Lemon Sugar Cookies (Printable Version)

Soft sugar cookies with refreshing lemon zest and buttery sweetness.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
05 - 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
06 - 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
07 - 1 large egg
08 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ For Rolling

10 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
04 - Beat in the lemon zest, egg, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined.
06 - Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough and roll each in the extra sugar to coat.
07 - Place cookies 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
08 - Bake for 9-11 minutes, until edges are lightly golden and centers are just set.
09 - Allow cookies to cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • These cookies strike that perfect balance between tangy and sweet, like sunshine in cookie form
  • The recipe comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like you spent all afternoon baking
  • They stay soft for days, which is lucky because they disappear even faster
02 -
  • Room temperature butter makes or breaks this recipe, so plan ahead
  • Overmixing the dough once the flour is added will make tough cookies
  • The centers might look slightly underbaked but they firm up beautifully while cooling
03 -
  • Roll the lemons on the counter before zesting to release more oils
  • Use the smallest holes on your grater to avoid the bitter white pith

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