Lemon Sugar Cookies

Lemon Sugar Cookies take the classic cookie to a new level with a big lemon kick! This soft, moist cookie uses simple ingredients and is so easy to make!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword how do I make Lemon Sugar Cookies, how to make Lemon Sugar Cookies, Lemon Sugar Cookies, Lemon Sugar Cookies recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 12

Cooling Time 7

Total Time 29

Servings Cookies

Calories 144kcal

Author Kathleen

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar divided
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon zest

Glaze:

1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1-3 tablespoons milk

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour (2 1/2 cups), baking powder (1 teaspoon), and salt (1/2 teaspoon). Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand-up mixer, cream together butter (3/4 cup) and sugar (1 cup) until light and fluffy. Add egg (2), vanilla (1 teaspoon), and lemon zest (1 1/2 tablespoons) and mix until combined.
With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour, just until incorporated (do not overmix). Flatten dough into a disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/2 inch thick and Use cookie cutters to cut into desired shapes. Place on baking sheet 1 inch apart.
Bake in preheated oven for 12-14 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for about 7 minutes. Remove and finish cooling on a baking rack.
When cookies are completely cooled, whisk together the confectioners' sugar (1 cup), lemon zest (1 tablespoon), and 1 tablespoon of milk, at a time, until the glaze reaches the drizzling consistency.
Pour the glaze into a small ziplock. Cut off a small piece of one corner.
Place cookies on a wire rack set over a sheet of foil and drizzle with glaze. Sprinkle with jimmies or colored sugar as desired. Allow cookies to sit on the rack until the glaze is fully set, about 3 hours.

Notes

Chill time: To get thick, moist, chewy cookies, be sure to let the dough chill for at least 2 hours. Overnight is even better!
Don’t overwork the dough: As you add the dry ingredients, stop mixing just as soon as there are no more streaks of flour. Scrape the sides and mix for one or two more rotations. That’s it! When you are rolling out the dough balls, keep the dough as cool as possible by taking it out in batches.
Shaping: I didn’t intend for this to be a cutout cookie recipe, but if you want to try lemon sugar cookies cut out, I do think this dough will work. It might be a little soft, but as long as you don’t over handle it, keep it cool, and liberally flour your rolling pin and work surface, it should work!

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