TODAY: Get My No-Fail, Lazy Summer Cookbook for 60% OFF!
Delicious and easy to make, this lemon sugar cookies recipe is baked from scratch to create a unique flavor. Our family is crazy about this old fashioned classic recipe. I personally think they’re the best — the soft and chewy texture with slightly crispy edges is hard to beat.
These chewy lemon sugar cookies are always a hit on cookie trays or for family gatherings. For all those lemon lovers, you have to try our other luscious lemon desserts such as our Lemon Lasagna, easy Lemon Poppy Seed Bread, White Chocolate Lemon Truffles or the crowd favorite, Lemon Cheesecake Bars.
LEMON SUGAR COOKIES INGREDIENTS
You will need:
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided into 1 1/4 cups and 1/4 cup
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- zest from 1 lemon
- 1 egg
SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS
CITRUS: You could replace the flavor of lemon in this lemon sugar cookie recipe with other citrus flavors such as orange or lime. Just substitute orange or lime juice and orange or lime zest for the lemon equivalents.
HOW TO MAKE THIS LEMON SUGAR COOKIES RECIPE
STEP ONE: Start by whisking together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
STEP TWO: In a large bowl, with a hand mixer on medium speed, beat together butter, cream cheese, 1 1/4 cups sugar until it’s smooth and creamy. It should take about 1-2 minutes. Once mixed, you’ll add vanilla, lemon juice, and fresh lemon zest and then beat in one egg.
STEP THREE: Slowly add your flour mixture to the butter mixture, just a little at a time, until just combined.
PRO TIP: Do not over mix the batter. Over mixing can result in crumbly cookies.
STEP FOUR: Wrap the bowl with the plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.
PRO TIP: Do not skip the chilling step, this is important to get the best texture for these delicious cookies.
STEP FIVE: Then preheat your oven to 350°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
STEP SIX: Scoop dough into balls and roll dough in sugar until coated all over.
PRO TIP: You can use your hands to roll the dough into balls, but a cookie dough scoop will keep your hands clean and help to form the balls into a uniform size.
STEP SEVEN: Bake the lemon sugar cookies for 10 minutes, until the edges just start to brown.
STEP EIGHT: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for five minutes, and then move to a wire rack to finish cooling.
HOW TO SERVE
Serve these chewy lemon cookies for a delicious snack. Serve with one of our refreshing drinks such as our iced tea, raspberry iced tea, sweet peach iced tea, or our southern strawberry sweet tea on the side.
They make excellent treats for friends, coworkers, to take to a playdate or bake sale. I’m sure they’ll disappear quickly, so you might want to make a double batch of these cookies. Or triple!
STORAGE
ON THE COUNTER: Once the cookies are completely cooled, you can place them on a plate and then wrap them tightly with plastic wrap.
IN THE FREEZER: Once the cookies are completely cooled, wrap your cookies in plastic wrap and then place them inside a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. This lemon cookie recipe will last for up to three months in the freezer if properly stored.
The bright flavors of these lemon sugar cookies with a touch of sweetness thanks to the added sugar on the outside make for the perfect summertime cookie or treat for family and friends. Everyone will be asking for this perfect cookie recipe to make them for themselves!
FAQ
Real lemon will give you the fresh lemon flavor but you can use bottled lemon juice instead in these lemony cookies.
Yes, you can substitute lemon extract for lemon juice. Since the lemon extract is far more concentrated than lemon juice, you will only need a couple of drops of the extract to replace the lemon juice.
You can freeze these cookies stored in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
MORE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
Lemon Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup butter softened
- 2 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 1/2 cups sugar divided into 1 1/4 cups and 1/4 cup
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- zest from 1 lemon
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl
- In a large bowl, beat butter, cream cheese, and 1 1/4 cups sugar until smooth and creamy, 1-2 minutes
- Mix in vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest
- Beat in egg
- Slowly add flour mixture, mixing in a little at a time, until just combined
- Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- Scoop sugar cookie dough into balls and roll in sugar until coated all over
- Bake cookies 10 minutes, until edges just start to brown
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and move to a wire rack to finish cooling.
an you roll these out and use cookie cutters to make different shapes?
Hi, Rose – I haven’t tried rolling this dough out. We do have these sugar cookies that you roll out and cut. Enjoy!
I made these today. Well actually made them yesterday and left in the refrigerator overnight. Baked some today and froze the dough for later in the week. These will be my go to cookies! Very very flavorful. Now I did add more lemon peel double. And I added lemon extract. Probably a teaspoon. But these were soooo good. Soft but chewy around the edges. I will be making many of these.
Super delicious!