Lemon Cookies Recipe

These delectable soft lemon cookies are perfect for spring with a super easy four-ingredient tangy lemon icing.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 25

Cook Time: 10

Servings: cookies

Calories: 212kcal

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cover baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking sheets.
Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, using a stand or hand mixer on medium. Turn the mixer to low. Add egg, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract; mix just until incorporated.
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three parts. Mix on low just until incorporated. Using 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop, place dough on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until very lightly browned on the edges. Cool on cookie cooling racks.
In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice, milk, and lemon zest. Ice fully cooled cookies and place them on cookie cooling racks to set.

Always preheat the oven for at least 20 minutes and cover the baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Whip the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This should take about five minutes on medium using a mixer or stand mixer.
Load the cookies on the middle rack in the center of the oven.
These cookies spread, so leave a couple of inches between them when baking,
Make the first batch a test run. Bake one or two cookies. This allows you to test baking time. If the dough spreads too much, refrigerate for about 40 minutes and try again.
Use fresh lemon juice and lemon zest, as fresh lemons are flavor-packed, and it makes quite the difference.
These cookies work well scooped with a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop, but you can also roll them into about a one-inch ball using your hands.
If possible, ice the cookies the same day that you bake them, as it helps keep the cookie’s texture soft.
If the icing is too thick, add just 1/4 teaspoon of lemon juice at a time to thin it, and if it is too thin, add 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar at a time to thicken it.