The perfect soft and chewy lemon sugar cookies that stay soft! A must make dessert for Spring or any time!
Prep time: PT5M
Cook time: PT13M
Total time: PT140M
Rating
5 stars (11 reviews)
Keywords
Cookie, Lemon
Ingredients
1/2 C unsalted butter (softened)
1 1/4 C granulated sugar (divided)
zest of 1 lemon
2 Tb lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 C all purpose flour
Categories
Dessert
Cuisine
American
Steps
In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together butter and 1 cup granulated sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Mix in zest, lemon juice, egg and vanilla. Scrape bowl as needed. With mixer running on low, slowly incorporate baking soda, salt and flour. Continue mixing until well combined and no streaks remain. Transfer batter to a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, roughly 2-4 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
Use a medium scoop to portion dough. Shape into smooth balls. Coat well in remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Space 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 12-14 minutes. Allow cookies to rest on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to several days.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 112 kcal
Carbohydrates: 18 g
Protein: 1 g
Fat: 4 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Trans Fat: 0.2 g
Cholesterol: 10 mg
Sodium: 71 mg
Sugar: 10 g
Unsaturated Fat: 1.2 g
Reviews
Sandra Barnes on 2026-04-24 (5 stars): These lemon cookies were delicious! The best recipe for lemon cookies. I put some granulated sugar on them before baking. Great recipe for any occasion
Michelle on 2026-03-14 (5 stars): Oh, these are amazing. I followed the recipe exactly and they just have a light taste of sweet lemonade sugar cookies. Should have doubled or tripled the recipe. My family devoured my first batch by the end of the day. Thank you! I’ll be making these again very soon.
Angelica on 2026-02-06 (5 stars): I tripled the amount of lemon zest and this came out amazing! Had to flatten a little bit before baking because I prefer thinner cookies. Definitely the best lemon sugar cookies I've tried! This will be on repeat for sure
Chyanne on 2026-01-23 (5 stars): If I don't have lemon extract how can I enhance the lemon flavor? and How much more do I add?
Kerry Gannon on 2025-12-13 (5 stars): I have been baking these cookies for several years. Always turn out fantastic. I took 20 dozen to work they were gone before lunch break.
Meghan on 2025-11-18 (5 stars): My son found this recipe back around when it was first posted and wanted to learn how to bake. It has been a family favorite and in regular rotation for special occasions ever since. One friend even requests them whenever we are gathering. I love these cookies!
Lora Burke-Mulkey on 2025-10-28 (5 stars): Added white chocolate chips this time, so good. Since all chips were regular sized, no mini chips available, I chopped a big knife thru chips several times. Shaving some white chocolate might be good. Or one white chocolate curl on top for deco and taste.
Molly on 2025-03-09 (5 stars): Seriously one of the best lemon desserts I’ve made! Perfectly soft yet a little crispy and just the right amount of lemon. I ate like 6 in a row they are so yummy
