Lemon Sugar Cookies (Printable)

Zesty, buttery cookies with fresh lemon flavor, ready in 25 minutes.

# 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

# Steps:

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. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
04 - Beat in lemon zest, egg, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing just until combined.
06 - Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough and roll each in 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 sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The lemon zest creates these incredible bursts of citrus flavor in every single bite
  • They manage to be both tangy and comforting at the same time
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients really do make a difference with these cookies
  • The lemon zest needs to be finely grated not big pieces
03 -
  • Roll the dough balls in coarse sugar for extra crunch
  • Zest your lemons before juicing them