These lemon sugar cookies have a delicious sunshine-y lemon flavor with a chewy texture. They’re rolled in sugar to give the cookies a nice crunch around the edges for the perfect sugar cookie texture. These cookies are great for spring or whenever you’re craving a buttery, chewy cookie that’s simple, elegant and just a little special.
If you love buttery, lemon treats – whether it’s lemon loaf, lemon bars or lemon cake – then you’re going to love these lemon sugar cookies. They’re a lemon version of my favorite chewy sugar cookies. I love the soft and chewy texture, and the sugar coating gives a satisfying crunch. The cookies have a burst of citrus that’s slightly zingy without being too tart or sour.
Getting the Perfect Lemon Flavor
I think the lemon flavor makes these taste like sunshine. The flavor comes from lemon zest and lemon extract. I tried making these lemon sugar cookies using lemon juice. However, in order to get a strong enough lemon flavor you had to add quite a bit of lemon juice to the cookies which caused the cookies to have a cakey texture instead of a chewy texture. Because lemon extract is much more concentrated, you can get a great lemon flavor without compromising on the texture of the cookies.
You can typically find lemon extract in your baking aisle next to the vanilla extract. I have however included a substitution using freshly lemon juice – just know that the lemon flavor won’t be quite as prominent and the cookies won’t be quite as chewy.
Making Lemon Sugar Cookies
Below are the step-by-step photos and recipe tips for making these cookies.
- Start by preheating the oven to 350F (180C) and lining your cookie sheets with parchment paper or baking mats. I always recommend lining your cookie sheets to avoid the bottoms overbrowning. This is always helpful – but it’s especially important with these cookies because they’re light in color.
- Start by whisking together the dry ingredients: flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. This is to remove any lumps and ensure that the baking soda and salt are evenly distributed throughout the dough. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, you’ll pinch the lemon zest into the sugar. This process of massaging/pinching the lemon zest into the sugar helps the zest to release its flavor. You only need to do this about about 5-10 seconds.
- Then in a large bowl you’ll beat together the butter with the sugar and lemon zest combo. It’s important that the butter is starting to soften, but isn’t starting to melt. Melted butter performs differently in baking compared to softened butter. So if your butter is starting to melt – these cookies won’t have the same results.
- Then beat in the egg, extra egg yolk, lemon extract and vanilla extract. Adding the extra egg yolk makes these cookies chewier. Make sure you’re not adding whole large eggs.
- Beat the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Make sure to start with the mixer on a low speed to avoid the flour from blowing everywhere.
- From there, you’ll form the cookie dough into balls. Scoup the dough into balls with about 1.5 tablespoons of dough each – I always use a cookie scoop for this so that all my cookies are a uniform size. Then roll each cookie dough ball ball in white sugar. Rolling each cookie dough ball in sugar is optional, but I love the crunch that it adds.
- Then place the cookie dough balls on your lined cookie sheets – they should be about 2 inches apart to avoid them spreading into each other. You’ll bake 1 cookie sheet at a time in the middle of the oven for about 9-11 minutes, or until the tops look just set.
Make Ahead Tips & Freezing Tips
These cookies will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for about 4-5 days.
The cookie dough can be made up to 48 hours in advance, covered and chilled in the fridge for up to 48 hours. Then you’ll form the dough into balls, roll in sugar and bake as directed.
You can also freeze cookie dough balls (rolled in sugar) in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Then bake the cookies as directed in the recipe – do not thaw the dough balls first.
Chewy, satisfying and with the perfect citrus flavor – these lemon sugar cookies are the cookie for spring or for anyone who loves lemon treats.
More delicious lemon treats to try:
Lemon Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- Cookie Sheets
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cup all-purpose flour (344 grams)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ⅓ cup granulated sugar (267 grams)
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1 cup unsalted butter (226 grams) softened slightly & cut into cubes
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk discard the white
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons lemon extract
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (67 grams) for rolling the cookie balls in
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) and line cookie sheets with baking paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, pinch together the 1 ⅓ cup sugar and lemon zest. Essentially, you want to rub the lemon zest into the sugar - you only need to do this for about 30 seconds.
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter with the sugar and lemon zest mixture.
- Beat in the egg, additional egg yolk, vanilla extract and lemon extract.
- Mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, starting with the mixer on a low speed and gradually increasing to medium speed until combined.
- Pour the ⅓ cup granulated sugar onto a small plate. Spoon the dough into balls with about 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of dough each and roll each dough ball in the sugar.
- Place the cookie dough balls about 2 inches apart on the lined cookie sheets.
- Bake 1 sheet at a time in the middle of the oven for about 9-11 minutes, or until the tops look set. Cool on the cookie tray for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to continue cooling.
Notes
- Flour: Measure flour carefully, otherwise the cookies will be dry and thick. Use a scale and weigh in grams for the most accurate results. Otherwise, whisk first. Then spoon into a dry measuring cup and level off the top.
- Lemon Extract: Lemon extract can be found in the baking aisle near the vanilla extract. It can also be substituted with 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice. If using lemon juice, the lemon flavor of the cookies won't be quite as prominent.
- Storage: Store baked and cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Cookies are always best when fresh.
- Freezing: Cookie dough balls and be placed in a freezer bag and frozen for up to 2 months. Do not thaw. Bake from frozen, as directed in the recipe. They'll likely need 1-2 extra minutes.
- Nutrition: Details provided are an estimate only and based on 1 cookie rolled in sugar, assuming the recipe yields 32 uniform cookies.
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