Easy Lemon Cookies {From Scratch}

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.

How to make easy lemon cookies recipe from scratch?

1. Start off by creaming together butter and sugar.
2. Then, mix in the egg, vanilla extract, lemon extract, lemon juice, lemon zest and gel coloring.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and baking soda.
4. Dump this dry mixture into the wet mixture and mix until just combined.
5. Roll out small balls of cookie dough and cover them in granulated sugar.
6. Place them on a cookie tray, lined with parchment paper.
7. 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

• How to Make Lemon Curd
• Sparkling Lemonade Recipe
• Lemon Blueberry Muffins
• Moist Lemon Cake

Recipe

Easy Lemon Cookies Recipe

Abeer Rizvi

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. 

4.93 from 14 ratings

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Chill time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 35 Cookies

Calories 117 kcal

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Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 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.

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