10 Easy Steps to Make Lemon Sugar Cookies in 25 Mins

There’s something magical about a fresh batch of lemon sugar cookies, soft, chewy, and bursting with that citrusy zing that makes your tastebuds dance.

If you’ve been searching for the perfect lemon cookie that tastes like lemon (yes, we’ve all had those bland letdowns), you’re in for a treat.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from ingredients to baking tips, to make the best lemon sugar cookies at home.

🍋 Why You’ll Love These Lemon Sugar Cookies

If you’re someone who lights up at the smell of fresh lemons or can’t resist a soft, chewy cookie that melts in your mouth, these lemon sugar cookies are made for you.

Here’s why they’ll quickly become your favorite:

• Big on Flavor, Not Just Hype: So many “lemon” cookies disappoint, either bland or barely citrusy. Not these. Packed with real lemon zest, juice, and extract, every bite is sunshine.
• Soft and Chewy Texture: These cookies strike the perfect balance, crispy at the edges, but soft and melt-in-your-mouth in the center, like biting into a lemon cloud.
• Simple, Everyday Ingredients: No fancy tools or weird ingredients needed. If you have lemons, butter, sugar, and flour, you’re 90% there.
• Perfect for Any Occasion: Whether it’s a summer picnic, afternoon tea, or just a random Tuesday that needs cheering up, these cookies fit the vibe.
• Glaze or No Glaze? Your Choice: Enjoy them plain or drizzle on that sweet-tart lemon glaze. Either way, they’re irresistibly good.

Bonus: They smell like pure lemon heaven while baking. Your whole kitchen will feel like a cozy citrus spa.

📋 Ingredients You’ll Need

Here’s a quick look at all the ingredients you need to whip up a batch of these zesty lemon sugar cookies:

🧁 Optional: A few drops of yellow food coloring if you want that bright lemony hue. Totally for looks won’t change the flavor!

👩‍🍳 Step-by-Step: How to Make Lemon Sugar Cookies

Let’s walk through each part of this recipe together. Whether baking solo on a cozy afternoon or making cookies with the kids, these steps are simple, fun, and guaranteed to give you lemony goodness in every bite.

Step 1: Whisk the Dry Ingredients

Grab a medium-sized mixing bowl and add the following:

• 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt (sea salt adds a nice touch!)

Give everything a good whisk so the leaveners and salt are evenly distributed throughout the flour. This helps the cookies rise just right and keeps every bite balanced in flavor.

Pro Tip: Don’t skip the salt—it actually makes the cookies taste more lemony by enhancing the citrus notes.

Step 2: Cream Butter, Sugar, and Lemon Zest

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl using a hand mixer), combine:

• ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
• ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon zest

Start beating on medium speed until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. This step should take about 2–3 minutes.

🌀 Why this matters: Beating the lemon zest with sugar and butter releases the natural lemon oils, infusing the dough with intense, authentic citrus flavor. Your kitchen will smell amazing.

Step 3: Add Lemon Juice, Lemon Extract, and the Egg

Next, add:

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract (optional but adds a boost)
• 1 large egg

Continue mixing until everything is combined. It might look curdled or strange, like a cottage cheese texture, but that’s normal. The lemon juice reacting with the fat can do that.

Just scrape down the sides of the bowl and keep mixing until it smooths out.

💡 Heads-up: If you skip the lemon extract, the cookies will still be lovely and less punchy. You can even substitute vanilla for a more mellow flavor twist.

Step 4: Add the Dry Ingredients Gradually

Turn the mixer to low speed, then slowly add your flour mixture a little at a time. Only mix until it’s almost thoroughly combined. You should still see a few streaks of flour.

Now, stop the mixer and grab a spatula.

Gently fold the remaining flour into the dough by hand. This prevents overmixing, which can toughen the cookies.

✨ Secret to soft cookies: Don’t overwork your dough; gently bring it together. A little effort here = bakery-worthy texture later.

Step 5: Chill the Dough

Cover your bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Why chill?

• Helps the dough firm up so it’s easier to scoop
• Prevents cookies from spreading too much in the oven
• Deepens the lemon flavor while it rests

🕒 Don’t skip this step. Even a short chill makes a big difference in texture and flavor.

Step 6: Scoop and Roll the Dough

Once chilled, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.

Use a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop (or a rounded tablespoon) to portion the dough.

You have two options:

• Rustic look? Drop the dough straight onto the baking sheet.
• Smooth and polished? Roll each scoop between your palms into a neat ball.

Both will taste amazing. The rolled ones will look more uniform and less craggy after baking.

Step 7: Optional Food Coloring Fun

Want your cookies to have a more vibrant lemon-yellow color?

Mix a few drops of yellow gel food coloring into the dough before chilling. It’s optional but adds a pop of sunshine to the final result.

🎨 Color Tip: Don’t overdo the dye; just a few drops go a long way. And remember, natural looks just as beautiful!

Step 8: Bake to Perfection

Place your dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10–12 minutes, or until:

• The edges are set
• The centers are still soft
• The bottoms are just beginning to turn golden

⚠️ Don’t overbake! You want soft and chewy, not crisp and dry. Cookies will continue to firm up as they cool.

Step 9: Cool and Glaze

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Now it’s time to make the glaze (while the cookies cool)!

🍋 Lemon Glaze (Optional but SO Worth It):

• 1 cup powdered sugar (120g)
• 1–3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Whisk them together until smooth and drizzly. Start with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and add more to reach your desired consistency.

Drizzle or dip the cooled cookies in the glaze and let it set.

🍭 Texture Tip: A thicker glaze gives a sugary crackle on top. A thinner glaze soaks into the cookie for extra tang.

Step 10: Serve and Enjoy

Once the glaze has set (about 15–20 minutes), your cookies are ready to eat!

They’re chewy. They’re lemony. They practically melt on your tongue. Honestly? You might want to double the batch next time.

😍 Bonus pleasure: These cookies pair beautifully with a cup of tea or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

💡 Tips for the Best Lemon Sugar Cookies

You want your lemon sugar cookies to taste amazing. Not just decent, but the kind of cookie people remember, request, and secretly hope you bring to the next get-together. Follow these simple (yet game-changing) tips to make every batch a success:

1. Zest Like a Pro

The zest is everything in this recipe. That bright lemony punch comes from the oils in the lemon peel, not the juice.

• Use a microplane zester for the finest, fluffiest zest.
• Avoid the white pit, which is bitter and ruins the flavor.
• Zest before you juice! You can’t zest a squeezed lemon.

2. Always Use Fresh Lemon Juice

Bottled lemon juice? Just no. The flavor is dull, metallic, and way off. Fresh lemon juice brings that zippy, tart brightness that bottled juice can’t replicate.

3. Chill Your Dough

Chilling the dough is non-negotiable if you want cookies that hold their shape and stay chewy. Even a quick 30 minutes in the fridge helps:

• Firm up the butter
• Intensify flavor
• Reduce spreading

Hot Tip: Making the dough ahead? You can refrigerate it for up to 48 hours or freeze it later!

4. Don’t Overmix

Once the flour goes in, mix just until combined. Overmixing activates the gluten in the flour and turns your soft cookies into tough little lemon pucks.

5. Bake Until Just Set

You’re not looking for browned cookies here. Bake until:

• The edges look set
• The centers still look slightly soft
• The bottoms are just starting to turn golden

Let them finish setting as they cool.

6. Go for the Glaze

The lemon glaze is a total upgrade. It adds sweetness, enhances the lemon flavor, and gives each cookie that “extra” touch that makes them feel bakery-worthy.

7. Freeze Extra Dough for Later

Don’t want to bake the whole batch? Scoop and freeze the dough balls, then store them in a freezer bag. You can bake from frozen, adding a minute or two to the baking time.

🍊 Lemon Sugar Cookie Variations to Try

Ready to add your twist to this classic? Here are some creative variations that can take your lemon sugar cookies in exciting new directions:

1. Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies: Add 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds to the dough. It adds texture and a subtle nutty flavor, and the final cookie looks beautiful.

2. Lavender Lemon Cookies: Mix in ½ teaspoon of dried culinary lavender for a floral, spa-like vibe. Pairs beautifully with the citrus and gives the cookies a touch of elegance.

3. Lemon Coconut Cookies: Fold in ¼ cup shredded coconut into the dough. It adds chewiness and a tropical twist that works great with lemon.

4. Lemon Cream Sandwich Cookies: Bake the cookies as directed, then sandwich two with a lemon cream filling (like lemon buttercream or lemon curd) in the middle. Think lemon Oreos but gourmet!

5. Lemon + Vanilla Twist: Replace lemon extract with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to soften the lemony sharpness and make a more mellow, sweet cookie.

6. Lemon + White Chocolate Chips: Add ½ cup white chocolate chips for a sweet contrast to the tartness. The creamy white chocolate melts perfectly into the soft centers.

🍋 Final Thoughts

If sunshine had a flavor, it would taste like these lemon sugar cookies.

They’re the kind of treat that makes people smile before they bite. Soft, chewy, zesty, and sweet in all the right ways. These cookies celebrate fresh lemons and simple joy.

Whether you’re baking them for a weekend indulgence, a summer picnic, or to brighten your mood on a gloomy day, they deliver every time. With their irresistible texture and punchy lemon flavor, these cookies will become a regular in your dessert rotation.

So grab those lemons, turn on some music, and let your kitchen fill with the scent of something truly special. And hey, don’t forget to drizzle on that glaze. It’s the final touch your inner cookie artist deserves.

🍪 More Cookies You’ll Love

Craving more quick and delicious cookie ideas? Check these out next:

👉 Quick 20-Min Peanut Butter Cookies You’ll Crave
👉 Homemade Oreo Cookies Recipe: Better Than Store-Bought!
👉 3-Ingredient Banana Oatmeal Cookies Recipe in 25 Min

Each is fast, fun, and flavorful, like your new favorite lemon cookies.

Ella Foster

Ella Foster, co-founder of FoodBears.com, is a skilled writer whose love for cooking fuels her creative work. Her passion for experimenting in the kitchen brings authentic flavor and culinary inspiration to every piece she crafts for the platform.