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Frosted Lemon Sugar Cookies are buttery soft, with the perfect hint of lemon. They’re a perfect treat for lemon lovers!
We love Sugar Cookies and especially love this Lemon Sugar Cookies version. If you love sugar cookies as much as we do, you’ll also love our Sugar Cookie Bars and Sugar Cookie Fruit Pizza!
Soft Lemon Sugar Cookies
If you love lemon desserts, I have the perfect cookie for you! I took a favorite Sugar Cookie recipe and adapted it to make Lemon Sugar Cookies.
I am a huge fan of anything lemon, and I was thrilled with how these cookies turned out. They are the perfect cookie for anyone who loves lemon. With such a soft, delicious cookie topped with lemon frosting, it was hard not to love them.
One thing I love about Frosted Lemon Cookies is that you don’t have to roll them out with a rolling pin. No hassle at all. Just roll them into balls and place them on greased or silicone-lined cookie sheets.
Making these Chewy Lemon Cookies
With no rolling, these cookies are so simple!!
PREP. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease cookie sheets and set aside.
WET INGREDIENTS. Cream butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat in eggs, lemon juice, and lemon zest until well combined.
DRY INGREDIENTS. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt.
SHAPE. Roll dough into tablespoon-sized balls and place on cookie sheets. Flatten with a glass dipped in sugar.
BAKE. Bake for 9-10 minutes, or till barely light brown on the bottom. Let sit for 3-4 minutes on the pan, then remove to a wire rack to cool.
Cool cookies completely before frosting.
LEMON FROSTING. Beat together butter, powdered sugar, salt, lemon zest, and lemon juice till creamy, adding milk if needed.
If piping the frosting, it needs to be thick. I piped frosting on with a 1M star tip. If spreading it on, add more liquid to make a Lemon Icing Recipe.
Recipe Tips
Lemon flavor. Each lemon contains about 2 tablespoons of juice and about 1 tablespoon of zest. The easiest way to zest a lemon is to use a citrus zester, the small side of a cheese grater, or scrape it with a paring knife. To adjust the lemon flavor decrease or increase the lemon zest.
Thin cookies. If the cookies come out too thin try adding a bit more flour or chilling the dough.
Do not overbake. Be sure to remove the cookies before they begin to brown. They may even seem to be a little undercooked, but they will finish cooking as they cool on the hot pan.
Don’t overmix the dough as it can create a tougher texture.
Room temperature ingredients. Room-temperature eggs incorporate better into the dough. Use this post on How to Soften Butter Quickly.
Easy clean-up. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Cookie size. Use a cookie scoop to easily make equal-sized cookie dough balls.
Variations. These Frosted Lemon Cookies are simply yummy, but if to change them up I have a few ideas:
- Add poppy seeds to the dough.
- Top the frosting with fresh raspberries.
- Drizzle white chocolate onto the cookie then top with frosting.
- Sprinkle sliced macadamia or almonds on top.
- For other citrus flavors, try zesting and juicing oranges or lime.
Storing Info
STORE Lemon Sugar Cookies in an air-tight container on the counter for up to 4 days. Place in the fridge to extend that storing time for an extra day or two.
FREEZE. Unfrosted cookies will freeze better. Either way, stack them in an airtight container separated by sheets of wax paper. They should stay good for up to 3 months.
Let them defrost before adding frosting, and serving.
Recipe FAQ
Along with our frosting, we love a fun sprinkle or even some lemon zest.
Stored in the refrigerator, these cookies can last about a week. In a container, on the counter, they last about 4 days. These cookies can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
For more lemon recipes
Lemon Sugar Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Lemon Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 dash salt
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1-2 Tbsp milk, if needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cream butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat in eggs, lemon juice, and lemon zest till well combined.
- Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Roll dough into tablespoon-sized balls and place on lightly greased cookie sheets. Flatten with a glass dipped in sugar.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes, or till barely light brown on the bottom. Let sit for 3-4 minutes on the pan, then remove to cooling racks.
- Cool cookies completely, then frost. I piped frosting on with a 1M star tip.
Lemon Frosting
- Beat together butter, powdered sugar, salt, lemon zest, and lemon juice till creamy, adding milk if needed. If you are piping the frosting, it needs to be thick. If you are just spreading it on, you can add more liquid.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I just made these, i halved the frost reCipe, tHey are delicious . Great recipe?
Thank you for saying that!
These cookies are amazing! Easy to make and so delicious! Will definitely make these again and again! Thank you for the recipe!
You are so welcome! Glad you like them! Thank you!
Amazing cookies!!!
My son did all the mixing & placing cookies on sheet, i did the sugar on bottom of cup part.
He said he never enjoyed eating a cooking so much. “Like biting into a pillow”. We loved this recipe.
1st time making sugar cookies
Yay!! I love that! Thank you for trying this recipe with him!
Can you use lImoncello liquor inthe frosting or the cookie somehow???
I personally have not, but I am sure you could.
Heya i’m just cUrious if these can Become Roll out cookies if i wanted to use cookie cutters instead. Thanks
I personally have not tried, but I bet they could 🙂
Wonderful LemOn flavor !! Easy to make….
Thank you for letting me know! I am happy you liked them!
I’ve made these cookies several times and they always come out wonderful! Every one loves them! Best lemon cookie recipe ever! Thank you!
Yay! I am glad you think that. They are one of my favorites! Thank you!
These cookies are so delicious! Just the perfect hint of lemon. No rollin out and there pretty.
If you didn’t already have me at LEMON the fact you can have finished sugar cookies in 30 minutes is awesome
I love sugar cookies, but adding the lemon makes them even better! Took them to a church function & they were a hit!