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Stack of homemade lemon cookies on a gray surface, dusted with powdered sugar and lemon zest, with a bite taken from the top cookie revealing a soft, bright yellow center.

Lemon Cookies

Bright, soft, and full of real lemon flavor, these homemade lemon cookies are the perfect combination of sweet, tart, chewy, and crisp. They're easy to make and guaranteed to bring sunshine to your kitchen!
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: 3 ingredient lemon cookies, 4 ingredient lemon cookies, Best lemon cookies ever, Healthy lemon cookies, Homemade lemon cookies, Lemon Cookies, Lemon cookies recipe easy, Old fashioned lemon cookies recipe
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 11 minutes
Chill Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 31 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 145kcal
Cost: $7

Equipment

  • 1 Large mixing bowl (For creaming and mixing)
  • 1 Electric mixer (Hand or stand mixer)
  • 1 set Measuring cups & spoons (Standard set)
  • 2 Baking sheets (Parchment-lined preferred)
  • 1–2 Wire cooling racks (To cool cookies evenly)
  • 1 Zester or grater (For lemon zest)
  • 1 Citrus juicer (Optional, for fresh juice)
  • 1 roll Plastic wrap (For chilling dough)

Ingredients

The Cookie Base:

  • 2¼ cups All-purpose flour
  • 1 cup Unsalted butter - Room temperature
  • ¾ cup Granulated sugar
  • ½ cup Powdered sugar
  • 1 Large egg
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon Baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon Salt

The Lemon Stars:

  • Zest of 2 Lemons - Use before juicing
  • 3 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Lemon extract - Optional, for punch

For Rolling:

  • ½ cup Powdered sugar
  • Optional Granulated sugar - For extra texture

Optional Glaze:

  • 1 cup Powdered sugar
  • 2–3 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice - Adjust consistency
  • 1 tablespoon Lemon zest - For brightness

Instructions

  • Zest 2 large lemons and juice them to get 3 tablespoons. Set aside.
  • Cream the butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla, lemon extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
  • Gradually mix in flour, baking soda, and salt until combined. Wrap dough and chill for at least 1 hour.
    Close-up of creamy lemon cookie dough in a glass bowl with a spoon, showing soft, fluffy texture and powdered sugar being mixed in.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll dough into 1-inch balls, coat in powdered sugar, and place on baking sheets.
    Lemon cookie dough balls rolled in powdered sugar on a parchment-lined baking sheet, ready to bake with flour scattered around.
  • Bake 10–12 minutes until edges are set. Cool on pan for 5 minutes, transfer to racks, glaze if desired, and store in airtight container.

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be considered an approximation. Actual values may vary based on specific ingredients used and portion sizes

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 145kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 1.5g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1.5g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 70mg | Potassium: 25mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.5mg