Soft Lemon Cookies
If you love bright, fresh citrus desserts, these lemon cookies are about to be your new favorite. They’re soft, chewy, and packed with real lemon flavor in every bite!
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A Note from Kim
Why These are a Must Bake
These easy lemon cookies are one of my favorite things to make whenever I have fresh lemons sitting on the counter. Built off my perfect soft sugar cookies, they are chewy on the outside, soft on the inside, and packed with bright, fresh lemon flavor from plenty of real lemon zest.
They are also incredibly beginner friendly with simple steps and ingredients you likely already have on hand. No fancy techniques, no hard to find ingredients, just a really delicious lemon cookie that turns out perfectly every time.
With love (and lots of good eats), 
So happy with how these turned out! Soft, chewy, and full of lemony goodness, just like I was craving. I will make these again.
— Dana
Ingredients You’ll Need
For anyone who can’t get enough lemon desserts like my lemon pound cake, this lemon cookie recipe is a must-try! Bursting with bright, tangy flavor, they’re soft, chewy, and totally irresistible. Here’s what you’ll need:
You can find the measurements in the recipe card below.
- Flour: All-purpose flour gives the cookies structure while keeping them soft and chewy.
- Baking soda & baking powder: These help the cookies rise and create that perfect soft texture.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances all the flavors.
- Salted butter: Adds rich flavor and helps create soft centers with lightly crisp edges. If using unsalted butter, add an extra 1/4 tsp salt to the recipe.
- Sugar: Sweetens the cookies and contributes to their tender, chewy texture.
- Egg: Helps bind everything together and adds moisture.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a subtle warmth that complements the bright lemon flavor.
- Lemon juice: Brings fresh, tangy flavor and a hint of brightness.
- Lemon zest: The key to bold lemon flavor, adds a fresh, citrusy punch.
- Sugar for rolling: Creates a lightly crisp, sweet coating on the outside.
- Lemon zest for rolling: Adds an extra pop of citrus flavor right on the surface.
Variations of Lemon Cookies
- Add lemon glaze: Drizzle a simple powdered sugar glaze over your baked lemon cookies for extra sweetness and a shiny, pretty finish. For the glaze, mix 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon zest and 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice.
- White chocolate: Stir a cup of white chocolate chips into the batter before baking for a creamy, decadent twist that pairs beautifully with bright lemon flavor.
- Change the citrus: Swap the lemon juice and zest for fresh lime or orange juice and zest for a new flavor twist. You can also add a lime or orange glaze for extra zing!
Kim’s Recipe Tips
- Measure flour accurately: A food scale is the most precise way to measure flour. If you don’t have one, lightly spoon the flour into a measuring cup, don’t pack it, and level it off with the straight edge of a butter knife without shaking the cup.
- Roll in sugar: Rolling dough balls in sugar (and zest, if desired) adds a slight crisp texture and extra flavor on the outside.
- Chill the dough (optional): Chilling for 30 minutes to 2 hours in the fridge firms up the dough, making thick, chewy lemon cookies.
- Best pans: Use a light-colored aluminum half-sheet pan for perfectly baked cookies. Avoid dark nonstick pans, they brown too quickly and can burn the bottoms.
- Watch the bake time: Cookies should look slightly underdone in the middle when you take them out, they’ll finish setting as they cool.
- Special tools: Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Lemon Zester | Cookie Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Cookie Scoop | Wire Rack
How to Make Lemon Cookies
These lemon sugar cookies come together so quickly, and the best part is there’s no chilling required. Here are the visual instructions, jump down to find the full, printable recipe card.
Step 1: Whisk dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Step 2: Cream butter and sugar. Place the butter and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and cream on medium-high speed until light in color and fluffy.
Step 3: Stir in other wet ingredients. Add the egg, vanilla extract, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest; mix on low until fully incorporated.
Step 4: Mix dry ingredients with wet. Slowly add in the flour mixture, being careful not to overmix.
Step 5: Mix sugar and zest. In a small bowl, with your fingers, mix granulated sugar with fresh lemon zest.
Step 6: Roll in sugar. Use a large spoon or cookie scoop to make dough balls (mine were about 2 tablespoons full). Roll each dough ball in the sugar mixture.
Step 7: Place on cookie sheet. Place cookie dough balls on baking sheets that have been lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Bake in the oven for 11-13 minutes.
Step 8: Bake. Cookies are done when the edges are light golden brown and there is some crackling along the top. The middles can still look undercooked. Do not over bake, or your cookies will not be as chewy. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Transfer cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Frequently Asked Questions
When making the sugar mixture for rolling, use your fingers to work the zest into the sugar. The oils from the zest infuse the sugar, creating an ultra-lemony flavor in every bite.
This usually happens if the dough is too warm or the butter is too soft. Chill slightly if needed.
For perfectly crackled sugar cookies, roll the dough balls generously in sugar before baking. The sugar sets on top as the cookies spread, creating those beautiful cracks. Fresh baking powder also makes a difference, so make sure it’s fresh for the best results.
You can use ½ teaspoon lemon extract if you like. If you do, reduce the fresh lemon juice to 1 tablespoon.
How to Store and Freeze
- Freeze the dough: Scoop the cookie dough into balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze until solid, then transfer the dough balls to a freezer-safe bag or container and store for up to 3 months.
- Bake from frozen: Bake the cookies straight from the freezer following the recipe directions, adding an extra 1–2 minutes to the baking time.
- Freeze baked cookies: Once the cookies have cooled completely, place them in layers in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Store at room temperature: Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
More Favorite Cookie Recipes
If you try this lemon sugar cookie recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves them as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, subscribe to our mailing list to receive more delicious recipes straight to your inbox.
Soft Lemon Cookies
Ingredients
- 2¾ cups (385g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (226g) salted butter at cool room temperature
- 1½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at cool room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 heaping tablespoon lemon zest, use more for a more intense lemon flavor
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar, for rolling cookies
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest, for rolling cookies
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. A lightly-colored baking sheet will work best.
- In a bowl, whisk together the 2¾ cups (385g) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- Place the 1 cup (226g) salted butter and 1½ cups (300g) granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl. Use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and cream on medium-high speed until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and 1 heaping tablespoon lemon zest; mix on low for about 30 seconds or until fully incorporated.
- Slowly add in dry ingredients, being careful not to over mix.
- In a small bowl, with your fingers mix ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar with 2 teaspoons lemon zest. Scoop the dough into large balls, I like to use a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop for this recipe. Roll each dough ball in the sugar mixture.
- Place cookie dough balls on your lined baking sheets. Bake the cookies for 11-13 minutes. Cookies are done when the edges are light golden brown and there is some crackling along the top. The middles can still look undercooked. Do not over bake, or your cookies will not be as chewy.
- Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely. Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- For the most accurate ingredient measurements, use a food scale, especially for flour. If you don’t have one, lightly spoon flour into a measuring cup, level with a knife, and avoid shaking it or packing it down.
- Butter and eggs should be cool to the touch, but not straight out of the refrigerator. I typically let them sit out for about 20-30 minutes before I begin making the cookies.
- If you’re using unsalted butter, add 3/4 teaspoon of salt to the recipe.
- Chilling the dough isn’t required, however, for thicker, chewier, and more flavorful cookies, chill scooped dough in an airtight container for 24–72 hours. Roll in sugar after chilling so it sticks and doesn’t get absorbed. If dough seems sticky after mixing, chill for at least 30 minutes before scooping.
- Use a light-colored aluminum half-sheet pan for best results, and pull the cookies out when they still look slightly underdone. They’ll finish cooking and set beautifully as they cool right on the pan.
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So happy with how these turned out! Soft, chewy, and full of lemony goodness, just like I was craving. I will make these again.