Quick and easy lemon cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Soft and chewy. Packed with lemon zest, lemon juice and lemon extract.
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If you are fond of my Key Lime Cookies, you are going to love today's recipe. They are soft and chewy with a crispy, supgary top that's to die for. Serve these at picnics and birthday parties and even cookie exchanges. You can even package them in gift boxes during Christmas time and it makes a wonderful homemade gift. Check out this post on Easy Food and Cookie Packaging Ideas.
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How to make easy lemon cookies recipe from scratch?
- Start off by creaming together butter and sugar.
- Then, mix in the egg, vanilla extract, lemon extract, lemon juice, lemon zest and gel coloring.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and baking soda.
- Dump this dry mixture into the wet mixture and mix until just combined.
- Roll out small balls of cookie dough and cover them in granulated sugar.
- Place them on a cookie tray, lined with parchment paper.
- Chill the tray and then bake.
Tips and techniques
- For best results, use fresh lemon juice and not the bottled stuff.
- All ingredients must be at room temperature because they will blend together smoothly.
- Don't use salted butter because that will make the cookies very salty.
- Don't skip the step of chilling the tray with cookies because that prevents the cookies from spreading too much while baking.
- Both, baking powder and baking soda need to be used in this recipe to create the perfect texture. Don't replace one with the other or omit one.
- This recipe makes about 35 cookies but that number will vary, depending on how big or small you roll your cookie balls.
Variations
- Sandwich cookies- Flip over one cookie and spread frosting or lemon curd. Stick another cookie on top to make a sandwich.
- Mix in other citrus fruit flavors- Add a combination of lemon and orange zest, lemon and orange extract, lemon and orange juice in the cookie dough.
- Use combination of lemon and lime- Add both, lemon and lime zest, lemon and lime extract, lemon and lime juice in the cookie dough.
- Add coconut- About ⅓ cup should be sufficient.
- Add chopped Oreos- About ½ cup Golden Oreos should be enough.
- Pair with cream cheese frosting- Spread it on top of the cookie and enjoy.
- Add chocolate- Stir in white chocolate chips or chunks or even chopped up white chocolate in the cookie dough.
- Replace granulated sugar with powdered sugar- And roll the cookie dough balls in that. This will make more of a crinkle cookie style.
- Cake mix version- Make cake mix cookies according to my instructions for these Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies. Please note that you have to use a yellow cake mix instead of chocolate cake mix. Then, add 2 tablespoon lemon zest, 2 tablespoon lemon juice and replace vanilla extract with 1 teaspoon lemon extract.
- Make glazed cookies- When these treats cool completely, drizzle my Lemon Glaze on top.
Storage
- Refrigerate- In a sealed container for up to 3 days.
- Freeze- Unbaked cookie dough balls without any sugar coating can be frozen for up to 1 month in sealed freezer bags. Prior to baking, roll them in granulated sugar or powdered sugar. As for your baked cookies, since they are coated in granulated sugar, they cannot be frozen because as they thaw, the sugar will dissolve and make a sticky mess.
- Room temperature- Store them in a cookie jar at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Make ahead- These can easily be made 1-2 days in advance.
More lemon desserts
Recipe
Easy Lemon Cookies Recipe
Quick and easy lemon cookies from scratch recipe, made with simple ingredients. These soft and chewy cookies are packed with lemon flavor, coming from lemon zest, lemon juice and lemon extract.
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Ingredients
- 1 cup Butter Unsalted
- 1.5 cups Granulated sugar
- 1 Egg Large
- 1 teaspoon Lemon extract
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon Lemon zest
- Yellow food coloring I recommend gel coloring
- 2 ¾ cups All-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 cup Additional granulated sugar For rolling cookie dough balls
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Mix in the egg, lemon extract, vanilla extract, lemon juice, lemon zest, yellow gel coloring until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda.
- Dump this dry mixture into the wet mixture and mix until just combined.
- Scoop out small portions of the dough and shape them into balls. Roll them in a plate filled with granulated sugar. Place them on a cookie tray, lined with parchment paper and chill the tray for 15-20 minutes.
- Then, bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until the edges are firm and slightly golden brown.
- Allow these cookies to cool down and enjoy!
Notes
- Read all my tips above.
- Leftovers can be stored in a cookie jar at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 117kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 1gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 84mgPotassium: 22mgSugar: 8gVitamin A: 170IUVitamin C: 0.7mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 0.5mg
An automated tool is used to calculate the nutritional information. As such, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information provided for any recipe on this site.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below or rate and tag @cakewhiz on social
Allyson Zea
Oh these lemon cookies look perfect for me!
Dorothy
I say bring on all the lemon! I love that you used lemon three ways!
Delaney
These are so perfect for summer!
Jen
I'm not much of a baker, so I love easy ones like this! These look so delicious!
Toni
I love lemon cookies!! This looks perfect and really easy to make!
Katerina
These cookies are perfect for summer!! I can't wait to make them for my kids!!
Erin
These look heavenly! Such a great flavor!
Lucy
These are delicious as is. Didn’t change a thing but omitted the food coloring. Chewy inside, crunchy outside, totally addictive! Thank you for the recipe! Keeping this one.
Judy
I just made these cookies, they are just as you described. I love them. I am totally happy with this recipe. I made half plain and half with white chocolate chips. I am going to make the lemon cake tomorrow. Can't wait to try it. Thank you for not disappointing. I have shared your website with friends that bake lemon recipes as well.
Vee
Can I omit the lemon extract without affecting flavor too much?
Abeer Rizvi
I don't recommend omitting it. It will affect the flavor and aroma of these cookies.
Jackie G
I found this recipe on Pinterest last week and made these cookies with my teenage daughter, she absolutely loved them! Actually, the whole family did. Thanks so much for the recipe Abeer!
Abeer Rizvi
I am so glad you guys enjoyed them.
Sheri
These are by far my favorite lemon cookies. They are crisp on the outside and chewy in the middle. I have made them four times and will continue to make them. We have a lemon tree in the yard. So I am always looking for recipes with Lemon.
Donna
They are a perfect summer cookie and so delicious
Priscilla Adams
These cookies are so delicious! Soft and chewy and definitely a keeper I will be making these again and again! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Teresa
These are incredible! I left out the food coloring and rolled them in raw turbinino sugar and they were golden crispy deliciousness.
Chris Abbott
I added cream cheese chips and almond extract, they came out incredible.