled the dough. Any IDEAS? The taste was good.
Kathy says
Hi Pam,
I'm sorry these cookies didn't turn out for you. I'm not certain what went wrong for you. Did you melt fully melt the butter or just soften the butter before using? The only other thing I can think of is that the full amount of flour wasn't added.
Kathy
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
I've never met a lemon dessert I haven't loved and these cookies will be no exception! Delicious Kathy!
David @ Spiced says
Speaking of lemon desserts, these cookies are totally calling my name! I love a good sugar cookie, and the lemon twist on these is perfect for Spring. The only problem is the batch would disappear too quickly! 🙂
Adina says
Perfect looking cookies, I would love some. And I am sure my children would love them as well, they like anything made with lemons.
Kathy says
Mind kiddos are the same! Well actually I think they love anything with lemons and anything that's sweet!
Valentina says
These cookies look light and airy - like cake. And in my family, lemon ties with chocolate for best desserts. 🙂 My kids love when I make cookies, too. And like you, I love making them. 😀
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
I would love the entire stack Kathy! Lemon desserts are my favorite. Even more so than chocolate!
David @ Spiced says
Freezing these cookies? Yeah, right! That assumes there are cookies leftover. I don't know what leftover cookies are around this house! Haha. Seriously, though, these cookies sound amazing. I love lemony desserts in the summer, and a batch of these cookies just needs to appear in my kitchen! 🙂
Kathy says
They disappear quickly in my house too!
Alexandra @ It's Not Complicated Recipes says
I love lemon so much - I really think it makes just about everything better! These lemon cookies would make me very happy 🙂
Kathy says
I think you'd better bake a batch! 🙂
Nora says
Can I sub orange. My husband fondly remembers an orange cookie from his youth but the recipe is lost
Kathy says
Hi Nora,
I think you could substitute orange juice and peel for the lemon. That should make a delicious cookie! Let me know how it turns out.
Happy Baking! 🙂
Kathy says
Hi Nora,
I think you could substitute orange juice and peel for the lemon. That should make a delicious cookie! Let me know how it turns out.
Happy Baking! 🙂
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
A good relationship indeed 😉 I love baking and especially love enjoying the delicious results! Speaking of which, these cookies! Love anything with citrus zest, especially lemon so I would pretty much devour these! Perfect sidekick with a tall, cold glass of milk. Hope you're having a lovely weekend, Kathy!