Lemon Sugar Soft Cookies (Printable)

Soft, buttery lemon sugar treats with a tangy citrus glaze and a sparkling sugar coating.

# What You Need:

→ Cookies

01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
08 - 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar, for rolling

→ Citrus Glaze

11 - 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
12 - 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt until evenly mixed.
03 - Using an electric mixer, beat butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Beat in egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until fully integrated.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring just until combined to avoid overmixing.
06 - Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough, roll into balls, then roll each in extra granulated sugar to coat evenly.
07 - Place dough balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets to allow for spreading.
08 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until edges are set and the tops appear just dry. Avoid overbaking.
09 - Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Whisk powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle glaze over cooled cookies and let set prior to serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They're buttery and tender without being heavy, with a tanginess that keeps you reaching for another one.
  • The sugar rolling trick means you get sparkle and texture right out of the oven, and the glaze adds a subtle elegance that feels fancy but tastes homey.
  • They come together in under an hour start to finish, so you can have fresh cookies before dinner without planning your whole day around it.
02 -
  • Don't overbake these cookies—they'll firm up more as they cool, and slightly underbaked is infinitely better than dry and crumbly, which is hard to come back from.
  • Fresh lemon juice and zest make all the difference between bright and flat; bottled juice tastes stale and jarred zest tastes dusty, so squeeze your own lemon and zest it on a microplane.
  • Room temperature butter is non-negotiable for creaming—if it's too cold, your sugar won't incorporate properly and you'll end up with grainy, dense cookies instead of tender ones.
03 -
  • Use a microplane zester or the fine side of a box grater for lemon zest—it creates delicate, evenly distributed pieces that blend into the dough instead of getting stuck in your teeth.
  • If your glaze is too thick, add lemon juice a teaspoon at a time; if it's too thin, add powdered sugar slowly—this control is what makes the difference between a glaze that drips off and one that clings beautifully.
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